Out & About Archives - Dyers Cottage Yorkshire - Holiday Cottage Halifax

Halifax and Calderdale Heritage Festival September 6-24 2025

Tags: Day Out, Explore Halifax, History, Wainhouse Heritage

Every year the heritage of Calderdale comes alive to locals and visitors during the fortnight in September when normally closed architectural gems open their doors, or historic buildings waive their admittance fee in addition to special talks and tours which are organised for everyone to attend.

Below are some of the opportunities being offered this year.

Calderdale Industrial Museum HX1 1QG Saturday Sept 6 and 13 10.00-16.00 explains how the industry of the past has shaped Calderdale today.

Todmorden Unitarian Church OL14 6LE is open on several dates and is a magnificent Grade 1 listed building with beautiful stained glass windows.

The Bankfield Museum HX3 6HG was the home of local textile manufacturer Edward Akroyd and became a free museum in 1887. On Sept 13 there is a special military history event but it is open Tuesday through to Saturdays 10.00-16.00

Mt Zion Heritage Chapel Ogden HX2 8XG 13 Sept Told by the Dial, Stories in Stone. Story telling, colouring workshop and more

Shibden Hall HX3 6XG 7/8 and 13/14 Sept free admittance to this historic family home from 1420-1926 made famous by being the home of Anne Lister 1791-1840 also known as ‘Gentleman Jack’. Book in advance.

Wainhouse Tower HX3 0HB is celebrating its 150th birthday; a climb of nearly 400 steps offers tremendous views on Sept 20. Book your place in advance.

Lister Lane Cemetery HX1 5JZ has hundreds of gravestones including many of the great and good. It is holding an open day and tours on Sept 21 between 12.30 and 14.00.

Crossley and Dean Clough Bus Tour leaves Dean Clough Mills HX3 5DX at 10.00 and 12.45 on 13 Sept.

All Souls Church Boothtown HX3 6DR is a beautiful Grade1 listed church with a 236ft spire designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott. Wonder at the carvings and stained glass. Rarely open, this church will be open on Sept 13,14, 20, 21 from 10.00-16.00.

Halifax Minster, previously known as St John the Baptist HX1 1QL is open every day from 12.00 to 16.00 but on 13/14 September it opens at 10.00. A 15c Grade 1 listed church, it is rich in history with a stunning painted wooden ceiling, the graves of Anne Lister and several involved in the Cragg Vale Coiners. Look out for chairs carved with the distinctive mouse of Robert Thompson of Kilburn.

For more information on Halifax and Calderdale Heritage Events visit https://www.discoverhalifax.co.uk/halifax-heritage-festival-2025-events-tours-free-guide/ and https://www.visitcalderdale.com

An exciting day out in London from Dyer’s Holiday Cottage Halifax

Tags: Dat trip to London from Halifax, Day Out, Explore London from Halifax, Holiday Cottage Halifax, London

Set an alarm for 06.00 and book a taxi for 06.45 to take you to Halifax railway station to catch the 07.12 Grand Central train to London from Platform 1. Book tickets in advance at https://www.grandcentralrail.com

Sit back and enjoy the trip which takes under 3 hours covering 200 miles. Refreshments are available.

Arriving into London Kings Cross station at 10.07, take a quick look at platform 9 and three quarters for a photo with Harry Potter; then follow signs for the Underground Piccadilly Line (Dark Blue) and look out for ticket machines from which you need to buy an off peak zone 1 and 2 one day travelcard.

Then take the Piccadilly line (Dark Blue) south to Russell Square and walk a few minutes across Russell Square to the British Museum (free entry) where we suggest you visit the Rosetta Stone and Parthenon Sculptures (Elgin Marbles) but you may prefer to look at https://www.britishmuseum.org and plan your own short visit of about an hour.

Leaving at about 12.00, return to Russell Square tube station and take the Piccadilly line (Dark Blue) south to Covent Garden station. Explore the Piazza with its street performers and shops and maybe take a look inside St Paul’s Church (the Actors Church) before taking a short lunch break in Neal’s Yard leaving about 13.30.

