Escape to Holdsworth House with our Best Two Night Break Offer

DAY 1: ARRIVE AND RELAXATION

Arrive: Check in at Holdsworth House Hotel from 3.00PM

Afternoon: Afternoon: Order a cream tea or a pint of locally brewed Saltaire Blonde as you read a free copy of our history book, available from reception. Learn about diarist and philanthropist Miss Elizabeth Wadsworth who lived at the house from 1760 to 1837.

Evening: Enjoy dinner in the restaurant from the seasonal a la carte menu.

DAY 2: INDUSTRIAL AND YORKSHIRE HERITAGE

Morning: Start the day with a full Yorkshire breakfast at Holdsworth House.

A Day Full of Choices: No heritage visit to Halifax is complete without exploring Shibden Hall (3.5 miles from the hotel). Shibden was the 15th-century ancestral home of Anne Lister–diarist, landowner, traveller and pioneering businesswoman whose story was brought to life in the BBC’s Gentleman Jack. A visit here offers a rare insight into the life of one of the country’s most fascinating and forward-thinking women, set within beautifully preserved interiors and historic parkland that’s lovely to walk around. Visit Shibden Hall on 4th July 2025 for the Secret Shibden Tour where you can explore parts of Shibden Hall that so many visitors rarely get to see (booking required).

In Halifax town centre is the brilliant Calderdale Industrial Museum, which brings Halifax’s industrious spirit to life. Discover the town’s proud legacy of textile weaving, learn about local inventions like cat’s eyes road reflectors and Quality Street chocolates, and see original machinery in action in this hands-on, volunteer-run gem. Head to Calderdale Industrial Museum to see The Natural World in Weavings Exhibition (on until August 22, 2025).

Join in one of the superb Calderdale Heritage Walks. This independent walk organisation offers a range of low-cost walks, led by one of 12 guides, each passionate about our local heritage. Your guide is experienced in explaining features on the walks, health and safety, and will definitely keep you smiling whatever the weather! Here’s their list of organised walks this summer. Bring good walking shoes! (Keep scrolling down for more detail about each walk).

• Sunday 13th July 2025: **Booking Required** Dobroyd Castle
• Sunday 27th July 2025: Anne Lister Parkland and Mytholme Walk
• Sunday 3rd August 2025: **Booking Required**: The Coiners in Halifax–The true story of The Gallows Pole
• Sunday 10th August 2025: Heptonstall Shadows
• Sunday 17th August 2025: Tod-MURDER-n

Lunch: Ask Holdsworth House to make up a picnic or cream tea to take with you, grab a snack at the cafés at Shibden Park/Calderdale Industrial Museum or try one of the eateries in Halifax Piece Hall, next to the Industrial Museum.

Evening: Return to Holdsworth House for dinner. Choose from the a la carte menu or book ahead for the fabulous eight-course Tasting Menu.

DAY 3: ICONS OF HALIFAX

Morning: Enjoy a full cooked breakfast or continental buffet selection at Holdsworth House Hotel before checking out of your room. We are happy to store any bags should you wish to leave them in our safe possession for the day. Check out our online shop for a memento of your stay, shipped straight to your home address.

Option 1 Stay Local: Halifax is steeped in centuries of history and three of its most iconic landmarks offer a fascinating window into the town’s past. Start at Halifax Minster, a stunning medieval church close to the town centre with roots dating back to the 12th Century, where you can admire intricate stonework, ancient tombs and beautiful stained glass.

The Piece Hall is a must-see and a breathtaking Georgian cloth hall turned cultural centre. Once the heart of Halifax’s textile trade, today it’s home to independent shops, galleries and exhibitions, all set around a vast Italianate piazza–the perfect place to pause for coffee and reflect on the town’s enduring legacy. We have a full list of summer music concerts taking place at The Piece Hall.

Finally, just a few minutes away by car, Bankfield Museum showcases the town’s proud military heritage, including the Duke of Wellington’s Regimental Museum, with impressive displays of uniforms, weaponry and stories of local service. 

