Leathley

On my regular jaunts to RHS Gardens at Harlow Carr, I drive through a pretty little village called Leathley, near Otley. I always think I'll stop and explore... and I never do. Well, one day in early November I did, because the sun was shining and bringing out all its beauty. I used my phone to take a picture of the church and the sun promptly disappeared behind a cloud - and then the rain started! So I didn't get far in my exploration.

The building that catches my eye when I drive through is the row of almshouses (above) which have a beautiful view across the Wharfe valley. I've found online a conservation area study, which tells about the history of the area. This has aways been predominantly an agricultural area. It has various links over the years to nearby Farnley Hall (see HERE). The almshouses date back to 1769, when a school house (the two-storey bit in the middle) and four almshouses were built in memory of Henry Hitch, the lord of the manor, to care for the poor of the parish and to educate the children.

The church of St Oswald sits proudly on a hillock. It originally dates back to the 1100s with additions in the 1470s and Victorian renovations. The beautiful carved cross is a war memorial.

(Note to self: make sure you take a proper walk in this area next Spring! There seems to be lots more to discover.)

Saltaire's almshouses

Since some of the large trees on Victoria Road were felled, it's been much easier to appreciate the architecture of Saltaire's almshouses. Opened in September 1868, they are amongst the most ornate buildings in the village. Like the rest of Saltaire, they have Italianate features but they lean heavily towards the Victorian Gothic style in favour at the time, with pointed arches and rock-faced stonework. 45 dwellings were built at the top end of Victoria Road, in a rectangle around a garden known as Alexandra Square. Those shown above are on the east side, adjoining the infirmary. 

Perhaps influenced by other local mill owners (including Francis Crossley and Titus Salt Junior's father-in-law, Joseph Crossley, in Halifax), Sir Titus Salt decided to provide for selected elderly and infirm residents, who received rent-free accommodation and a small pension. I believe some of the cottages are still used for social housing. 

You can see other photos of them by clicking the 'almshouses' label below. 

Spring's picture frame

Blossom and new growth in the allotments belonging to Shipley College's horticultural department provide an attractive frame for Salts Mill.

A pink cherry tree prettifies the almshouses on Victoria Road.

Let there be light

You may recall that back in July last year (here) I reported a plan to fell all the mature trees along Saltaire's Victoria Road. Well, that plan has come to fruition and the sound of chainsaws was heard all last week. They have probably felled about ten trees so far. The orange bollards show where they were. This is the upper section of Victoria Road and they will shortly move down the hill to deal with those in the centre of the village.

They were lovely trees, horse chestnuts and copper beeches, but they had grown way too big for the area in which they were planted. They were not original to the Victorian village, having been planted as recently as the 1950s. But they weren't really the right species for their situation. Their roots have badly damaged the pavements and all those pretty almshouses were getting absolutely no natural light into their little rooms, even in high summer, because of the dense leaf canopy. (I bet they'll all have to redecorate now. They'll be able to see the grime of ages!)

Work will take place to further improve the area, relaying pavements, replacing the street lights with attractive ones more in keeping with the village and planting a few smaller specimen trees in the areas where there is room in the ground (too many services and cables underground in much of the street, I gather.)

Saltaire World Heritage Weekend

It's that time of year again, when Saltaire celebrates its World Heritage Status and its links to other such places around the world. A weekend of mixed weather saw fewer visitors than usual (as far as I could gauge), which was a pity as there were some interesting things on offer. One of our local historians, Colin Coates, has done a great deal of research into Saltaire's history during WWI, to mark the war's centenary, and some of this was presented in an exhibition. As is now tradition, some of the Saltaire Archives were also on display, including several albums telling the stories of local families.

The poster is displayed here on the railings at the entrance to the church, with the Stables cottages in the background. The poster itself shows a picture of the Almshouses at the top of Victoria Road (see here) taken before the trees had matured. The trees are now so huge they are cutting out light and damaging the buildings' foundations so there is talk as to whether to remove them. It is always sad to see mature trees disappear but in this case they are increasingly problematic. They are not original to Titus Salt's Saltaire either, being planted some time after the village was built.

30. Almshouses

Sir Titus Salt's provision for his workforce extended to the building of 45 almshouses for the aged poor, at the top of Victoria Road, in 1868. He himself vetted the applicants, who had to provide evidence of their infirmity, age, previous occupation and probity. Once accepted, they lived rent-free and received a small weekly pension. The almshouses, a mixture of single and two-storey dwellings, are arranged in a square around a formal garden.  Some of them (as above) are very well-maintained but the whole area looks a bit unloved these days, I always think.

