Wednesday, September 27, 2006

Saltaire - a remarkable town


Saltaire was built on the banks of the River Aire and the Leeds and Liverpool canal in the 1830s, It's founder, Sir Titus Salt, was an extraordinary man of vision and philanthropist.
It is said that in his lifetime he gave half a million pounds to charity (in the 1800s – that was a considerable amount of money).
Not only did he build a mill and town for his workers, but he provided everything for them including modern (in those days) housing, a hospital, churches, schools and recreation areas. But being a man of sober habits, he did not permit the town to have either an inn or a pawn shop.
Built in stone, Saltaire is designed in the Florentine style.
The Congregational Church (now the United Reformed Church), is an excellent example of Italian architecture.
Photo M Muir – Yours truly during a visit to the unique mill town

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