Hebden Bridge

Here's a fun Fact: Hebden Bridge was once known as “Trouser Town” because it made so many garments! Right in the middle of Hebden Bridge is a very old stone bridge with two arches. It’s called the Old Packhorse Bridge, and it’s been there for over 500 years! Long ago, before cars, lorries or even trains, the main way to carry goods across Yorkshire was by packhorses — strong little horses that carried heavy loads in baskets on their backs. They needed a way to cross the fast-flowing river, so the people of Hebden Bridge built this sturdy bridge in 1510. Look closely; the bridge is very narrow — just wide enough for one horse at a time! On the stonework you can even spot carved initials from 1600 (“WW 1600”) that show people have been leaving their mark here for centuries. The cobbles are worn smooth by hundreds of years of hooves and boots. Here's another fun fact; Hebden Bridge gets its name from this very crossing — “Hebden” (valley of the rose) and “Bridge” (the packhorse bridge). Without this bridge, the town might never have grown here at all! Let's have some fun. “Stand in the middle of the Old Packhorse Bridge. How many arches can you see beneath you? Can you find the carved numbers in the stone that say when it was rebuilt?”

You’re now near the Wavy Steps, just beside the old Packhorse Bridge over the Hebden Beck. These steps have a curved, wave-like shape along their edges, which makes them stand out among the straight stone and bridge parapets around you.

The steps lead down towards the river, and because of their curves, they catch light and shadow in interesting ways. When the sun is lower, the shadows ripple across their surfaces. After rain, they may look shinier, or even a little slippery. Be careful if you want to walk on them — they are stone.

While you’re here, look at how the river moves, listen to its sound, and notice what’s growing around the river edges. Often you’ll see ducks, maybe some birds in the trees, or even people cooling off if it's particularly hot.

Here's another little challenge:

Count how many steps there are.

How many of the step edges are curved—can you find straight-edged ones too?

Look at the stones of the steps: Are they smooth or rough? Any moss or small plants growing in the cracks?

What reflections or ripples do you see in the water from where you’re standing?

In 2000 AD, as everyone celebrated the start of the millennium, Hebden Bridge got a special new clock. It was installed into a small alcove on the side of a building on St George’s Street, not far from the square. The clock has a blue, white, and gold face. Around it, you can spot planets from our solar system and even a half-sun at the top and bottom — like a fun space window! If you look closely above the clock face, you’ll see it says “Millennium Clock 2000 AD” — the year it was added to celebrate the new millennium. The money to make the clock came from people in the town. The Rotary Club of Hebden Bridge helped raise the funds — so this clock belongs to everyone in the town.

Welcome to the very centre of Hebden Bridge!

This is St George’s Square, the town’s main meeting place. Around you, you’ll spot cafés, pubs, benches, and plenty of people passing through. On market days, it’s full of stalls, chatter, and delicious smells.

Look carefully and you’ll see something unusual standing in the square; a tall steel sculpture called the Fustian Knife. It’s not just a sculpture — it’s also a sundial.

Here's a fun fact; Fustian was a strong, heavy cloth made in Hebden Bridge’s mills. The Fustian knife was used to cut the cloth after weaving. This sculpture celebrates the town’s textile heritage.

Here's a fun little challenge:

Can you find the numbers carved on the sundial? What do they tell you?

Around the edges of the square, you’ll find short stone bollards. These are not just plain posts though — here' in Hebden Bridge they are expertly carved with faces and decorative patterns.

One of the more interesting ones is carved with a face that looks like a mythic creature—the “Horned God” face. It has horns or horn-like carvings, and the stone is worn, which gives it a mysterious appearance. See if you can find it!

These carvings highlight the fact that Hebden Bridge is a very creative and artistic town, filled with artisans and expert craftspeople. They also help us see how art and utility can be blended in towns to make them safe and interesting.

Take a look at all of the bollards around the square. How many can you find?

Just around the back of St Georges Square is where the market is held. If it's on, why not take a look!

Welcome to the Town Hall, one of the most important buildings in Hebden Bridge.

This grand stone building was put up in the late 1890s, over 120 years ago, when Hebden Bridge was growing fast and needed a proper place for local government. If you look closely at the front, you’ll see it was built in the Jacobean style — that means lots of carved stone, tall windows, and decorative roof shapes called gables. It was designed to show the town’s pride.

The Town Hall wasn’t just offices. For a time, part of it was used as the local fire station. Imagine the clanging of a bell and a horse-drawn fire engine setting off from right here in the early 1900s.

Over time, as councils joined together and moved, the building wasn’t needed in the same way. By 2010, it was at risk of being underused. But the people of Hebden Bridge decided not to let that happen. A group called the Hebden Bridge Community Association stepped in, took on a long lease, and raised millions of pounds to save and expand the building.

