If you’re going to name a village after yourself, you’d better make sure it’s turns out all right. And it’s safe to say that Titus Salt’s Saltaire has done nothing but honoured the old industrialist’s name.
Where is Saltaire?
Saltaire is located near Bradford in West Yorkshire, England. This Victorian model village is situated between the River Aire and the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, approximately 4 miles north of Bradford city center.
What is Saltaire famous for?
Saltaire is renowned for its status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is celebrated as one of the best-preserved 19th-century industrial model villages.
It's particularly famous for housing Europe’s largest collection of David Hockney's artwork in Salts Mill, along with its unique Italianate architecture and thoughtful urban planning.
Why did Titus Salt build Saltaire?
Salt took over his father’s wool business in 1833 and his innovations such as the use of alpaca eventually led to it becoming Bradford’s largest employer.
Keen to consolidate his five mills in one location, but not wanting to exacerbate the terrible over-crowding and pollution that plagued the town (now a city), he purchased a large plot near Shipley by the River Aire, the source of power for his mills.
Sir Titus Salt built Saltaire between 1851 and 1876 to provide better living conditions for his workers. It included not only decent-sized terraced housing for his workers but also a hospital, a school, almshouses, allotments, a library, a concert hall and bathhouses.
Such is the site’s importance to English industrial heritage that it now contains no fewer than 93 listed buildings. One building Salt refused to construct, however, was a ‘beershop’, fearing alcohol would have a deleterious effect on his workforce.
When did Saltaire get UNESCO Status?
Saltaire was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2001. It received this recognition due to its international influence on town planning and its exemplary representation of a 19th-century model village.
- Find out our pick of the best ten UNESCO World Heritage Sites around the UK.
What to do in Saltaire
Nowadays, Saltaire is a tourist attraction. Visitors can enjoy walking tours with guides in period costume; attend talks about the village’s history (and ghosts); ride on a funicular tramway; and go shopping or have a bite to eat.
There are also annual events throughout the year including February’s Potato Day (when the tubers for sale are as cheap as chips), May’s Arts Trail, and September’s Saltaire Festival.
