Whinburn
One of Keighley's most popular treasures is a magnificent place and part of Keighley's heritage.
Industrialist Prince Smith commissioned talented architect James Ledingham to design Whinburn, in Hollins Lane for himself and his family, it dates back to the late 1890s
The ornate drawing room ceiling at Whinburn is copied from a design at 17th-century East Riddlesden Hall.
Records show that in 1913 Whinburn bought a fireplace and panelling from the hall and took a copy of the drawing room ceiling, when there was a partial sale of the estate.
House steward Mike Freeman at East Riddlesden Hall, which is a National Trust property, said: "We have been up to the old school to look at the replica ceiling and, although we knew it was there, we didn't appreciate the extent of it -- it is huge.The basic design is just the same but it has a very slightly different layout from the one at the hall, but it is believed that another plaster ceiling at Whinburn may be a copy of one which once existed at East Riddlesden Hall and we were interested in looking at that during our visit, but unfortunately a lot of the ceilings there have now been covered with boarding. "Ironically, the fireplace -- sold as part of the lot in 1913 -- returned to the hall in the 1940s, and is still there!"
The 16 bedroom/dressing room house is virtually unchanged since it was constructed and contains a mock Gothic baronial hall and gallery, oak floors and panelling, plaster moulded ceilings and ornate ceiling joists.
One room has an owl cage -- Mr Prince-Smith, who died in 1940 aged 70, was fond of the birds --- and the building contains friezes of his coat of arms.
In 1948 the building became a domestic training centre, run by the Institute of House Workers.
The gardens have now been given a grade two listing on an English Heritage national register, which means that Bradford Council would have to take into account the historical significance of the site when considering any planning proposals.It is believed it is one of the ten best gardens of its kind in the country. the house and the seven-acre garden - as being of national historic importance. The garden is now a haven for wildlife and is home to a colony of bats in an outbuilding and cellar and to deer, badgers and pheasants. And the garden -- now overgrown and neglected -- is listed by English Heritage on the Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in England.
A colony of bats, a protected species.was discovered in the building last year and the creatures are still there.
The historic mansion, in Utley, was built by textile tycoon Sir Prince Prince-Smith between 1896 and 1913. It was the family home until it was sold to become a pupil referral unit shortly after the Second World War. .
Clare Smith is the granddaughter of its builder, she was born Clare Prince-Smith, said her grandfather's house is absolutely beautiful. She said: "The gardens have been let go. There were pools, a waterfall and lots of bushes. To a small child it was fascinating, but only half of it exists because it is overgrown" "The staff were always treated well and the staff sitting room is just as good as any room in the house. It includes oak panelling and floors, the family's coat of arms and the initials PS on many items in the house."
Mrs Smith and her brother, Sir Richard Prince-Smith, lived at nearby Hillbrook, in Devonshire Park, until 1945, when she moved with her father, Sir William Prince-Smith, to Southburn House, Driffield, in then East Yorkshire.