A Victorian-era landmark, Saltaire was a model industrial village built in 1851 by philanthropic wool baron and teetotaller Titus Salt. The rows of neat, honey-coloured cottages – now a Unesco World Heritage Site – overlook what was once the largest factory in the world.
The factory is now Salts Mill, a splendidly bright and airy building where the main attraction is a permanent exhibition of 1970s and 80s artworks by local boy David Hockney (1937−). In a fitting metaphor for the shift in the British economy from making things to selling them, this former engine of industry is now a shrine to retail therapy, with shops selling books, crafts and outdoor equipment, and a cafe and restaurant.
Saltaire’s tourist office has maps of the village and provides information on local walks.
Saltaire is 9 miles west of Leeds city centre and 3 miles north of Bradford centre, and is easily reached by Metro rail from either.