Cliffe Castle Museum
Address:
Spring Gardens Lane, Keighley West Yorkshire, BD20 6LH
Opening Times:
Monday: Closed
Tuesday - Friday: 10am-4pm
Saturday - Sunday: 11am-4pm
Facilities:
Toilets
Baby Changing
Parking
Disabled Access
Toilet
Baby
Changing
Parking
Disabled
Access
History of Cliffe Castle
Cliffe Castle was originally the home of Victorian millionaire and textile manufacturer, Henry Isaac Butterfield. Completed in the 1880s the building was funded by the Butterfield family’s industrial empire which included wool textile mills and a shipping business that took British goods to Europe, America and China.
The completed house was a showpiece of international art and French decoration. It was the scene of many glittering social events. Butterfield family connections included the Roosevelt’s of America and members of the court of Napoleon III.
In the 1950s the Castle was bought by Sir Bracewell Smith, a local man who became Lord Mayor of London. Sir Bracewell used architect Sir Albert Richardson to turn Cliffe Castle’s gardens into a grand public park and remodelled the Castle to be a free museum for the people of the district.
In recent years Cliffe Castle has undergone a major restoration. Visitors can see sparkling Victorian rooms and furniture, paintings, and decorative art. Special galleries deal with natural history, archaeology and social history, all of which can be seen on your visit along with the internationally important display of stained glass by Morris and Co. The Castle also hosts changing exhibitions from our collections and the community. Family areas ensure that there is something for all ages.
Photography & Filming
Photography on site is allowed but only for personal use.
For filming enquiries please email natalie.everett@bradford.gov.uk
Programming and exhibitions
If you would like to submit an exhibition proposal you can find out more and get in touch here.
Learning at Cliffe Castle
Bradford Museums & Galleries’ Learning Team offer a range of exciting, hands-on, curriculum-linked workshops at Cliffe Castle.
Please follow this link to find out more.
Learning at Cliffe Castle
Bradford Museums & Galleries’ Learning Team offer a range of exciting, hands-on, curriculum-linked workshops at Cliffe Castle.
Find out everything you need to know before you visit us. Including opening times and how to find us
See what’s on at Cliffe Castle, see all the latest events, galleries & exhibitions available here.
Cliffe Castle is home to the famous painting of the ‘Lady In Pink’ Located in the Bracewell Smith Hall.
Read about an interesting specimen from the Geology Collection, specifically from the Vertebrate Paleontology section, is a rather large fossil tooth. This particular tooth is from an ancient shark unfortunately no longer with us. It belonged to the largest known shark to have ever lived on Earth, Otodus* megalodon. Commonly just called Megalodon. (Mega = big and odon = tooth), or the very informal Meg.
Be sure to check out Cliffe Castle in the 21st Century with our very own virtual tour.
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