Copley Model Village

When studying the Arts and Crafts movement last summer, I learned of a Victorian ‘model village’ not far from where I live. Like the famous village of Saltaire near Bradford, Copley Model Village, which lies in the Calder Valley on the outskirts of Halifax, was built in the middle of the nineteenth century to house workers at Copley mill, a wool worsted mill. In fact, Copley model village pre-dates Saltaire, and is credited with inspiring later model villages built for workers, including Saltaire. Edward Ackroyd, the industrialist who owned Copley mill and had the model village built, was one of the first to build a company village, putting into practice ideas for housing reform that were prevalent at the time.

I now have an increased interest in Copley model village because it is situated in the Calderdale ward (Skircoat) for which I am the Labour candidate in the forthcoming local elections. One of my campaign pledges is to protect Skircoat’s beautiful built and natural heritage, and I was particularly thinking of Copley when I wrote that pledge. Though Copley model village is protected under UK listed buildings legislation, it is at risk of deterioration because it lies in a flood plain next to the river Calder, which has flooded more severely in recent years due to climate change. However, there is good reason to trust Copley’s future is safe, as Calderdale’s Labour council has declared a climate emergency, and has made tackling climate change imperative in local decision-making. A massive flood prevention and flood defence scheme is underway.

I recently visited Copley with my son Tom to take some photos for my campaign. Here are a couple of them: