It is believed[by whom?] that the village of Little Leven - immediately west of the present village - began as far back as the days of the Ancient Britons, though Neolithic and Bronze Age human occupation of the area is known. Finds from Leven 'Carrs' (marshy land) have included axe heads, leaf-shaped swords, and a spearhead.[3]
Three quarters of a mile west of Little Leven, at Hall Garth, is the site of Leven's former parish church - St Faith's - which was in use between 1350 and 1843. It is speculated[by whom?] that the original village of Leven was sited in its immediate vicinity though archaeological understanding of that area is sparse.[citation needed]
In 1823 Leven (then spelt 'Leaven'), was a civil parish in the Wapentake and Liberty of Holderness. The patronage of the church was under Sir William Pennyman. Population at the time was 658. Occupations included eight farmers, three wheelwrights, two blacksmiths, two butchers, three corn millers, five shoemakers, two maltsters, two grocers, a bricklayer, a schoolmaster, a parish clerk, and the landlords of The Minerva and the Blue Bell public houses. Four carriers operated between the village and Beverley and Hull twice weekly. There were two other carriers: one taking post by foot to Hornsea four times a week; and another to Hull once a week by water transport. Residents included the parish rector, three yeomen, a gentleman, and a merchant.[4]
The 1892 Bulmer's Directory of Hull and the East Riding states that the Manor of Leven was given to the Church of St John of Beverley by Edward the Confessor, and is listed in the Domesday Book as being amongst its possessions.
Leven was a small village with 400 inhabitants until 1964, after which a private housing estate was built (Barley Gate, Mill Drive, Westlands Way, Balk Close), and the village expanded to become a dormitory for workers mainly from Hull and Beverley. The population is now over 2,500. The village has two public houses: The New Inn and The Hare and Hounds as well as a member's club featuring live entertainment each week. Leven has amateur football, cricket and bowling teams.[citation needed]
After a long campaign by residents, a bypass was built for the A165 road around the eastern side of the village and opened in May 1994.[6]
Leven Canal, a Site of Special Scientific Interest links the village to the River Hull, although it is now closed. The canal was opened in 1804 having been cut by the order of Mrs Charlotte Bethel, Lady of the Manor. The 3+1⁄4-mile long canal started at the River Hull and was constructed to allow sailing barges to reach the warehouses at Canal Head on the southern edge of the village. Two warehouses were constructed in 1825 for storing of local grain ready for barge transport, and a depository for incoming coal.[8][9]
Linley Hill Airfield is nearby and is used for flying activities. Users include Hull Aero Club which was founded in the 1920s and numbered Amy Johnson among former members.[10]
^Dennison, Ed (2011). "Erection of a single storey extension and observation tower to club house, and erection of aircraft storage building, Linley Hill Airfield, Linley Hill Road, Leven, East Yorkshire". Archaeological Series (400). Ed Dennison Archaeological Services Ltd: 2. doi:10.5284/1016216.
^Baines, Edward (1823). History, Directory and Gazetteer of the County of York. p. 362.
^Hoole, K (1986). A regional history of the railways of Great Britain, volume 4; the North-East (3 ed.). Newton Abbot: David & Charles. p. 61. ISBN0-9465-3731-3.
^Duckham, Baron F. (1972). The inland waterways of East Yorkshire, 1700-1900. York: East Yorkshire Local History Society. p. 35. ISBN0900349298.
^Pevsner, Nikolaus; Neave, David; Neave, Susan (2005) [1972]. Yorkshire - York and the East Riding. London: Yale University Press. p. 597. ISBN0300095937.
^"Editorial"(PDF). The Windsock (8). Hull Aero Club. September 2010. Archived from the original(PDF) on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 8 December 2014.
Gazetteer — A–Z of Towns Villages and Hamlets. East Riding of Yorkshire Council. 2006. p. 7.
Further reading
Allison, K J; Baggs, A P; Cooper, T N; Davidson-Cragoe, C; Walker, J (2002). Kent, G H R (ed.). "North division: Leven". A History of the County of York East Riding: Volume 7: Holderness Wapentake, Middle and North Divisions. Institute of Historical Research. Retrieved 3 February 2014.
