Silsden
Encyclopedia
Silsden is a town
and civil parish situated in West Yorkshire
, England
. It lies on the northern slope of the Aire Valley
between Keighley
and Skipton
. It is about 0.6 mile (0.965604 km) from the river. Along the lower edge of the town is the Leeds and Liverpool Canal
. The town has a population of 7,999.
(Siglesdene) as the most important village in Craven.
Generally an agricultural area, industry came with the canal and the Industrial Revolution
. The town hosted a number of mills none of which now operate in their original form. There is still industry in the town, some in old mill buildings and some in a new industrial estate between the town and the river. The town retains some manufacturing.
In 1911 there was a riot in Silsden when the locals attacked the police station
. A very unpopular policeman had been too enthusiastic in his duties. Questions were raised in the House of Commons and it was reported in the national press. The policeman was removed from the town and no more trouble occurred.
During the 1940s a hostel was built where the fire station
now stands on Elliot Street to house the refugee
s and PoW
from various countries and various camps.
In 1998 a hoard of 27 gold coins
dating back to the 1st century AD were found in the town and subsequently valued at £20,000 by experts appointed by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport.
The Guinness Book of World Records says that the biggest onion ever was grown by Vincent Throup in Silsden, England, at 10 lb (4.5359237 kg)
In 2009 the new Sports Club facility on Keighley Road was built being the home of Silsden F.C.
and Silsden Cricket Club.
. Even so the station is well patronised by Silsden residents as it also serves the cities of Leeds
and Bradford
. With modern electric trains it is well used by commuters. In deference to Steeton's larger neighbour the official name of the station is Steeton and Silsden railway station
.
Lying between Keighley
and Ilkley
, Silsden is well served by buses to both of these towns. Silsden's public transport benefits from Silsden being part of West Yorkshire
rather than North Yorkshire
the border of which runs along one end of the village.
since 1974. It also has its own town council.
The Lampkin family settled in the town after World War II
and Arthur Martin and his son Douglas "Dougie" Lampkin
were champions in motorcycle trials
. Martin and Douglas Lampkin were world motorbike trials champions.
Henry Price
started his first Fifty Shilling Tailors
shop in Silsden. With this fortune, the now Sir Henry Price, bought Wakehurst Place, Ardingly, West Sussex, which is now owned by the National Trust
. The grounds of Wakehurst Place are managed by Kew Gardens and feature exotic plants from a range of habitats including an Himalayan area. The Wakehurst estate also houses Kew Garden's Millenium Seed Bank. Nearest railway station is Haywards Heath and there is a bus service Monday to Saturdays, mostly at 2 hourly intervals (Metrobus route 82).
Margaret Wintringham
, née Longbottom, was a British Liberal Party
politician. She was the second woman take her seat in the House of Commons lived in Silsden when her father was the head teacher at Bolton Road School.
Stock car racing legend Frankie (Smiler) Wainmann and his family live near to the town.
supernatural
drama, titled Chiller, aired in which episode 6, titled "number 6" featured Silsden. Silsden was featured almost for the entire one-hour episode, from locations all across the town. Details of the series can be found here and here.
Bonaparte's Restaurant, located on Kirkgate, was the subject of the first-ever episode of Gordon Ramsay
's Kitchen Nightmares
in 2004. After the show aired, Bonaparte's owner Sue Ray threatened to take legal action against Ramsay, Channel 4
and the programme makers, Optomen
, after claiming that the show put her £400,000 in debt. Christine Hall, producer of Kitchen Nightmares, refused to accept the blame, stating Ray only had herself to blame. The programme revisited the restaurant in the second series, but Ray would only talk to Ramsay off-camera.
In June 2006, Ramsay won a High Court
case against the London Evening Standard, which had alleged, after reports from Ray, that scenes and the general condition of Bonaparte's had been faked. Ramsay was awarded £75,000 plus costs. Ramsay said at the time: "I won't let people write anything they want to about me. We have never done anything in a cynical, fake way."
In July 2007, the butchers and shoe shop located on Bradley Road were used in an episode of ITV's The Royal.
The Bridge Inn - a small relatively quiet pub on the banks of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal offering 4 letting rooms.
