Wainhouse Tower Archives - Dyers Cottage Yorkshire - Holiday Cottage Halifax

Easter Monday climb up Wainhouse Tower Halifax April 21 2025

Tags: Calderdale from the Air, Wainhouse Heritage, Wainhouse Tower

The amazing volunteers of Wainhouse Tower are opening the door to enable you to climb the tallest folly in the world. At 84m or 253 feet, this is an octagonal brick chimney surrounded by a local stone case over 60cm thick. The base is square. Inside a series of loopholes allow light into the circular staircase of nearly 400 steps leading to a viewing platform of intricate design.

Ascents are at 10am,11am, 1pm, 2pm and 3pm.

Thanks to Peter Davies allowing us to use the photo he took on a clear April day 2025 which shows Dyer’s Holiday Cottage Halifax centre left on this photo. Find the red cars at the top of Gainest and we are immediately to the left on the other side of the wooded hillside. The Wainhouse Tavern, formerly West Air, the home of JE Wainhouse is just above us and across the road, the former Wesleyan Sunday School, now apartments, is towards the left corner. In the distance are the beautiful hills of the South Pennines.

From the top you will have the chance of experiencing fantastic views in all directions, stretching to Kebroyd in the Ryburn Valley, Langfield Moor near Todmorden, Castle Hill near Huddersfield and even Blackstone Edge in Lancashire. Of course the best view is towards Pye Nest and Sowerby Bridge because we are easily visible diagonally opposite from the old Wesleyan Sunday School building with its high roof.

Tickets are on sale at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/visit-calderdale-29603793049

The volunteers are planning to open the door regularly throughout the spring and summer so if you have a head for heights, good knees and plenty of energy, do take up this opportunity.

For more amazing images taken by drone, do buy Philip Fearnley’s book Calderdale from the Air. Our guests at Dyer’s Holiday Cottage can see it on the coffee table.

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

Our fascinating garden wall

Tags: Explore Halifax, Feud, History, Sir Henry Edwards, Wainhouse

John Edward Wainhouse was a local dyeworks owner and his aunt previously owned the building of which we are a part. He inherited it and certainly added the distinctive front porches and the garden wall too as it bears his initials JEW and the date 1878. Part of the wall was a water source, probably a well or trough which has been bricked in more recently. We have now been told that this was actually 3 water troughs which were installed following the failure of a previous scheme called Cockett Well due to land ownership issues with Sir Henry Edwards. On the back wall there was an inscription in gilt lettering which said “And Abraham reproved Abimelech because of a well of water which Abimelech’s servants had violently taken away” Genesis 21:25. This is a reference to JEW’s feud with Sir Henry Edwards who lived at Pye Nest House and had objected to the building of Wainhouse Tower a few years previously as he thought it was an intrusion of his privacy. It later became known as ‘the tower of spite’. The cottages were allegedly known as Dye Nest which was inscribed on a chimney. More research is required to find out more!

Thanks to Peter Kemp for the photo and Steve for the additional information.

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’.

Last Minute Special Offer May 25 to June 19

Tags: Explore Halifax, Happy Valley, History, Shibden Hall, special offer

Just £500 for a weeks stay at Dyer’s self catering holiday cottage in the beautiful Calderdale West Yorkshire between Halifax and Sowerby Bridge. Located in the shadow of Wainhouse Tower, the tallest folly in the world, this is a truly heritage area and our cottage is part of is one of the oldest buildings in the area.

Price includes a breakfast pack too.

Shorter stays available too.

Enjoy relaxing in our unique cottage garden after a day out exploring the natural beauty and historic sights.

WAINHOUSE TOWER NEW OPENING TIMES!

Tags: culturedale, visit calderdale, Wainhouse Tower

For those people keen to climb 369 steps to the viewing gallery, and achieve a magnificent 360 degree view of Calderdale and beyond, new opening dates have been announced. From Saturday 17 February, the tower will be open every 3rd Saturday of each month until October and every 1st Wednesday. This is the tallest folly in the world standing at 77m and this magnificent landmark can be seen from all over the area. Even at night it stands out as its elegant triple balconies are illuminated. One of our guests at Dyer’s Cottage from the USA used it to identify his way home after a few beers! We are proud to have a connection to John Edward Wainhouse who built it and be part of the Wainhouse Heritage Walk.

For more information take a look at www.visitcalderdale.com

#VisitCalderdale #CultureDale