Filming in Calderdale Archives - Dyers Cottage Yorkshire - Holiday Cottage Halifax

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.

View from the top of Wainhouse Tower Halifax UK, the tallest folly in the world

Tags: Explore Halifax, Filming in Calderdale, Filming Locations, History, Wainhouse Tower

Wainhouse Tower is unique! Originally designed to be a chimney for a dyeworks, the creativity of the architect Isaac Booth got ever more bold and it never achieved its original purpose. John Edward Wainhouse, the owner of the dyeworks, was very influential in the architectural design of the local area and this masterpiece took from 1871-1875 to build. It became the most famous landmark in Halifax offering views from the balconies over the whole of Calderdale into the Pennines. Unfortunately it also overlooked the estate of his neighbour Sir Henry Edwards and locally became known as “the tower of spite”. Reputedly, on days with excellent visibility, it is said that having climbed the 369 steps, you are rewarded with a view to Blackpool Tower over 40 miles away. It is 84 metres tall, with a square base, an octagonal shaft and 2 balconied viewing platforms, the upper one not open to the public.

It is now owned by Calderdale Council who arrange special open days when tickets can be booked. In 2024 these were on the third Saturday and the first Wednesday of each month and some Bank Holidays. For more information visit https://www.visitcalderdale.com

Philip Fearnley, a local photographer and owner of Halo Vue Aerial Photography https://www.halovue.co.uk has published an extensive series of stunning photographs taken by drone from the top of Wainhouse Tower in all directions. Dyer’s Holiday Cottage Halifax is proud to feature in the left part of the first photograph which is looking South West towards Sowerby Bridge and in the distance are the Pennines. These photographs are available in a book with more information about Wainhouse Tower called Calderdale From The Air Wainhouse Tower by Philip Fearnley and would make an amazing Christmas gift for anyone who has a connection to Halifax and Calderdale.

Photos credited to Philip Fearnley Photography. Dyer’s Holiday Cottage is in the centre left of this photo just before the bend in Edwards Road, next to a large Victorian building with a slate roof which was formerly the home of John Edward Wainhouse and known as West Air. It is now the very popular pub The Wainhouse Tavern and has won accolades as one of the best real ale pubs in Calderdale and the food is well worth a mention too.

If you would like to see more of Philip’s work, please take a look at the virtual tour on our website https://www.dyerscottageyorkshire.co.uk which takes you around the cottage and then offers you an opportunity to see more of Halifax and Calderdale from the air. He also has worked with tv production companies, notably on ‘Gentleman Jack’ and ‘Canal Boat Diaries’.

Gentleman Jack

Tags: Day Out, Filming in Calderdale, Filming Locations

Filming is currently taking place of the latest BBC/HBO historical drama Gentleman Jack at Shibden Hall. Based in 1832 on the true story of Anne Lister who lived at the house, Suranne Jones plays the lead role. Again it is another Sally Wainwright creation. Look out for it in 2019.

Where is Ackley Bridge Filmed?

Tags: Day Out, Filming in Calderdale, Filming Locations

Ackley Bridge is filmed at the former St Catherine’s RC High School in Halifax, but exterior scenes are filmed across Halifax including Skircoat Moor close to Dyer’s Holiday Cottage. a C4 production based on a fictional school formed from the merger of two schools and the ensuing tensions. Starring Jo Joyner and Paul Nicholls, series 3 is in production. To keep up to date with this popular drama, please see the Channel 4 website.

Happy Valley

Tags: Day Out, Filming in Calderdale, Filming Locations

Also written by Sally Wainwright, Happy Valley again stars Sarah Lancashire, this time as a police sergeant, and both the BBC drama and its leading lady won the major BAFTA award 2017 for series 2. Series 3 is planned. It is totally filmed in the local area with most of the film locations in Halifax and other parts of Calderdale such as Sowerby Bridge, Mytholmroyd and Hebden Bridge. One scene in series 2 featured views from the top of Wainhouse Tower which included Dyer’s Cottage. We were somewhat surprised to see it.

Series 3 is planned to appear on BBC1 towards the end of 2019/start of 2020. See the BBC website for more information.

Last Tango In Halifax

Tags: Day Out, Filming in Calderdale, Filming Locations

First screened by BBC1 in 2012, and written by local girl Sally Wainwright, Last Tango In Halifax is filmed in both Yorkshire and Cheshire. Starring Anne Reid, Sir Derek Jacobi, Sarah Lancashire and Nicola Walker, local scenes to Halifax have been filmed at Holdsworth House, Shibden Hall and Skircoat Moor just up the hill behind the cottage. We were fortunate to come across filming for the 2016 Christmas show there.

A new series of Last Tango is due to be filmed in late 2019.