Heritage Trail 16 - Alexandra Square

Hope we're all refreshed after that virtual coffee.  (And the very good news is that virtual cake contains NO calories!) Now we will....
'Continue along Bingley Road and then turn left into Victoria Road.'  The top of Victoria Road contains this little green space called Alexandra Square, around which are grouped Saltaire's almshouses. (For more photos and history, please click the 'almshouses' label below).  This area was developed in 1868.  Sir Titus Salt was following the lead of other local paternalist industrialists such as Sir Francis Crossley, who in 1855 had established almshouses linked to his Dean Clough Works in Halifax.  There are 45 almshouses in Victoria Road, some now in private ownership but many still providing accommodation for the elderly or infirm, through a Housing Trust.

[No 14 on the street plan]

A shady seat

A shady seat in Alexandra Square, Saltaire.  This attractive little square is surrounded by Saltaire's 45 almshouses, built by Sir Titus Salt in 1868 to provide accommodation for the elderly and infirm.  It was originally enclosed by cast iron railings (on top of the little wall).  These were no doubt removed and melted down for munitions in WWII.  In providing these houses for the elderly poor, Salt was copying other local industrialists like Francis Crossley in Halifax, taking on a role which had previously been played by landed gentry.  He offered not only rent-free housing but also a small weekly pension to the residents, who were personally selected by him during his lifetime and then by a board of trustees.  The houses are still occupied, some in private ownership and some managed by a housing trust for Bradford Council and still providing homes for older people.

Saltaire garden

This garden in Saltaire's Alexandra Square makes a beautiful 'chocolate box' picture at the moment, with borders and pots full of colourful plants. Whoever lives there must love gardening and obviously takes great pride in how it looks. The other side of the house, overlooking Bradford Road, is equally pretty. It is one of Saltaire's Almshouses, originally built by Titus Salt in 1868 to provide homes for elderly and infirm residents of Saltaire. It's good to see one of the houses looking so attractive, as some of them look a little bit neglected these days. For more photos and information about the Almshouses see here and here.

Alexandra Square, Saltaire

I mentioned the Almshouses in Saltaire a while ago. There are 45 cottages, built in 1868 around a square at the top of Victoria Road. They were originally intended as a sanctuary for the aged and infirm, but management of them proved problematic over the years. Some are now privately owned and the rest, managed by a Housing Trust for Bradford Council, are still let mostly to elderly tenants and those with mobility needs. Local historian Roger Clarke has written a very interesting history of the Almshouses, available to read on the Saltaire Village Society website (Saltaire Journal Vol. 1 No 3).

The square has what must once have been a rather attractive formal garden. It's dominated now by the trees that have overgrown the space, and other plants have a hard time of it. I think it is at its most picturesque at this time of year. The weeping willow trees have a soft haze of green and there are a few daffodils out. It's also easier to appreciate the Venetian Gothic architecture of the buildings, most of which are one-storey cottages, interspersed with two-storey houses.

Saltaire's Almshouses

People are always going on about 'Monochrome Monday' and suchlike... I've still not sussed how you join in these blogfests, but it's Monday, so here's one of my few monochrome images.

Sir Titus Salt had 45 almshouses built on Victoria Road, Saltaire in 1868. These were to provide accommodation for the aged and infirm, initially selected by Sir Titus himself and later by a board of trustees. Residents lived rent free and received a weekly pension. The almshouses are arranged in a rectangle around a formal garden, named Alexandra Square (after Alexandra of Denmark, the very popular young Princess of Wales at that time). The architecture has Italianate features in common with the rest of Saltaire, but leans towards the Victorian Gothic, with pointed arches and rock-faced stone. Incidentally, the oft-repeated motif of two arches and a roundel can be seen here too (see my post of 5 September).

It is, in principle, a very attractive part of Saltaire - the one and two-storey almshouses, whilst quite ornate, are charming. Sadly, it seems a rather neglected area these days. The trees (including horse chestnuts, willow and some evergreens), which once must have been very attractive, are now enormous and cut out a lot of light as well as hiding the almshouses from view. (The birch in the picture, for example, should surely never have been allowed to root so close to the house wall?) The grass can't grow properly under the trees and is sparse and untidy, the roses are straggly, the pavements are being forced up by the tree roots. Even though Victoria Road is the main thoroughfare through Saltaire, this section is badly lit and very dark at night. Overall I think the area has a very gloomy, sad feel to it. As far as I know, that the cottages are now mostly in private ownership and some of them could do with a bit of attention.