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==History==

Castleford is built upon the site of a [[Roman army]] settlement that was named [[Lagentium]] or ''Legioleum''. Funeral [[urn]]s dating from the time of the Romans have been found there. The modern name of the town is derived from the fort, Castle (referring to the fort) and Ford (referring to the River Aire which runs through Castleford.)

Queens Park in Castleford, as viewed from [[Google earth]], shows two circles on the top playing field area, which could be the remnants of round houses used by early [[Anglo Saxons]]. Standing over 250 feet above sea level, it is thought that the area which is Queens Park today would have offered a defensive view of the settlement.

[[Oliver Cromwell]] (1597–1659), had a local encampment in nearby Ferrybridge. It is said locally that his cannon faced towards [[Pontefract Castle]] from the nearby Redhill Plateau in Castleford. Today this plateau includes the areas of Holywell Wood, the estate of Airedale and Queens Park.

From 1630 until his deprivation during the [[English Interregnum|Interregnum]], the [[Rector#Anglican churches|Rector]] of Ackworth was the Reverend [[Thomas Bradley (priest)|Thomas Bradley]], [[Doctor of Divinity|DD]] [[University of Oxford|(Oxon)]], who attended [[Society of King Charles the Martyr#Charles Stuart as an Anglican Martyr|King Charles the Martyr]] at his [[Charles I of England#Trial and execution|execution]].

Castleford town centre and several residential neighbourhoods are improving as part of a unique programme of revitalization known as the [http://www.channel4.com/4homes/on-tv/kevin-s-big-town-plan/ Castleford Project]. It is delivering over £11m of improvements to the town's public spaces and involves community leaders, residents, local business and a creative team of designers and visual artists from UK and overseas. The Project has acted as a trigger for a larger programme of urban renewal in the town, valued at over £200m. Its work is the subject of a series of television shows currently airing on [[Channel 4]], called [http://www.channel4.com/4homes/on-tv/kevin-s-big-town-plan/ Kevin McCloud And The Big Town Plan]. The series is produced by [[TalkbackTHAMES]] and presented by [[Kevin McCloud]] of the series ''[[Grand Designs]]''.