Now the Town Hall is more than just a piece of history. Inside you’ll find meeting rooms, offices for local businesses, an exhibition space, and even a café where you can grab cake or a drink. Next door is a modern extension called the Waterfront Hall — built to give the town a flexible new space for events, concerts, and celebrations.

Take a moment to look at the contrast: old stone with its carvings and gables on one side, and sleek modern glass and wood on the other. Together, they show how Hebden Bridge mixes history with creativity.

Your Challenge:

• Count how many triangular roof gables you can see.
• Spot a carved stone detail — what shape is it? A face? A flower? Something else?
• Can you find the part that once served as a fire station? Look for big doors or hints in the stonework.
• Which side do you like better — the old Town Hall or the modern Waterfront Hall? Why?

When you’re ready, let’s carry on exploring!

Welcome to the Hebden Bridge Picture House, a very special cinema. It opened in 1921, over a hundred years ago, when going to the movies was still a brand-new idea. Back then, the films were silent — there would have been a pianist playing music to go along with the action on screen.

The Picture House is one of the last remaining cinemas in Britain that’s still owned by the local council. Inside, you’ll find a big single screen, balcony seating, and the feeling of an old-fashioned cinema. Lots of families say it feels like stepping back in time.

Challenge time:

• Look at the posters outside — what films are showing this week?
• How many pillars are on the front of the building?
• Can you spot the year the cinema first opened?

This is the Rochdale Canal, built over 200 years ago. Please keep a safe distance from the edge - the water is deep, even though it looks calm.

When the canal first opened in the early 1800s, it was like a motorway for goods. Before trains and lorries, canals were the fastest way to move heavy loads. Horses walked along this very towpath, pulling boats packed with coal, raw cotton, wool, and finished cloth. Imagine the clatter of hooves, the splash of water as gates opened, and the shouts of boatmen guiding their cargo through.

Hebden Bridge back then was buzzing with activity. The air was filled with the sounds of mill machinery, and the canal was alive with boats carrying cloth from the town’s mills to big cities like Manchester and Leeds. Shops, workshops, and warehouses lined the route, making this little valley a busy industrial hub.

Today it’s much more peaceful. Look around and you’ll see colourful narrowboats, people walking their dogs, and maybe even a heron standing quietly by the water.

If you see a lock, stop and watch. Locks are like water lifts for boats. When a boat sails in, the gates are closed and water is either let in or drained out, so the boat rises or sinks to the right level before it sails on. It’s slow, steady, and very clever engineering.

Now it’s time to explore. Stroll whichever way you like along the towpath and enjoy the calm of the canal.

Your Challenge:

• How many boats can you count along the water?
• Can you spot a boat with a funny or unusual name? What is it?
• Look at the lock gates — what are they made of?
• Bonus: Can you see where the water rushes in or out when the lock is used?

Welcome to Calder Holmes Park, Hebden Bridge’s biggest and most popular park. It sits right by the canal and the River Calder, just a short walk from the town centre.

This is the place where families come to relax, play, and enjoy the outdoors. The park has something for everyone:

• Playground: Swings, slides, and climbing frames make it a favourite stop for children.
• Skate park: A modern area for skateboards, scooters, and bikes.
• Open green space: Plenty of room to run around, kick a ball, or have a picnic.
• Canal and riverside paths: Easy to stroll along, with boats passing by on the Rochdale Canal.
• Sports facilities: Tennis courts and football pitches add to the park’s lively feel.

In the summer, the park often hosts community events and festivals, so you might stumble across live music, stalls, or family activities.

Fun Fact

The park is named after the River Calder, which flows right beside it. The word “Holmes” comes from old English for “a small island or meadow by a river.” So Calder Holmes Park means “the meadow by the River Calder.”

Let’s Have Some Fun

• How many swings are in the playground?
• Can you spot a canal boat passing by — what colour is it?
• Look at the skate park — is anyone practising tricks today?
• Search the grass: can you find daisies, buttercups, or clover?

Welcome to Market Street, one of the busiest and most colourful streets in Hebden Bridge. It runs through the centre of town and is full of independent shops, cafés, and galleries.

In the 1800s, this street was lined with shops serving the local mill workers and their families. People came here to buy everyday essentials, meet neighbours, and hear the latest gossip.

Today, Market Street still has that same community feel, but the shops are a little different. Instead of just groceries and tools, you’ll find:

• Bookshops like The Book Case, a long-standing independent bookshop.
• Toy, craft, and gift shops full of bright displays.
• Galleries and design shops showing local artists’ work.
• Cafés and tearooms serving cakes, sandwiches, and coffee.

It’s the kind of street where you can spend ages peering into windows — every shop has something unusual or creative to catch your eye.

Fun Fact

Hebden Bridge is famous for its independent spirit. On Market Street you won’t find many big-name chain shops. Instead, most are small, locally run businesses. That’s part of what makes the town so unique.

