Dewsbury, England
Dewsbury-le-Roundabout
"Where the M62 Meets Its Match"
Official Coat of Arms
A shield quartered with a bolt of shoddy cloth and a rampant fake rat mid-chase, beneath a spire representing the Minster's tenacious survival amid decades of textile decline. The motto beneath, in Latin nobody asked for, translates roughly to 'We Also Had a Mill Once'.
TripAdvisor Review
★★★☆☆ 3/5
"Came for the Rat Race, a fascinating annual event where locals actually chase a fake rat through the streets, stayed because my car wouldn't start in the multi-storey car park. The Minster is genuinely lovely and the market has been going since medieval times, which is more than can be said for most of the shopfronts nearby. Heritage Centre was closed when I visited but the woman in the bakery gave excellent directions. Three stars because the black pudding at the market stall alone deserves a special mention."— Barry Fenwick, Cleckheaton
Property Listing
A CHARACTERFUL Victorian terrace in the historic Heavy Woollen District, offering unrivalled access to the M62, M1, and a genuinely stunning Minster you'll drive past without ever quite stopping at. Perfect for the commuter who dreams of Leeds but can only afford Dewsbury's wonderfully honest price tags.
Twinned With
Batley — Two proud Heavy Woollen District towns locked in eternal, gently affectionate rivalry over whose market is slightly less depleted.
Supporting Evidence
Dewsbury pioneered the recycling of old rags into 'shoddy' cloth in the 19th century, effectively making it one of the birthplaces of textile recycling long before it was fashionable to care.