Visit World Heritage Site Saltaire in Yorkshire and see David Hockney Art

Saltaire is a World Heritage Site town with a Grade I listed mill.  But it is by no means a static, museum-type area. The workers’ terraced houses and the impressive management homes are all Grade II listed buildings, privately owned by people who live in the community. Saltaire is a living site, whose residents either work locally or commute the short distance into Leeds.

Saltaire was purpose-built by the Victorian entrepreneur and philanthropist, Sir Titus Salt.

With that strange Victorian mix of philanthropy, religious zeal and the desire to make lots of money, Titus Salt genuinely wanted to provide good living conditions for his mill-workers. The town and the mill were purpose-built to bring in workers from the slums of Bradford to work in Titus Salts' woollen mill.  

The facilities Titus provided for his workers included a school, hospital (now flats), church, civic centre (still a busy social centre for the town with dances, art exhibitions, etc).  There were almshouses for the elderly which are still occupied today by Saltaire residents -   and a public park.

Titus, a godly man, wasn't too keen on the workers hanging out their washing on a Sunday or smuggling alcohol into Saltaire (it was an alcohol-free zone...) so he  had rather elegant watchtowers strategically placed to keep an eye on his millworkers' comings and goings. 

You can see one of the watchtowers  looming over the back gardens in the photograph below. 

For his dictatorial ways Titus is criticised by some, whilst others would argue that Titus was a product of Victorian values. Most might agree that working and living in Saltaire was preferable to living in the notorious Bradford  slums, despite the restrictions.

The way in which Italian architecture influenced Victorian entrepreneurs is very interesting. I have covered a small fraction of this aspect of our industrial heritage in another article entitled, Why Do Factory Chimneys Look Like Italian Bell Towers which you might find interesting.  There is a link at the bottom of this article or in the sidebar.

But the main attraction is Salts Mill. It is impossible for mere words, or even photographs, to describe the impact of this imposing edifice. Completed in 1853 with its beautiful yellow brickwork, it reflects the confidence of the Industrial Revolution. 

Without the dedication and financial input of Jonathan Silver, a local businessman, and friend of David Hockney, this wonderful mill would have been reduced to rubble and the town would have remained in a run down state.

Sadly, Jonathan died in 1997 but Salts Mill and the town of Saltaire itself is a fitting tribute to his hard work and dedication.

Now restored, thanks to the late Jonathan Silver and his team, it is a relaxing place to visit and the hours seem to speed by as there is so much of interest.

The interior of Salts Mill has three floors of elegant shops and galleries, including a huge selection of Hockney's work

On the Ground Floor at Gallery 1853, amongst art books, cards, beautiful Burmantoft pottery and art materials, Hockney’s work is permanently displayed on the rough brick walls of this massive hall. 

Despite the amazing transformation of this vast space, you can still feel the presence of those mill workers, men, women and children. What would they think if they could return, just for a day?

Other floors are equally absorbing, composed of books, antiques, posters, jewellery, outdoor wear, quality homeware, fabrics, further works by Hockney and a restaurant and diner.

Even the paper napkins and menus in Salts' Diner are special - they are decorated with cute pen and ink drawings by Hockney of his little dog.

Time and weather permitting, a guided walk is an excellent way to discover the intimate history of Saltaire.

Very knowledgeable and amusing guides meet outside a shop called Magic Number 3 in Victoria Street at 2:00pm, Saturdays and Sundays. But to make sure of times check on the link at the end of this article because they are very flexible and also do weekday walks.

The Diner in Salts Mill is an excellent place to eat, as is their fish restaurant, Cafe into the Opera.

Up on Bingley Road, there are various pubs and take-away food shops, as well as the usual shopping facilities.

You may find this area useful if you plan to stay in a Victorian cottage in Saltaire and do your own cooking! Here's the rental cottage where I have stayed on a number of occasions. There's a framed document in the living room listing the number of people who lived there during the days of the Industrial Revolution - if I remember rightly it numbered about eight or ten  at one point and there are only two little bedrooms.  

In Victoria Street there is Don’t Tell Titus which is a pub and restaurant combined, so called because Titus Salt didn’t allow public houses in his village!

The beauty of Saltaire is that it is a fascinating place in its own right, with a rich industrial and artistic heritage - but it is also surrounded by beautiful countryside and many other attractions that are within easy reach, including the Bronte Parsonage.

There's great walking country, the train is just at the end of the road for visits further afield, and in summer you can take a canal boat trip down the Leeds to Liverpool Canal which runs right alongside Salts Mill (handy for transporting the wool!).

Every year Saltaire holds The Saltaire Festival which is a fantastic event, with a massive continental street market, plays, dances, live music.  Details below.

David Hockney has drawn attention to the stunning Yorkshire countryside in his recent  joyful exhibition, A Bigger Picture. He was inspired to tackle Yorkshire landscapes when he travelled every day over the Yorkshire Dales to Saltaire, visiting his terminally ill friend, Jonathan Silver.

Hockney included his own painting of Salts Mill (see above) amongst the stunning landscapes. It's a reminder that without the massive Saltaire project and the inspiring leadership of Jonathan Salt,  Hockney's A Bigger Picture might never have happened.

Saltaire really is a very special place.

Further Information:

1. Visit Salts Mill Website and discover a truly inspiration industrial heritage site.
2. You can find out what's going on in Saltaire itself by visiting their website here. It gives information on events, news, and where to find accommodation in the area
3. For details of the Saltaire Festival visit the website here. The date for the festival is usually announced mid-summer.
4. Here is David Hockneys official website.  Why not have a browse?