Option 2 Venture Out: If you love Holdsworth House, we know you’ll love Oakwell Hall near Birstall (11 miles from Holdsworth House). You’ll see similarities with Oakwell to Holdsworth House and Shibden Hall in Halifax. In July and August, Oakwell Hall has the 19th Century portrait of Charlotte Bronte on display (on loan from the National Portrait Gallery) along with Ellen Nussey’s writing desk (best friend of Charlotte Bronte). Oakwell Hall was built in 1583 and is now a council-owned museum. Charlotte Bronte regularly visited there in the 19th Century and featured it as Fieldhead, the home of the eponymous heroine in her novel Shirley. Oakwell Hall is also celebrating everything Yorkshire with a festival vibe on Sunday 3rd August. Enjoy live musical performances, a Yorkshire Makers Market, creative workshops and activities, and food and drink stalls.

NEED TO KNOW...

Halifax Minster: Open to visitors daily from 12NOON–4.00PM. It’s free to visit but donations are always welcome. You are invited to attend one of the Minster’s weekday services of Morning Prayer at 9.00AM, Eucharist at 12.30OM and Evening Prayer at 4.00PM. Location: Causeway, Halifax HX1 1QL. Did you know, the Minster was chosen for the Christmas Day church service in 2024 and broadcast to millions on the BBC!

Oakwell Hall: Open daily 12NOON-4.00PM in July and August (except Mondays and Fridays–closed). Free entry to the Hall and Country Park. Location: Nutter Lane, Birstall, West Yorkshire, WF17 9LG

Shibden Hall: Open Saturday and Sunday 11:00AM - 5:00PM; Monday-Friday 10:00AM-5:00PM. £10 adult entry. You can book direct or you can book entry tickets online with Holdsworth House when you book your accommodation. Car parking charges apply at Shibden Hall park. There’s a fantastic playground for children, a miniature railway and boating lake–plenty to do for all the family. Location: Shibden Hall, Lister’s Road, Halifax, HX3 6XG

Bankfield Museum: Open Tuesday to Saturday, 10.00AM-4.00PM. Free entry. Location: Akroyd Park, Boothtown Road, Halifax, HX3 6HG

CALDERDALE HERITAGE WALKING TOURS – JULY & AUGUST 2025:

All walks begin at 2:00PM and are £4 per person unless otherwise stated. Most walks are suitable for all ages. Booking is only required where noted. Book on https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/calderdale-heritage-walks

Sunday 6th July: Big 'C's in Ripponden: Explore Ripponden’s past through themes like church, catastrophe, conflict, and Chartism. Riverside path may be muddy. Dogs on leads. Not suitable for scooters. Meet: St Bartholomew's Church, HX6 4DF

Sunday 13th July: Dobroyd Castle – Booking Required. Tour the striking ‘Brass Castle’ above Todmorden, including the house and gardens. 1½-mile walk with woodland paths. No dogs. Cost: £6 | Guide: Anne Mealia. Meet: Todmorden (details with ticket)

Sunday 27th July: Anne Lister Parkland & Mytholme Walk. Walk in Anne Lister’s footsteps through Shibden Park and beyond. Includes old routes, settlements, and stories from her diaries. Rough paths; boots advised. Dogs welcome. Meet: Shibden Park overflow car park (opposite Godley Lane BP)

Sunday 3rd August: The Coiners in Halifax – Booking Required. Trace the true story of The Gallows Pole—from arrests to executions. Linear 3-hour walk. Suitable for mobility scooters. Dogs on leads. Guide: David Glover. Meet: Toyland, 18–20 Woolshops, Halifax HX1 1RJ. Ends: Matalan Car Park, Berry Lane, HX1 1RD

Sunday 10th August: Heptonstall Shadows. Explore folklore, wart-curers, rural crime and ghost tales in this historic village. Some slippery surfaces. Dogs on leads. Not suitable for mobility scooters. Guide: John Billingsley. Meet: Heptonstall Bowling Club Car Park, HX7 7LT

Sunday 17th August: 'TodMURDERn'. Discover Todmorden’s most infamous murders and forgotten crimes on this new walk. Dogs on leads. Guide: Anne Mealia. Meet: Christ Church graveyard, OL14 5AN