Bankfield Museum

Akroyd Park
Boothtown Road
Halifax
West Yorkshire
HX3 6HG

Tel: +44 (0)1422 352 334
Fax: +44 (0)1422 349 020
Web: http://www.calderdale.gov.uk

Bookmark and Share


The History

For half a century from 1837-1886, Bankfield House was the home of Edward Akroyd, the largest wool manufacturer in Britain. He lavished money and attention on the building, transforming it from a modest town house into a magnificent Italianate mansion with elaborate ceilings, staircases and plasterwork. Around Bankfield he built Akroydon, a model village of fine terraced houses with allotments, a park, co-operative store, stables and All Souls Church. It was to be the first "Urban Village". Today Bankfield and Akroydon symbolise the importance of the textile industry to Victorian Britain.

The Museum

A Museum since 1887, Bankfield is now home to an internationally important collection of textiles and costumes from around the world. Mummy wrappings and teddy bears; a Diaghilev ballet costume and Igbo masquerade dress; embroideries from India and China; woven cloth from Africa and Burma, all have a place in this 'World of Textiles'. Pride of place though, belongs to the unique collection of textiles from Eastern Europe collected by Edith Durham, traveller and collector in the Balkans from 1900-1914. The 'Bread, Salt and Our Hearts' gallery tells her fascinating story and provides a showcase for many of the wonderful textiles she collected.

Not everything at Bankfields is old. Contemporary crafts are an important part of its permanent galleries and the varied and exciting programme of temporary exhibitions, workshops, seminars, masterclasses and gallery demonstrations. The work of Paddy Killer, Peter Colgan, Catherine Riley, Lois Walpole, Dail Behennah, Peter Markey and Tom Wood all feature at Bankfield, now recognised as an influential centre, promoting and encouraging contemporary crafts.

Bankfield Museum has an excellent schools education programme and can arrange study visits to the reserve collection. Please contact the museum for further information.

Other facilities

Bankfield Museum also houses the Duke of Wellington's Regimental Museum, which reopened on 11th November 2008 following a major HLF funded refurbishment. It tells the history of the regiment from the present day back to its beginnings in 1702, using accounts from serving soldiers.

Shop, toilets, free car park, disabled access to ground floor, public library, tea & coffee machine, room hire.



More Pictures
 
 

Opening Times
(2009 times)
Tuesday to Saturday; 10.00am - 5.00pm, Sundays 1.00pm - 4.00pm.
Bank Holiday Mondays; 10.00am - 5.00pm.
Last admission 30 min before closing - please note that some areas of the Museum may not be available during this time.

Admission Charges
(2009 prices)
Free admission. There is a charge for most workshops.

Directions
Bankfield is on the A647 Halifax-Queensbury-Bradford road, one mile from Halifax town centre and railway station. Buses 574; 576 every 10 mins from bus station; 577; 578; 579.
Show map of Bankfield Museum...

Bankfield Museum Postcode for SatNav: HX3 6HG

Nearby Attractions
Shibden Hall (1 Mile)*
Built in 1420, Shibden Hall with it's oak panelled interiors and atmospheric room settings is Halifax's Historic Home. The Folk Museum and Barn also offer you a world without electricity, where craftsmen worked in wood and iron.
Eureka! The National Childrens Museum (1 Mile)*
Eureka! The National Children's Museum is Britain's leading interactive museum for children, opening up a fascinating world of hands-on exploration.
National Museum of Photography Film & Television (6 Miles)*
Consistently the most visited museum outside London with an average of 750,000 people coming each year, the National Museum of Photography, Film & Television has amazing interactive galleries to explore.
more nearby attractions...
* Distances shown are in a direct line. Distances by road will be longer.

Nearby Hotels
Imperial Crown Hotel (1 Mile)*
Previously a textile mill, this friendly and traditional hotel is located in the heart of Halifax opposite Eureka! The museum for children and only a short walk from the nearby Piece Hall.
Waterfront Lodge (4 Miles)*
Waterfront Lodge has designer bedrooms at great rates.It is well-located on the banks of the Calder and Hebble canal, close to public transport and major motorway links.
Best Western Guide Post Hotel (4 Miles)*
The Best Western Guide Post Hotel is 2 miles (3.2 km) off the M62, and offers free Wi-Fi and car parking.It is close to Bradford and Leeds. The hotel has individually designed bedrooms, and superb conference and function facilities.
more nearby hotels...
* Distances shown are in a direct line. Distances by road will be longer.

Nearby Self Catering
Folly Too (3 Miles)*
A newly renovated delightful original Weaver’s cottage. This one bedroomed cottage on three floors can offer all the amenities you could want during you stay.
Cherry Tree Cottages (4 Miles)*
At Cherry Tree Cottages we have two warm, traditional, stone cottages, set in two acres of natural heather and woodland garden, with extensive views over the Black Brook valley and attractive South Pennines.
Hebden Bridge Holiday Cottages (5 Miles)*
Two beautiful 17th Century Historic (3 and 4 Star) Self Catering Cottages in a private location above Hebden Bridge. Hebden Bridge Holiday Cottages - Location! Location! Location!
Your property could be here
Advertising your self catering property or holiday cottage on AboutBritain.com will get you noticed by thousands of potential guests every day.
more nearby self catering...
* Distances shown are in a direct line. Distances by road will be longer.

Popular Pages

Tourist Information Centres | Estate Agents

Holiday Cottages in England | Holiday Cottages in Scotland

Alton Towers Hotels | Blackpool Hotels | Travel Lodge | Cardiff Hotels

Brighton Hotels | Marriot Hotels | Newcastle Hotels | Bournemouth Hotels

 Copyright © 1999-2009 Excelsior Information Systems Limited. All rights reserved.
Press Room  Terms of Use  Privacy  Link to Us  Self-Catering Advertising  Index  Site Map