A lovely small group walk today on Civic Day to celebrate Ilkley’s fresh air, healthy water and open spaces and the various benefactors who helped create Ilkley's little gardens.
We started at Canker Well Gardens and walked along The Grove (stopping to look up at the dragons on top of Acorn Villas) into the dignified War Memorial Gardens then into the delightful Spence Gardens, complete with stream, bridges and an open field behind. After a stop outside the shops in the former grounds of the Spa, we finished in the peaceful area in front of the former Ilkley Hospital, built in 1862, now Abbeyfield Care Home, looking down at the bandstand on The Grove.
Our guide, Alex Cockshott provided the fascinating commentary about each site and the men and women behind Ilkley’s history.
Ilkley Town's Mayor unveiled a new information board at Canker Well Gardens to celebrate the sixtieth anniversary of the founding of of the Ilkley Civic Society. The sun shone and rain stayed away as the Society's chair, Alex Cockshott, spoke about the work that the Society had over this time, protecting the town's heritage, supporting research into the town's history, and sponsoring walks and visits to important locations in and around the town.
The Society reviews (and comments on where necessary) all planning applications received by Bradford Council and submits views on planning policy including Conservation Area proposals. It supports the work of the Friends of Ilkley Cemetery and oversees the Local History Hub, a resourse and research group for the collection, storage and sharing of information on Ilkley.
The Society welcomes new members, supporters and volunteers to enable it to continue its important work.
After the unveiling and short talks, Society members were welcomed for afternoon tea at Outside the Box.
On Saturday 30th May a Blue Plaque was unveiled at Wells House, sponsored by the management committee of Wells House and Ilkley Civic Society. The Ilkley Civic Society’s Blue Plaque Scheme, celebrates the history of Ilkley and of buildings that have shaped the town.
It is 170 years since the opening of Wells House, on 28th May 1856. A group of Bradford businessmen chaired by Benjamin Briggs Popplewell formed the Wells House Hydropathic Establishment and Hotel Company to build the hydro. In 1853 they agreed to buy 9 acres of land on Wells Road, opposite the old Ilkley Wells (White Wells) for £4,000 from the lord of the manor, Peter Middelton. They advertised for designs and chose the Italianate palazzo style by Cuthbert Brodrick, who had recently started work on Leeds Town Hall. The contractors were Pickard and Ogden of Bradford.
By the time the building and furnishings were completed, it was said to have cost in all £30,000. It featured a central open courtyard and an internal corridor, which could be used for exercise in inclement weather. The main large entrance faced south. The spacious dining room with an adjoining drawing room was able to accommodate about 150 guests at the opening meal. Upstairs there were 87 bedrooms with six large bathrooms for treatments. At the four corners there were towers, with the billiard room and the smoking room located at the top of two of them.
Henry Strachan was the well-respected manager, and the first doctor was Dr Rischanek of Vienna. Both had worked at the Ben Rhydding Hydro. The second doctor was Dr Edmund Smith, who treated Charles Darwin in 1859. When Dr Smith died in 1864 his grateful patients installed a stained-glass window of St Luke in All Saints Parish Church.
The next Civic Society walk is on Saturday June 20 at 2pm from the Canker Well. For more information contact
We will celebrate our 60th Anniversary at the Canker Well garden. We are re-planting the bath from Ben Rhydding Hydro and making a heritage notice board for the small park. The celebration will be on Thursday 18 June at 2pm, followed by refreshments in The Arcade at Outside the Box. We look forward to seeing you there.
Work has begun today on a nature-based wetland in Ilkley, marking the next step of a £60 million investment to improve water treatment and the water quality of the river Wharfe.
For more information look here