Denholme

Denholme is a small town and civil parish in the Bradford Metropolitan Borough, West Yorkshire, England. It is about eight miles west of Bradford. Seven miles from Keighley and roughly the same distance from Halifax. Administratively, it is part of the Bingley Rural ward of the City of Bradford. It has 2 cricket teams (Denholme Cricket Club and Denholme Clough Cricket Club) who each have their own grounds. It also has a football team (Denholme United AFC) who play home games in the local park. There is a Gala (fair) every year held in Foster Park and organised by members of the village town council. It is usually held on the first Thursday, Friday and Saturday of July. The local Scout Group usually have some part in its organisation and take part in a precession which starts at Ogden Lane and ends in the centre of the village, taking a turn past the Royal Pub and along Stradmore Road into Foster Park. Foster Park was given to the people of Denholme in 1912 by William Foster. The Main Road running through Denholme is the A629.

Denholme has an English fish and chip shop as well as a Chinese take away which serves excellent food. It also has a bakery which provides a fine selection of hot and cold freshly made sandwiches. Denholme also boasts 2 hairdressers as well as a beauty salon, 2 pubs - the Royal and the New Inn, a corner shop and a Co-Operative store. There is also a car dealership specialising in 4x4's. Additionally the village features a charity shop, a model shop, an electrical shop, a pharmacy and a post office which offers a range of Denholme related merchandise. Denholme Velvets mill has a factory shop, and the village has a farm shop. Opposite Whitakers wood supplies you will find a small outlet selling various sheds and garages and if that isn't enough for you there is the garden centre on Trough Lane opposite Manywell's junction.

The library is to be found in the mechanics institute and is open Monday 12.00pm - 1.00pm, 2.00pm-4.30pm and Friday 2.00pm-4.30pm, 5.00pm-7.00pm. Various social events happen at the mechanics institute; the library notice board carries up-to-date details.

There is also a conservative social club in Denholme. At weekends you will be entertained by a "turn" and can take part in "prize bingo".

Denholme has a youth cafe situated in Foster Park next to the skate area just across from the basket ball courts. Foster Park also has a bowling green and a war memorial. Alongside the park there are what are locally known as "the Pens" where locals keep various livestock. The allotments are to be found down by the reservoir.

Denholme has its own scout group ranging from beavers to explorers. At the time of writing, the scout hut is being re-built.

Denholme has a primary school which has a good reputation. The nearest high school is in Parkside which is in Cullingworth over 3 miles away. The local authority run a bus service to get students to school, whether they want to go or not.

Denholme has 3 churches: Methodist, Catholic, Church of England.

There is also the water activities centre and sailing club at Doe Park Reservoir. On Wednesday night's during summer there is "pay and play" which basically means, turn up, pay up, take part. There is also fishing at Doe Park.

Denholme boasts a golf club.

People from Denholme are known as "frog boilers".

It is said that it is 2 coats colder in Denholme. Central heating and double glazing is not a luxury up here it is essential. As is a car as everything is uphill!

We have an excellent senior citizens complex in the centre of the village, and last but not least, there is still a doctors surgery on Anne Street!

We thought we should mention the other delights on offer in our humble village such as sliding down the hill on a piece of cardboard whether there be snow or mud and hanging out in the band stand drinking cider or whatever you can get hold of.

History

Denholme was originally a Viking settlement, though the only mark the Viking settlers left behind was their name. Holme usually refers to an Island or some place near the sea and Den means "it", in Swedish. Which would roughly translate to "It is upon an Island" or "it is near the sea" Although, anyone living around the surrounding area will know that Denholme is a good 70 miles from the sea. According to the Swedish Wikipedia (citation needed please, because I can't read Swedish) Denholme can translate into "A flat amongst the hillside" Which makes a lot of sense because Denholme was built in a huge valley, of which, stretches (moderately) right into the Aire Valley. Denholme is also in the middle of the Pennines commonly known as the "backbone of England"

Denholme has an old Roman Road running through it which can be seen clearly on some maps. Most notable is the Map held in the Denholme Town Council Chambers.

Denholme had a working railway station from January 1 1884. It closed to passengers on May 23 1955 and closed completely on April 10 1961 when sometime after it was demolished. Great Northern Railway Opened the station and owned the lines. Over the years it changed hands and on closing was owned by British Railways (North Eastern Region). At 850 ft above sea level, Denholme was the highest station on the entire GN system. The line was mostly rural and needed the construction of many earthworks, viaducts and tunnels. Its hilly nature earned it the nicknames of "the Alpine route" or "the switchback" from its drivers. Railway Source

The entire Victorian housing sites of Denholme were built by the Fosters who also built the old Mills of Denholme. The houses were for the workers of the Mills. It was common in Victorian England for wealthy businessmen to build entire towns to house the workers of their mills.