Walk through Seven Dials to Charing Cross Road and from there to Trafalgar Square to see Nelson’s Column, St Martin in the Fields church and the National Portrait Gallery. From here head up the Mall into St James Park and Buckingham Palace. Return down Birdcage Walk to St James Park tube station by 14.30 and catch a District (green) or Circle (yellow) line train Eastbound to Westminster.

On reaching ground level, the awesome sights of Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, the London Eye and Westminster Abbey will greet you.

The Houses of Parliament also known as the Palace of Westminster

The London Eye and Big Ben also known as the Elizabeth Tower

Thirty minutes maximum here before going underground again by 15.45 and continuing eastbound on the District (green) or Circle (yellow) line to either Blackfriars or Mansion House from where it is about a 5 minute walk to see St Paul’s Cathedral. No time to go inside unless you miss out the next 2 landmarks, The Monument to the Great Fire of London 1665 in Pudding Lane and the outside of the Tower of London by the River Thames.

By 17.00 you should have arrived at the iconic Walkie Talkie Building with your pre booked tickets (free for 1 hour but bring ID) for the Sky Garden 20 Fenchurch Street https://www. skygarden.london. A lift whisks you up 35 floors to enable you to access the highest public garden in London with panoramic views of the Shard, the Gherkin, Tower Bridge and St Paul’s Cathedral.

Photo from the Sky Garden showing the Shard, London Bridge, the South Bank and also the gold top of the Monument front right.

At 18.00 make your way via the Bank of England to Bank station and from here along the Northern line (black) Northbound to Kings Cross station. All being well you should have time for a wander into Coal Drops Yard which as its name suggests was formerly a coal depot but is now a buzzing area of cafes, restaurants and shops. Maybe grab some street food from one of the vans? Then make your way back to Kings Cross station in plenty of time for your return train. This is the 19.48 Grand Central train to Bradford and you get off at Halifax at 22.13. Then catch a taxi from outside the station back home to Dyer’s Holiday Cottage Halifax having had a grand day out in London.

This photo of the River Thames shows the Shard to the left, Tower Bridge, the dome of St Paul’s Cathedral, the Walkie Talkie Building and the Gherkin.

https://www.tfl.gov.uk is a helpful website

Zone 1 of the London Underground Map courtesy of https://www.tfl.gov.uk

All photos taken by Jane Giorgi and cannot be copied.

Ward’s Cottage Homes Upper Washer Lane Halifax

Tags: Explore Halifax, History, Holiday in Halifax, Richard Dearden Ward, Wainhouse

Richard Dearden Ward 1845-1931 was the husband of Hannah Kenyon 1846-1937. She was born in Dyer’s Cottage and was the second child of William Kenyon and Phoebe Trotter. Richard, like most local people, worked in the Wainhouse Dyeworks but rose from being a Master Dyer to become a bookkeeper, then manager and finally the owner when it was known as Ward’s Dyeworks before becoming part of Bradford Dyer’s Association. With each job promotion came a change of residence, finally settling in the prestigious house further along the road in Masters Lane called Sapling Grove.

He was mayor of Halifax from 1905-1907 and during this time, he built Ward’s Cottage Homes. These consisted of 24 cottages on 2 levels to make use of the steep hillside. Traditionally called ‘up and over’ houses, the main living room would face South West affording a light filled and lovely view of Norland which we also have from our bedroom at Dyer’s Cottage just a few houses further along Upper Washer Lane. Built of the best Accrington brick, each property consisted of a living room, bedroom and scullery with communal toilet facilities outside which was the norm for the time. They were provided free of rent and rates to the over 60’s who were unable to work.

By the 1960’s they were deemed unsuitable for modern living and as the occupants died, the cottages were left unoccupied until they were demolished in November 1982. For photos of the demolition please see www.calderdalecompanion.co.uk/ph4252.html

Since then, native tree species have colonised the site and sadly no trace of these charitable homes exist. When staying at Dyer’s Holiday Cottage Halifax, why not turn left out of the gate and stroll along the opposite side of the road until the row of houses ends and see if you can identify where Ward’s Cottage Homes used to be?