The Robin Hood - a friendly local pub serving Tetley
& Black Sheep
beers. A great place for a game of pool or dominoes
. It has a nice heated smoking area/beer garden and a log fire in the winter.
The Red Lion - a nice little John Smith's
locals' pub.
The Punch Bowl - choice of beers and food served from 12 noon - 2.00pm.
The King's Arms - Silsden's CAMRA haunt, 3 or 4 changing guest beers, strange Belgian beers and cloudy cider.
The Sunnybank Social Club
The Cobbydale Social Club
The Conservative Club
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
and civil parish situated in West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It lies on the northern slope of the Aire Valley
River Aire
The River Aire is a major river in Yorkshire, England of length . Part of the river is canalised, and is known as the Aire and Calder Navigation....
between Keighley
Keighley
Keighley is a town and civil parish within the metropolitan borough of the City of Bradford in West Yorkshire, England. It is situated northwest of Bradford and is at the confluence of the River Aire and the River Worth...
and Skipton
Skipton
Skipton is a market town and civil parish within the Craven district of North Yorkshire, England. It is located along the course of both the Leeds and Liverpool Canal and the River Aire, on the south side of the Yorkshire Dales, northwest of Bradford and west of York...
. It is about 0.6 mile (0.965604 km) from the river. Along the lower edge of the town is the Leeds and Liverpool Canal
Leeds and Liverpool Canal
The Leeds and Liverpool Canal is a canal in Northern England, linking the cities of Leeds and Liverpool. Over a distance of , it crosses the Pennines, and includes 91 locks on the main line...
. The town has a population of 7,999.
History
Silsden was mentioned in the 1086 Domesday BookDomesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
(Siglesdene) as the most important village in Craven.
Generally an agricultural area, industry came with the canal and the Industrial Revolution
Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution was a period from the 18th to the 19th century where major changes in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, transportation, and technology had a profound effect on the social, economic and cultural conditions of the times...
. The town hosted a number of mills none of which now operate in their original form. There is still industry in the town, some in old mill buildings and some in a new industrial estate between the town and the river. The town retains some manufacturing.
In 1911 there was a riot in Silsden when the locals attacked the police station
Police station
A police station or station house is a building which serves to accommodate police officers and other members of staff. These buildings often contain offices and accommodation for personnel and vehicles, along with locker rooms, temporary holding cells and interview/interrogation rooms.- Facilities...
. A very unpopular policeman had been too enthusiastic in his duties. Questions were raised in the House of Commons and it was reported in the national press. The policeman was removed from the town and no more trouble occurred.
During the 1940s a hostel was built where the fire station
Fire station
A fire station is a structure or other area set aside for storage of firefighting apparatus , personal protective equipment, fire hose, fire extinguishers, and other fire extinguishing equipment...
now stands on Elliot Street to house the refugee
Refugee
A refugee is a person who outside her country of origin or habitual residence because she has suffered persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or because she is a member of a persecuted 'social group'. Such a person may be referred to as an 'asylum seeker' until...
s and PoW
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
from various countries and various camps.
In 1998 a hoard of 27 gold coins
Silsden Hoard
The Silsden Hoard is an assemblage containing 27 gold coins of late British Iron Age date and a Roman finger ring.-Discovery:The hoard was discovered in 1998 by Jeff Walbank using a metal detector in a field at Silsden in West Yorkshire, England. The hoard was declared to be treasure before being...
dating back to the 1st century AD were found in the town and subsequently valued at £20,000 by experts appointed by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport.
The Guinness Book of World Records says that the biggest onion ever was grown by Vincent Throup in Silsden, England, at 10 lb (4.5359237 kg)
In 2009 the new Sports Club facility on Keighley Road was built being the home of Silsden F.C.
Silsden F.C.
Silsden A.F.C. are a football club representing Silsden, who since joining the North West Counties Football League have played in the nearby neighbouring town of Keighley at the Keighley rugby league ground, West Yorkshire, England.-History:...
and Silsden Cricket Club.
Transport
While Silsden does not have its own railway station, there is a station 1.6 km from the village in nearby SteetonSteeton (village)
Steeton is a small village 6 miles away from Skipton and 3 miles away from Keighley. It is part of Steeton with Eastburn civil parish. It is a thriving village with a major hospital , a butchers, a newsagents, 3 hairdressers, a fruit shop, a chienese takeaway, a transport cafe, 2 parks, a bowling...