Let’s Have Some Fun

• How many shop signs can you spot that have animals on them?
• Can you find a bookshop — what’s the title of the first book you see in the window?
• Count how many cafés are on the street.
• Look up — what interesting shapes or carvings can you see on the old stone buildings above the shopfronts?

We’ve arrived at Gibson Mill, deep in the woods at Hardcastle Crags. This old mill was built more than 200 years ago, when cotton was king. Water from the River Hebden turned the wheels that powered the machines inside, and the valley echoed with the sound of spinning and weaving.

When the mill closed, it found a new life as a place for fun. People came here to skate, dance, and even row boats on the pond. It became one of the earliest leisure destinations in Calderdale.

Today, Gibson Mill is at the cutting edge once again — but this time as a green building. It makes its own electricity, cleans its own water, and composts its waste. It shows us how old buildings can be given new life in a modern world.

Take some time to explore the woods around the mill. Listen for birds, look out for stepping stones across the river, and see how many different shades of green you can find in the trees.

Time to Have Some Fun

• Can you find the stepping stones across the river? How many are there?
• Inside the mill, can you spot how they make their electricity? Is it water power, solar power, or both?
• Imagine you’re here in the 1920s. Would you go roller skating, boating, or dancing? Which would you choose?

Vocation is one of Hebden Bridge’s modern success stories. The brewery began in nearby Cragg Vale in 2015 and quickly grew into one of Yorkshire’s best-known craft beer makers. Their beers, with names like Life & Death and Heart & Soul, are now found across the UK.

Here in the centre of town you’ll find Vocation & Co., their bar and street-food venue. Step inside and you’ll see rows of taps serving their own beers alongside guest ales and soft drinks. The space has a modern, lively feel and is often buzzing with people.

It's not just the beer that makes this place stand out, it's the food. Vocation & Co. has a great menu and well cooked local produce. It’s a casual, friendly environment where groups of friends, couples, and families gather to eat and drink together.

For families, it’s worth knowing:

• During the daytime, the atmosphere is relaxed and families often come in for food. The varied menu means there’s plenty of choice for different tastes.
• In the evenings, it feels more like a pub, so it may not be as suitable for younger children.
• It’s not a playground stop, but it can be a good place to take a break if parents want to enjoy something local while the kids tuck into some food and do some of the activities from the entertainment pack included in the tour.

If you’d like to experience a bit of Hebden Bridge’s modern social life, this is an interesting stop. Parents can sample local craft beer while children enjoy the variety of food on offer. If you’d prefer somewhere quieter or more traditional, there are plenty of cafés and tearooms nearby that might suit better.

The White Lion is one of the oldest buildings in Hebden Bridge, with parts dating back to the 1600s. Built in traditional Yorkshire stone, it sits very close to the old Packhorse Bridge and has served as an inn for centuries. Travellers crossing the Pennines would have stopped here for food, drink, and a bed for the night.

If you look closely, you’ll see carved stonework on the front of the building. The date 1657 is sometimes mentioned as part of its history, making it one of the town’s oldest surviving landmarks.

Inside, the pub still has a traditional feel with wooden beams, fireplaces, and cosy corners. It’s a step back into Hebden Bridge’s past.

Today

The White Lion operates as both a pub and a hotel.

• In the pub, you’ll find a mix of traditional ales, wines, and soft drinks, along with meals that are typical of an English country inn.
• The menu often includes hearty pub classics such as pies, roasts, and fish & chips, alongside family-friendly options.
• Outside, there’s a terrace area overlooking the river — a pleasant spot to sit in good weather.

The White Lion welcomes families, especially during the day. It can be a nice place to pause for lunch or a drink while enjoying the historic surroundings.

Even if you don’t go inside, it’s worth stopping outside to admire the building’s age and character as part of Hebden Bridge’s story.

In the evenings, the atmosphere is more of a traditional pub, so families with younger children may prefer to visit earlier in the day.

Mooch Café-Bar is a cosy, central café on Market Street. If you’d like a comfortable break, this could be a good option — especially midday, before the evening crowd sets in. Mooch offers a wide menu: cooked breakfasts (vegetarian and vegan options are available), toasted ciabattas, soups, salads, and evening dishes. They use local, ethical ingredients when possible. They also serve drinks — coffee, teas, smoothies — and by evening, wine and beer.

Inside, you’ll find a relaxed, eclectic atmosphere. There’s a part-covered garden out the back with plants and fairy lights — a pleasant place to sit if the weather permits. The café is dog-friendly and has space for high chairs and pushchairs.

Coffee Cali is a cosy café right on Bridge Gate in the heart of Hebden Bridge.

It’s a great place to pause for a drink or snack. On the menu you’ll find freshly prepared food, a wide choice of teas and coffees, and famously generous slices of cake. The upstairs and window seating make it a welcoming spot to relax and watch the world go by.

Coffee Cali is also pet-friendly, so even dogs are welcome to join you while you take a break.