Upper Washer Lane now

Dyer’s Holiday Cottage Halifax and our links to the Wainhouse family

Tags: Wainhouse, Wainhouse Heritage, Washer Lane Dyeworks

The earliest knowledge we have is in our property deeds and these mention that the properties now known as 48, 64, 66, 68 and 70 Upper Washer Lane were owned in the 19th century by a Miss Wainhouse. It is possible that she was a sister of Robert Wainhouse 1773-1856 who built the Washer Lane Dying and Finishing Company, later known as the Washer Lane Dyeworks. He was also a local JP. He married Hannah Emmett on June 2 1795 but they had no children. However, on his mother’s death in 1829, his nephew John Edward Wainhouse 1817-1883 went to live with the couple at their home Sapling Grove on Masters Lane. Probate records show Robert Wainhouse left a valuable estate of £45,000 and John Edward inherited most of this along with the business.

The 1841 census shows that the property, identified as top of Washer Lane, was occupied by several members of the Kenyon family, notably John Kennion 1777-1848 who was a Master Dyer and family lore tells us that the cottages were available to the Master Dyers to rent in recognition of their skill and loyalty to the Wainhouse family. Without doubt, John Edward Wainhouse owned the building in 1878, but probably much earlier, as he created or altered a water source in what is now our garden wall with his initials inscribed above it. The previous year he had moved into his newly built mansion, West Air, to the left of our building, where he lived until his death. The site was chosen as it was next to the land of his rival, Sir Henry Edwards The house was designed by Richard Swarbrick Dugdale, the same architect who designed the upper sections of Wainhouse Tower and the house exhibits the same eccentricities as many of his other building projects locally. All the stone was from a local quarry but the roof is slate. West Air is a very interesting building, now Grade11 listed by English Heritage. All the windows have different styles, none of the bay windows match and there are small windows in the chimney breast. There are also a number of cryptic Latin inscriptions referring to aspects of his life such as ‘Spare the lowly and make war upon the proud’ which probably is a link to his feud with Edwards.

Although John Edward Wainhouse did work in the dyeworks before he inherited it, he subsequently left the day to day management of it to Henry Mossman, who leased the building from Wainhouse in 1870 and then bought it in 1873. Wainhouse was much more involved in his property empire, parts of which remain although many are in ruins. There is a heritage walk called The Wainhouse Trail, which provides a fascinating walk around his legacy and a copy of the booklet is available for our guests to borrow at Dyer’s Holiday Cottage.

Washer Lane Dyeworks was demolished many years ago but West Air can be visited as it has been a local pub for many years. Originally called The Royal when it was owned by Thwaites Brewery, since 2014 it has been a freehouse now known appropriately as The Wainhouse Tavern. It has won many real ale awards and is also known locally for the quality of its good value, home cooked Yorkshire fayre.

John Edward Wainhouse never married and so after his death, his substantial property estate was auctioned. James Kenyon 1843-1915 acquired 13 of the cottages to the right of West Air, including 66, the cottage where he had been born, and his brother in law Richard Dearden Ward acquired the land behind. Richard Dearden Ward was also involved in the dyeworks working with Mossmann and his final home was coincidentally Sapling Grove, the former home of Robert Wainhouse.

The Washer Lane Dying and Finishing Company, later known as Washer Lane Dyeworks Halifax Yorkshire is below and the featured image shows The Wainhouse Tavern formerly West Air to the left, then the old farmhouse of which Dyer’s Holiday Cottage forms a part with Upper Washer Lane and Wainhouse Tower to the right.

What a view from the top of Wainhouse Tower!

