Addingham Civic Society
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See the village website - www.addingham.info
for lots of information about the village of Addingham.
Welcome to the Addingham Civic Society in West Yorkshire, UK. The Society, a registered charity, was formed in 1978, initially to fight landfill of the old railway cutting and for the best route for the village bypass, and has developed into a respected voice for the residents of Addingham and a sounding board for local opinion.
Aims of the Society
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To stimulate public interest and involvement in actively protecting the qulity of life enjoyed in Addingham.
We hold regular meetings at which members hear talks on subjects of local interest (such as the architecture and history of historic buildings, the work of local craftsmen, and the countryside around), as well as holding social events and fundraising coffee mornings. Among our members we have historians, architects and naturalists and we have published several books on the history of the village and on walks around the area . We make donations to local good causes and get our hands dirty by, for example, cleaning up the village and planting trees.
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To promote high standards of planning and architecture and encourage preservation, conservation, development and improvement of features of public amenity, historic interest or environmental importance
The Society exists for the good of Addingham and its residents. It acts as a watchdog, keeping a watching brief on all planning applications and other proposals that might affect the character of the village . We are not against change - all communities must develop and evolve - but we will do our best to protect the historic environment that we live in and ensure that change is for the better. We work closely with the Parish Council, other Civic Societies and similar bodies in the wider area.
The Society in its present form has, for over 30 years, been working and sometimes campaigning to ensure that our village remains a jewel in the crown of Wharfedale. The Society has supported and worked with other local groups to help enhance village amenities and prevent developments and activities which would be detrimental to the overall quality of life of residents.
DID YOU KNOW …….
To preserve the unique architectural
character a large part of the village was created a Conservation Area
in the 1970’s.
That a campaign for a bypass began as early as the 1920’s. It was
not until the 1970’s that a cohesive campaign by the Civic Society,
Parish Council and other groups finally succeeded.
Addingham once had a Museum of Gateposts. Where are they now ……?
Until the late 1960’s the centre of the village was dominated by
a huge railway arch.
The Civic Society had an “Adopt a Stream” initiative from
1989 where members monitored the condition of local streams.
The new bypass, completed in October 1990 put an end to the Fell Race
across to the Moorside which had been a popular feature of the annual
village gala.
The Civic Society worked with other groups over a two year period to prevent
building on Manor Garth.
Under the Bradford Unitary Development Plan the proposed development for
Addingham would have doubled the size of the village and created an industrial
park between the cricket field and the recreation ground. A local campaign
prevented this and also kept other land within the Green Belt.
The lovely wall-hanging in the Memorial Hall was a Civic Society Millennium
Project. Many volunteers worked on the design and stitching over a two
year period.
George Street, behind the Post Office, was resurfaced as a Civic Society
Millennium Project with most of the £9000 coming from local sources.
Local Volunteers planted around 800 trees and shrubs at the Parish Council’s
new Marchup Gill Nature Reserve in 2004.
In 2010 the Civic Society had its 28th annual village cleanup and litter
pick to prepare the village for judging by Yorkshire in Bloom (the village
gardens are maintained by Addingham
Garden Friends in conjunction with the Council).
News
Letter from the Chairman here
The new Children's Playground
This great Civic Society project for the village has now been opened and is proving a hit with the youngsters and their parents!
'Addingham: A View From the Moorside'
We have recently
published a new book written by three local historians, Arnold Pacey,
Alison Armstrong and Malcolm Birdsal.This exciting new publication includes
a memoir to Kate Mason and her works as a notable local historian.
The extensively researched new material about the village, past inhabitants,
and the Moorside make this book a fascinating and essential read for anyone
with an interest in the history of Addingham.
'Addingham: A View From the Moorside' is now available from local
shops at only £10:00 it is something that we hope everyone will
want to subscribe to - see Books page.
Civic Society Publications
The Society
publishes a monthly newsletter
(see top
of page) and has for many years helped local authors and members by publishing
books of local interest.
Membership
Membership of Addingham Civic
Society is open to all who are interested in actively furthering the purposes
of the Society, whether Addingham residents or not. We currently have
nearly 500 members!
Subscription rates are
£5 per annum for single members or £9 for couples.
Membership
or general enquiries - John Walmsley (Chairman) 839605 or Mike Bolton
(Secretary) 831117- download membership application form here
Registered
Charity No. 1009758
Contact:-Webmaster
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