X 18 ILK c1874 PLA

Title: Ilkley: Wheatley Estate

Material: paper

Date: c.1874

Condition: good

This sale plan seems reasonably modern in style but is undated. A search through the Bradford Observer only reveals that the Cow & Calf Inn on this estate was being offered for sale in 1874. This date fits the style of the map but may not otherwise be relevant.

To establish where you are first invert the map, since north is at the bottom. Ben Rhydding was called Wheatley until 1844 so the name of the station places the map as later than that date. The card that accompanies this map lists Highfield, the Ben Rhydding Hydropathic Hotel, and Wharfedale Mount. The map itself indicates that it was only the land between these latter two which was being offered for sale. The detailed plan of the Hydropathic Hotel was probably the source of most interest to my unknown predecessor the card writer.

The Wharfedale Hydropathic Establishment was established in the mid-1840s although it became noted after the appointment of Dr William Macleod as manager in 1847. He eventually became the proprietor. A hydropathic establishment promoted the physical properties of water, in baths, showers and saunas (Turkish baths), not the drinking of a mineral containing water as was undertaken at a spa. According to our map skating, croquet and tennis facilities were afforded to guests, but not yet golf which was developed by the 1890s south of the skating rink & rackets court (called the Temple in the 1890 OS map). The Tennis Lawn court was later the site of an ‘air bath’ although I’m not sure what this was and whether you had to take your clothes off.

Highfield was due south of the hotel and Wharfedale Mount (called Wharfedale Grange in the 1890 OS map) was south-east. Some of the speculative roadways indicated on the map were constructed but little residential building occurred in the nineteenth century.