Townclose Hills or as its known locally Billywood

A lovely local walk with the dogs here is a brief summary about the area.


Townclose Hills Local Nature Reserve sits upon a knoll of magnesian limestone. From the grassland plateau at the top of the hill you can get beautiful near-panoramic views of the surrounding countryside. The mosaic of habitats found here including limestone grassland, woodlands, meadows, scrub and a woodland glade supports a wide variety of plant and animal life, and much of the site has been designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest by English Nature in recognition of its national importance for conservation. We even have glow worms and sometimes conducted tours are organised for people to see them.

 The route of a way-marked nature trail goes around the reserve and the habitat information relates to the numbered posts you will see as you walk around. The nature trail is about 2 kilometres long. Townclose Hills is access land so you are free to explore this area, but be aware that limestone is renowned for having large cracks, or grykes, that feet can get trapped in! Paths may be steep in places and the ground uneven or muddy, so wear sturdy shoes and be careful where you walk. 
 There are several footpaths into the site, but the main one runs up from Kippax Leisure Centre car park on Station Road.


Townclose Hills is better known locally as Billywood. The origin of the name Billywood is lost in the mists of time, but it may be that it refers to a person of the name Billy or even William, as one document calls the area William Wood. On all official papers it is always called Townclose Hills, or a variation of this, and references to the area date back to 1628. Townclose is again mentioned in the Enclosure Act of 1791, when the rights of common pasture were lost to the residents of Kippax.

The building of the Leeds Castleford and Pontefract Junction Railway in 1878 allowed the extraction of sand and limestone from the Townclose area. The Ordnance Survey maps for the following period show that a siding had been put on the railway at the northwest corner of the present Nature Reserve. The OS map dated 1908 also shows a tramway, which was used to transport the sand from a nearby mine to the railway. This sand was extensively used in the engineering industry for making moulds to cast metal in, as well as for the building trade.

At the western edge of the wood there were two cottages, always called Billywood Cottages on maps, and also a coal mine. The coal mine was often referred to as Billywood Pit but its proper name was Medhurst Pit. The mine was working in 1896 but closed shortly afterwards. Remains of these cottages and the items once used by their inhabitants can sometimes be found in winter in the form of a few pieces of broken pottery or brick.