Tags: Easter 2025 EnjoyWestYorkshire, Explore Halifax, Wainhouse Tower

With thanks to Peter Davies who bravely climbed over 370 steps to achieve a fantastic panorama from the viewing gallery at the top of Wainhouse Tower, the tallest folly in the world. We are in the bottom left corner of the photo diagonally opposite the old Wesleyan chapel Sunday School with the distinctive roof profile. After it ceased its religious use, it became a hosiery factory and is now apartments. Wainhouse Tower was built in the early 1870’s, possibly as a chimney for the Wainhouse dyeworks but more likely to ignite the feud between John Edward Wainhouse and his neighbour Sir Henry Edwards which is why it is often referred to as “the tower of spite”. JEW had a wonderful view of it, as does Dyer’s Cottage, from his own house just 30metres from us, originally called West Air but now known as the Wainhouse Tavern. We are so fortunate to have such a great pub so close to us where the locals are keen to welcome our guests and Andy and his team serve up delicious home cooked food and real ales. Dyer’s Cottage Holiday Home Halifax and the Wainhouse Tavern are just down the wooded slope from the 2 red cars.

For more dates when Wainhouse Tower is open, please visit https:// www.visitcalderdale.com. Tickets for Easter Sunday April 20th and Bank Holiday Monday April 21 are available for ascents at 10am,11am, 1pm, 2pm and 3pm each day from https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/visit-calderdale-29603793049

#wainhousetower #visitcalderdale #Easter2025 #EnjoyWestYorkshire

Cycling in Calderdale! Use Dyer’s Cottage as your ‘home away from home’

Tags: Calderdale by cycle, Cycle in Calderdale, Cycling, Day Out, Explore Calderdale by bike

Cycling in Calderdale is very popular. Whether you are a beginner favouring easy routes alongside the Hebble and Calder or Rochdale Canals or an expert keen to pedal off road through the South Pennine landscape, there are routes for everyone. The 2019 Tour de Yorkshire took place here too.

Choose the National Cycle Network Route 66 also known as the Calder Valley Greenway for a gentle ride on a mainly traffic free waterside route from Walsden in the upper valley to Brighouse further down.

Or how about the intermediate level Calderdale Loop which is 15 miles, part of which follows the Pennine Bridleway National Trail?

But if you are super keen, and love off road challenges, the Mary Towneley Loop may be just for you. It’s 47 miles of challenges, steep inclines and descents and beautiful views. For more details see https://www.visitcalderdale.com

Dyer’s Cottage welcomes cyclists and offers interior storage in the kitchen accessed by the back door. We provide towels to protect the floor and a mop, bucket etc.

We sleep up to 3 people. The bedroom has a superking Hypnos bed which can be split into 2 twins upon prior request. We also have a comfortable sofa bed with sprung base and mattress in the living room. Relax in our private sunny garden after a day out exploring and then walk 30 metres to our friendly local pub offering award winning beers and fabulous home cooked Yorkshire food.

Useful Local Contacts

Recharge Bikes formerly Juiced Up Bikes of Luddenden Foot www.juicedupbikes.co.uk offering e-bike hire and more 01422 800286

Blazing Saddles of Hebden Bridge selling parts, clothing, maintenance https://www.blazingsaddles.co.uk 01422 844435

Shay Cycles www.shay-cycles.co.uk 01422 367244

Cycle Gear www.ukbikesdepot.com 01422 344602

Special events at the Bankfield Museum Halifax 2025

Tags: Arts & Exhibitions, Day Out, Explore Halifax, Filming in Calderdale, History

The fascinating Bankfield Museum is just outside the town centre, across North Bridge and along the road to Queensbury. The entrance is slightly hidden so watch out for the stone gate posts leading up a narrow drive just past the magnificent All Soul’s Church which sadly only opens occasionally. It has been a museum since 1887 and tells the story of Halifax, Calderdale and its people and heritage.

Opening times are Tuesday to Saturday 10.00-16.00 FREE ENTRY unless you attend an event or workshop.

The house was originally the home of Edward Akroyd local MP and mill owner and now hosts a very interesting collection of local memorabilia such as exhibits from the Duke of Wellington’s Regiment, a toy collection and jewellery crafted by the renowned local silversmith Charles Horner.

