Keighley

Content sourced from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Keighley is a market town and civil parish in West Yorkshire, England, about eight miles northwest of Bradford. It has around 57,000 residents (2021 census) and sits where the River Worth and the River Aire meet in the Airedale valley.

A brief history
Keighley goes back to at least the Domesday Book (1086) and got a charter to hold a market in 1305. It grew as a textile town with many mills and factories in the 18th and 19th centuries. The town became a municipal borough in 1882, expanded in 1938, and joined the City of Bradford Metropolitan District in 1974. Civil parish status and a town council were restored in 2002.

What you’ll see and do
Today Keighley blends its history with shopping and culture. The town centre includes the Airedale Shopping Centre and Keighley Market Hall (the market began in 1833; the hall opened in 1971). Keighley’s Carnegie library, opened in 1904 and refurbished in 2007, is a notable landmark. The Picture House cinema on North Street, opened in 1913, is one of the town’s long-standing cultural venues, and there’s a lively local music scene.

A heritage railway and rail museum
The Keighley and Worth Valley Railway is a famous heritage railway that runs steam trains to Haworth and Oxenhope. Nearby Ingrow hosts the Museum of Rail Travel, making Keighley a popular destination for railway enthusiasts.

Industry, food and faith
Timothy Taylor Brewery, makers of Landlord beer, is based in Keighley and the town has several pubs and eateries. The town’s religious landscape reflects its diversity, with multiple churches and mosques, including Markazi Jamia Masjid.

Media and culture
Keighley has featured in films such as Blow Dry (2000) and Yasmin (2004). The KWVR has also appeared in various screen productions, and the town has hosted parts of notable events like the Tour de France route through the area in 2014.

Community and twin towns
Keighley is twinned with Poix-du-Nord in France since 1920. The town has a strong local history and community groups that keep its heritage alive.

Surroundings and connections
Keighley lies at the edge of Brontë Country, near Haworth and other towns in the region. It has good rail links to Leeds, Bradford, and other towns, and the rivers and countryside around Keighley add to its character.