NEWSLETTER SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2026
Heritage Walks
Since our last Newsletter we have held two very well attended walks, one on the Eastern Hydros where we finished by taking a look around the Craiglands Hotel, and the second our Cemetery Walk on Hydros to Cemetery.
Our next Event is for Heritage Open Days (HODS) on Thursday 17 September, meeting at 2 pm at the Railway Station entrance adjacent to the Bus Station. The HODS theme this year is local craftsmen, and in line with this, our walk is entitled ‘Dean Brothers – 3 Generations of Ilkley Builders’. This will be a town centre walk looking at buildings connected to the Dean family.
To book a place please contact Alex on
HODS events are advertised on their own website, where bookings can also be made, so we would advise early booking as numbers will be limited.
Blue Plaques – The plaque on Verbeia Grange, formerly the Troutbeck, will be unveiled on Thursday 3 September at 1 pm. We are hoping for a glimpse inside the refurbished building.
Design Awards
Nominations have now closed and we will be examining all the projects suggested, prior to our Awards Evening on Thursday 22 October at 7.30 pm in Church House. Further details on the meeting will be sent out nearer the time.
October Zoom meeting to be held on Saturday 24 October at 2 pm. Further information from Alex as above.
Reminder
We now have a facebook page under Ilkley Civic Society where details and photographs of events are posted alongside those on our website.
Date of Christmas Walk
This will be held on Monday 28 December meeting at 10.30 am. This will be a town centre walk looking up at some of the decorative features on many of the buildings. Further details will be published later.
We have been asked to bring to members’ attention a talk on Thursday evening 17 September in All Saints Church. Full details are on the attached poster.
Website/Membership
It is now possible to join/rejoin the Society via the website. Full details are available under the Membership tab.
The Friends of Ilkley Cemetery continue to meet weekly, weather permitting. Please contact Jan on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for further information
Meetings in 2026
Thu Apr 23 7.30pm Meeting AGM Illustrated talk Church House
The subject of the illustrated talk will be "60 years of Volunteering with Ilkley Civic Society"Sat Apr 25 2pm Walk to see Spa Hydro Meet at Manor House
We will be stepping back in time to re-imagine the Victorian village, walking up to the old Green Lane (now The Grove) then a rural location, to imagine The Grove Hydro which was renamed in the 1880s to be The Spa. It was demolished a century later to be replaced by an apartment block which was designed to reflect the original building. The café konditorei is still remembered by older residents.
See you there!
| Sat May 30 - 2 pm | Walk at Wells House | Blue Plaque launch |
| Thu Jun 18 - 2 pm | ICS 60th | Canker Well Garden, The Grove |
| Sat Jun 20 - 2pm | Civic Day event: A walk to celebrate Ilkley's Health Heritage | Canker Well Garden, The Grove |
| Sat Jul 25 - 2 pm | Walk – Eastern Hydros (including Craiglands) | Meet: Cowpasture Road/Wheatley Road junctio |
| Sat Aug 15 – 2 pm | Walk – From Hydros to Cemetery | Meet – Ashlands Road Cemetery gates |
| Thu Sep 17 – 2 pm | Deans 3 generations of Ilkley builder | Heritage Walk – Meet at the Railway Station |
| Thu Oct 22 – 7.30 pm | Design Awards | Church House |
| Sat Oct 24 – 2 pm | Zoom meeting | |
| Thu Nov 26 – 7.30pm | Illustrated talk - Lost buildings of Ilkley | Church House |
| Sat Nov 28 – 2pm | Lost buildings of Ilkley | Zoom |
| Mon Dec 28th - 11am | Christmas heritage walk tbc | |
Friends of Ilkley Cemetery – the group continues to meet weekly, weather permitting. Please contact Jan on
Local History Hub – A resource for the collection, storage and sharing of Information on Ilkley. For further information and/or to get involved, contact Alex on