In addition, the museum hosts special events throughout the year and below is the schedule for 2025. For more details please visit the website https://museums.calderdale.gov.uk

Exhibition 50 Years of Calderdale. This explores the history of the borough, created in 1974, over the past 50 years from archaeological discoveries to the changing industrial landscape and the new future as a filming location. To December 21st 2025

Exhibition Edith Durham 1863-1944; Explorer, Collector and Champion of The Balkans to March 29th 2025

Exhibition Wild Words. This celebrates the poetry of the area most famously Ted Hughes 1930-1998. To 1st March 2025

Exhibition Welcome to Calderdale, a new exhibition of paintings by local Brighouse artist Roger Davies until 28th June 2025

Exhibition The World of Chris Mould an award winning graphic illustrator. Until 30th August 2025

Event Sketch Away with Chris Mould. Come and join a workshop on 18th February. Book online.

Event Fastest Felting Workshop and create your own wet felting masterpiece. 19 February 2025. Book online.

Event Mask Making Workshop for children 4-12 21st February. Book online.

Event Poetry Inspired by the Brontes to accompany the Wild Words Exhibition. 21st February. Book online.

Event Vintage Sewing Machine Demonstration, a free session on 8th March

Exhibition Let’s go Shopping! Suitable for all ages, this looks at the shops of yesteryear in Halifax with a display of photos and objects. 8th March -13th September 2025

Event Roger Davies in Concert. Join in with a performance by local poet, who is also a talented songwriter, on 11th April 2025. Book online

Event Regency Summer Ball with music from the Pemberley Players. 2nd August 2025. Book online

Below are two of the costumes, from a previous exhibition at the Bankfield Museum, worn by the fictional character Eugenie Pierre played by Albane Courtois in the BBC/HBO tv series ‘Gentleman Jack’. This very popular historical drama focuses on the unconventional life and loves of local landowner Anne Lister who was played by Suranne Jones.

The Magna Via also known as The Wakefield Gate Halifax: a great walk from Hipperholme to Halifax

Tags: Day Out, Explore Halifax, Filming Locations, History, Walking

This ancient road, connecting Halifax to Wakefield is a fascinating reminder of the illustrious past and until the 18th century was the only route East. Carrying animals, wool and textiles by packhorse, this footpath enables walkers to really experience how difficult life must have been in times gone by.

The walk from Hipperholme to Halifax, which we took by bus from Dyer’s Holiday Cottage into Halifax and bus to Hipperholme, is provided in the walks section of our guest information folder at Dyer’s Holiday Cottage Halifax but briefly consists of a downhill section from Station Road, then an upward path following Dark Lane, which is one of the best preserved Medieval holloways, up to 12 metres deep in parts, carved out by many centuries of traffic. At the summit, above Shibden Hall, home of Anne Lister aka ‘Gentleman Jack’ from the television series written by Sally Wainwright, the track levels out offering splendid views across the Shibden Valley to Queensbury on the opposite ridge. Look out for the old mineshaft before descending into the remnants of the woods of Beacon Hill. Here the track becomes setted again. The cobbles were laid in the 1720’s to provide an all weather surface but the gradient was too steep for wheeled vehicles. Excavated and restored by Halifax Civic Trust in 1984. we can now see the beauty of their workmanship.

The 1741 Turnpike Trust meant that gradually the Magna Via was used less to carry goods as the toll paying Halifax Old Road was built following a lower but longer more Northerly route between Halifax and Hipperholme.

It remains a great memorial of past times for walkers to enjoy and took us 1.5 hours, approximately 3 miles.

For more information have a look at www.milestonesociety.co.uk

www.visitcalderdale.com

www.calderdale.gov.uk

Information Board near Dark Lane Hipperholme

The track descends into the woods on Beacon Hill Halifax

Nearly there!

Out and about at Ogden Water Country Park

Tags: Day Out, Explore Halifax, Walking

Just a 15 minute drive from Dyer’s Holiday Cottage near Halifax is the beautiful nature reserve called Ogden Water. Accessed from the A629 Keighley Road, near the Moorlands Inn, it offers a variety of paths and trails to explore, some of which are suitable for a wheelchair or buggy. Dogs are allowed, there’s parking, picnic tables and a public toilet. Pay for parking at the Visitor Centre (opening hours vary). Owned by Yorkshire Water, and managed by Calderdale Countryside Service, the reservoir can hold over 220 million gallons of water but this is seasonal. Ogden Water covers over 34 acres and is reputed to be the first clay lined dam to be built in Europe when it opened in 1857. It has a maximum depth of 20 metres and this water is supplied from several streams and waterfalls tumbling down the hillside from the moorland above. However swimming, paddling etc is strictly forbidden.

For more about the history take a look at www.ogdenwater.org.uk

Ogden Water is surrounded by many walking trails to explore

A visit to The People’s Park Halifax

Tags: Come to Calderdale, Day Out, Explore Halifax

As its name suggests, this is a park specially designed for all the people of Halifax to enjoy at a time when only the largest houses had gardens. Situated about a mile from the town centre on the A58 towards Burnley, this 12.5 acre park, opened in 1857, is a very special one. Designed by Joseph Paxton, originally a gardener at Chatsworth House, The People’s Park is one of several public parks and burial grounds he created. However, he is best known for his design of the Crystal Palace for the Great Exhibition in 1851.

The People’s Park was laid out in an area of open fields but is now surrounded by later 19th century housing. Sir Francis Crossley, a local carpet manufacturer of great fame, donated the park for the enjoyment of the people. It was designed to combine art and nature so that it could provide relaxation and pleasure after a hard days work. It was an area of quiet enjoyment where locals could stroll, meet, chat and enjoy music performed on the bandstand. His own home Belle Vue was just across the road.

It has several impressive entrances with stone gate piers and cast iron gates with curving paths leading from each, through impressive deciduous trees, many of which are now over 150 years old, to the more formal centre of the park. Here the main building is the Grade 11 listed Crossley Pavilion with an arcaded seating area and statue of Sir Francis Crossley made by Joseph Durham 1814-1877. His most famous commission is the Memorial to the Great Exhibition 1851 consisting of a fountain surmounted by a bronze statue of Prince Albert and four figures representing the corners of the world which stands in front of the Royal Albert Hall in London. The water feature within the pavilion walls has bowls shaped like scallop shells above which are heads of sea gods. Water was designed to flow from the heads into the shells and from there into pools.

On the adjoining terrace are 7 (formerly 8) marble statues of classical figures. Unfortunately Apollo arrived broken after his journey from Carrara, Italy and sadly a few of the others have sustained later minor injuries too.

Dominating the lawns is the bandstand constructed in 1882 of cast iron and timber with a zinc roof. It has hosted many bands and entertainers over the years. Close by is a 2om diameter pond. Originally blessed with a fountain designed by Paxton called ‘a nest of jets’, it now features a central statue which was moved from the winter garden of Somerleyton Hall in Suffolk in 1914 by the descendants of Frank Crossley.

Nearby is a most impressive sundial which was donated to the park in 1873. Originally created by John Smith 1807-1895 of Bielby near Pocklington East Yorkshire for a school in North Yorkshire in 1858, it is a splendid example of its type. Another piece of his work is the vertical sundial at Castle Howard near York.

The Serpentine Pools, 180m long with an island and crossed by 2 cast iron bridges, are very popular with the local bird life too. 3 marble urns feature at the entrance to one of the bridges and originally the water here was drinking water supplied from a reservoir nearby.

The Drinking Fountain, donated in 1859, is similar to another in nearby Savile Park but a clean water supply could not be restored to it in 1995 although the stonework has been repaired.

Close by, on the North side of the park and screened by trees is the childrens playground whilst on the South side are examples of exotic trees and shrubs. The South West corner originally had glasshouses but now horse chestnut, beech and ash trees have colonised the area although some conifers were planted as part of the 1995 restoration.

Just a mile from Dyer’s Holiday Cottage, take a walk up Wakefield Gate and across Savile Park for a very interesting discovery and exploration of The People’s Park. The map is provided by Calderdale Council.