. Even so the station is well patronised by Silsden residents as it also serves the cities of Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
and Bradford
Bradford
Bradford lies at the heart of the City of Bradford, a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, in Northern England. It is situated in the foothills of the Pennines, west of Leeds, and northwest of Wakefield. Bradford became a municipal borough in 1847, and received its charter as a city in 1897...
. With modern electric trains it is well used by commuters. In deference to Steeton's larger neighbour the official name of the station is Steeton and Silsden railway station
Steeton and Silsden railway station
Steeton and Silsden railway station serves the village of Steeton and the town of Silsden in West Yorkshire, England. It is situated closer to Steeton than to Silsden, and is on the Airedale Line. The station, and all trains serving it, are operated by Northern Rail. Steeton & Silsden closed on...
.
Lying between Keighley
Keighley
Keighley is a town and civil parish within the metropolitan borough of the City of Bradford in West Yorkshire, England. It is situated northwest of Bradford and is at the confluence of the River Aire and the River Worth...
and Ilkley
Ilkley
Ilkley is a spa town and civil parish in West Yorkshire, in the north of England. Ilkley civil parish includes the adjacent village of Ben Rhydding and is a ward within the metropolitan borough of Bradford. Approximately north of Bradford, the town lies mainly on the south bank of the River Wharfe...
, Silsden is well served by buses to both of these towns. Silsden's public transport benefits from Silsden being part of West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
rather than North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire is a non-metropolitan or shire county located in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England, and a ceremonial county primarily in that region but partly in North East England. Created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972 it covers an area of , making it the largest...
the border of which runs along one end of the village.
Administration and democracy
Silsden has been administered by the City of Bradford Metropolitan District CouncilCity of Bradford
The City of Bradford is a local government district of West Yorkshire, England with the status of a city and metropolitan borough. It is named after its largest settlement, Bradford, but covers a far larger area which includes the towns of Keighley, Shipley, Bingley, Ilkley, Haworth, Silsden and...
since 1974. It also has its own town council.
Personalities
Silsden has been the home of a number of personalities over the years.The Lampkin family settled in the town after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and Arthur Martin and his son Douglas "Dougie" Lampkin
Dougie Lampkin
Douglas Martin "Dougie" Lampkin, MBE, also known as Doug, is an internationally renowned English motorcycle trials rider. Born into a family steeped in motorcycle sport—his father, Martin Lampkin, was the first FIM Trial World Championship winner in 1975, and his Uncle Arthur was also a regular...
were champions in motorcycle trials
Motorcycle trials
Motorcycle trials, also termed observed trials, is a non-speed event on specialized motorcycles. The sport is most popular in the United Kingdom and Spain, though there are participants around the globe....
. Martin and Douglas Lampkin were world motorbike trials champions.
Henry Price
Henry Price (tailor)
Sir Henry PriceIn 1919 Henry Price opened a tailors shop in Silsden, then in the West Riding of Yorkshire, now in the City of Bradford, West Yorkshire....
started his first Fifty Shilling Tailors
Fifty Shilling Tailors
Fifty Shilling Tailors was a British chain of shops selling men's clothes.Founded in Leeds in 1905 by Henry Price, the chain expanded to over 399 stores across the country....
shop in Silsden. With this fortune, the now Sir Henry Price, bought Wakehurst Place, Ardingly, West Sussex, which is now owned by the National Trust
National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty
The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, usually known as the National Trust, is a conservation organisation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
. The grounds of Wakehurst Place are managed by Kew Gardens and feature exotic plants from a range of habitats including an Himalayan area. The Wakehurst estate also houses Kew Garden's Millenium Seed Bank. Nearest railway station is Haywards Heath and there is a bus service Monday to Saturdays, mostly at 2 hourly intervals (Metrobus route 82).
Margaret Wintringham
Margaret Wintringham
Margaret Wintringham , née Longbottom, was a British Liberal Party politician. She was the second woman to take her seat in the British House of Commons.- Early life :...
, née Longbottom, was a British Liberal Party
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
politician. She was the second woman take her seat in the House of Commons lived in Silsden when her father was the head teacher at Bolton Road School.
