Morley's history goes back to Anglo Saxon times: It started as an agricultural village built on seven hills and became part of the Morley Wapentake - a large administrative area.

Following the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314, Scots swept into the northern counties and Morley was one of the places which lay in their path. A division of Scots wintered there and, around 1323 left the town in ruins.

One of the town's landmarks was Howley Hall. Built in 1590 by Sir John Savile, Howley Hall was one of the largest buildings in West Yorkshire. In 1626 Leeds was granted a charter for the city and Sir John Savile became Mayor. The owls from his family coat of arms are now incorporated in the Leeds coat of arms. With famous connections to the civil war, Howley Hall was demolished in 1730 and the site now hosts a golf course.

Another notable landowner was Lord Dartmouth. In 1706 he bought the Manor of Morley from the Savile Family. The Dartmouth family provided land and finance for Dartmouth Park, the rugby and cricket grounds and other places for local people.

Until the early 1800s Morley remained a largely agricultural settlement. Owing to the poor quality of the soil, farmers supplemented their income by having weaving looms in their homes. The earliest mills were located on two series of becks and harnessed water as a cheap power source. Crank Mills, built in 1790, was one of the first steam-powered mills in Britain.

Weaving, and especially production of a cheap wool known as "Shoddy" led to Morley's success during the Industrial Revolution. In its heyday, Morley had 44 mills and during the two World Wars, "Morley Shoddy" was used as cloth for uniforms and blankets. Reputedly during the American Civil War a Morley mill supplied cloth (for uniforms) to both sides.
 
Mill owners grew rich and powerful and were proud of their self contained community. These powerful local families included Scatcherds, Dawsons, Websters, Rhodes and Scarths. They worked together in many civic projects but underneath there was long standing, inter-family rivalry. This was highlighted in the dispute between the Dawson and Scatcherds over Morley Hall. Some of these buildings were financed by the wealthy families that lived in the area. The buildings erected in the Victorian period used locally quarried sandstone and provided significant local employment. In addition to its woollen trade, Morley also became one of the country's leading coal producers. The last pit in Morley closed in 1927. The last pit in the Morley borough, (at East Ardsley) closed in the 1960s.
 
The town grew from 2,108 residents in 1801 to 24,800 in 1901. Its current population is approximately 60,000 (2007). The Textile Industry became practically extinct as a result of foreign competition.
 

Morley was the birthplace of Herbert Henry Asquith, Prime Minister from 1908-16 whose ancestors are buried in the town's Rehoboth Churchyard on Dawson Hill.
 
Other famous people born in or associated with Morley include pioneering Victorian industrialist Sir Titus Salt, and international cyclist Beryl Burton. 1980's world snooker champion Joe Johnson ran a snooker hall in the town.
 
Since 1974 Morley has become part of Leeds municipal area. With good access to local motorways it is set towards new development and a bright future.
 
This heritage trail is aimed at encouraging awareness of Morley's past by inviting people to look behind the frontage of modern buildings and delving into their past history.
 
The trail is roughly 3 miles long, on moderately hilly terrain so people following it are advised to pace their walk and wear suitable footwear.
 
We have now published a book and DVD to accompany the trail giving all the history and stories you need for full enjoyment of the walk. They are available to order through our Shop page.