Stock car racing legend Frankie (Smiler) Wainmann and his family live near to the town.
Television
On April 27, 1995, a one-off anthologyAnthology
An anthology is a collection of literary works chosen by the compiler. It may be a collection of poems, short stories, plays, songs, or excerpts...
supernatural
Supernatural
The supernatural or is that which is not subject to the laws of nature, or more figuratively, that which is said to exist above and beyond nature...
drama, titled Chiller, aired in which episode 6, titled "number 6" featured Silsden. Silsden was featured almost for the entire one-hour episode, from locations all across the town. Details of the series can be found here and here.
Bonaparte's Restaurant, located on Kirkgate, was the subject of the first-ever episode of Gordon Ramsay
Gordon Ramsay
Gordon James Ramsay, OBE is a Scottish chef, television personality and restaurateur. He has been awarded 13 Michelin stars....
's Kitchen Nightmares
Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares
Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares is a television programme featuring British celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay. The BAFTA and Emmy Award-winning programme debuted on Channel 4 in 2004....
in 2004. After the show aired, Bonaparte's owner Sue Ray threatened to take legal action against Ramsay, Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
and the programme makers, Optomen
Optomen
Optomen is an independent television production company with Optomen Television Ltd. for the United Kingdom and Optomen Productions Inc. launched in 2002 for the United States.-United Kingdom and the United States:...
, after claiming that the show put her £400,000 in debt. Christine Hall, producer of Kitchen Nightmares, refused to accept the blame, stating Ray only had herself to blame. The programme revisited the restaurant in the second series, but Ray would only talk to Ramsay off-camera.
In June 2006, Ramsay won a High Court
High Court of Justice
The High Court of Justice is, together with the Court of Appeal and the Crown Court, one of the Senior Courts of England and Wales...
case against the London Evening Standard, which had alleged, after reports from Ray, that scenes and the general condition of Bonaparte's had been faked. Ramsay was awarded £75,000 plus costs. Ramsay said at the time: "I won't let people write anything they want to about me. We have never done anything in a cynical, fake way."
In July 2007, the butchers and shoe shop located on Bradley Road were used in an episode of ITV's The Royal.
Public houses
Silsden has 5 public houses and 3 members' clubs, these are:The Bridge Inn - a small relatively quiet pub on the banks of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal offering 4 letting rooms.
The Robin Hood - a friendly local pub serving Tetley
Tetley's Bitter
Tetley's was a brewery founded in 1822 by Joshua Tetley in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England which operated for 189 years until it was closed in June 2011. The brewery was owned by the Carlsberg Group and produced a range of beers, including Tetley's Bitter, and was the world's largest producer of...
& Black Sheep
Black Sheep Brewery
The Black Sheep Brewery is a brewery in Masham in the Borough of Harrogate in North Yorkshire, England.-History:The Black Sheep Brewery was established by Paul Theakston in 1991. Following a successful launch as a Business Expansion Scheme, it became a public limited company in 1992. Paul...
beers. A great place for a game of pool or dominoes
Dominoes
Dominoes generally refers to the collective gaming pieces making up a domino set or to the subcategory of tile games played with domino pieces. In the area of mathematical tilings and polyominoes, the word domino often refers to any rectangle formed from joining two congruent squares edge to edge...
. It has a nice heated smoking area/beer garden and a log fire in the winter.
The Red Lion - a nice little John Smith's
John Smith's Brewery
John Smith's is a brewery founded in 1758 by Backhouse & Hartley at Tadcaster in North Yorkshire, England. John Smith bought the brewery in 1847. John Smith's is the sixth highest selling beer brand in the United Kingdom, and the highest selling ale brand. The brewery is currently owned by...
locals' pub.
The Punch Bowl - choice of beers and food served from 12 noon - 2.00pm.
The King's Arms - Silsden's CAMRA haunt, 3 or 4 changing guest beers, strange Belgian beers and cloudy cider.
The Sunnybank Social Club
The Cobbydale Social Club
The Conservative Club
External links
- Silsden.net - Local resource
- silsdencc.co.uk - Silsden Cricket Club website
- silsdenafc.net - Silsden AFC website.
- silsdenwhitestar.co.uk - Silsden Whitestars website