A local walk to Tong & Fulneck's Moravian Settlement

My husband and I have been trying to get out and about a bit more recently but especially in our local area...

I discovered a short walk on the AA website - Tong & Fulneck's Moravian Settlement, which was quite close to home, so off we went on Saturday afternoon (just managing to mostly avoid the heavy rain showers) to do some adventuring locally.

Fulneck's Moravian Church

Fulneck

The beautiful bluebells by Pudsey Beck

It was a lovely walk and I learnt lots about the local history through this walk as well (more can be read about the interesting historic discoveries HERE).

Statues

This month's Friendship Vignettes theme was....

...STATUES

I was struggling for inspiration until down in the City Park a few weekends ago for the awesome Bradford Festival I noticed that the City Hall is adorned with... STATUES of the past kings and queens.

King Edward VI

Queen Victoria

Bradford City Hall adorned in STATUES!

My Town

This month's photography theme for Friendship Vignettes is...

                 ..."My town", which is...

                                                                             ...BRADFORD!                          

Bradford City Park & City Hall

Bradford Urban Garden

Bradford Cathedral

BRADFORD - Little Germany

There is an area of Bradford to the east of the city centre called Little Germany. It is full of large, stone Victorian warehouses which the Jewish merchants spent large amounts of money building in the 19th century. Many of the merchants came from Germany hence the name "Little Germany". Many of these large warehouse buildings remain and have been converted into modern offices or pent-house flats.

On Chapel Street, there is a stone carved armchair and grandfather's clock. 

My husband, Luke in Little Germany c2007

BRADFORD - The Midland Hotel

The hotel was constructed by the Midland Railway Company who owned the station next door, known as Forster Square Railway Station. Construction of the building was started in 1885 and it took five years to complete it.

It is still known as the Midland Hotel and functions as a hotel today. It is presently a Grade 2 listed building.

The Midland Hotel, Bradford

I have been inside on a few occasions the most memorable being for my Hen Party where we enjoyed "Afternoon Tea" together in one of their suites. It is beautiful inside and decorated very elegantly, a great place for lady's to share afternoon tea together.

BRADFORD - The Urban Garden

In 2005, there were plans a foot for a huge new shopping centre development in the city, over the site of the original township of Bradford and the Bradford Beck near the Cathedral.

Work was started in 2005 with the demolition of the Broadway Shopping Centre, an archaelogical dig of the area and the site was excavated and prepared for the start of the new development. Unfortunately the work came to a halt overnight with the beginnings of a national recession.

The site was left as a huge HOLE for a few years before the Council developed some of the site into an Urban Garden.

Bradford Urban Garden

Graffiti Walls which hide the HOLE and the stopped development work behind

I do like the Urban Garden as it has created a space in the City Centre which allows some of the older more ornate buildings to be seen which have been hidden away by large buildings for many years.

The Cathedral from the Urban Garden

The Wool Exchange from the Urban Garden

The Midland Hotel, Bradford

There are talks that 2013 might be the year that works recommences on the site but we only time will tell, I do hope whatever is built here reflects the beautiful buildings which surround it.

BRADFORD - The National Media Museum

We are really fortunate to host the National Media Museum and Imax Cinema complex in Bradford city centre. It was previously known as the National Museum of Photography, Film and Television.

National Media Museum, Bradford

It is situated between Bradford Central Library and the Ice Skating Rink on Prince's Way and there is free entry to the exhibitions although entrance to the cinema's is not free.

My favourite part of the museum is the area where you can sit in a small booth with your friends and choose any TV programme from the past to watch an episode of. They have a large catalogue of what is available to watch and usually only one episode of a series is available to view, but it can take you back to your childhood with Muffin the Mule and the likes.

The Bradford International Film Festival is hosted here annually.

BRADFORD - The City Park

When the city centre police station was knocked down in 2007/8, they decided to redevelop the area around the City Hall and Centenary Square into the City Park with fountains and a shallow pond called the Mirror Pool.

The City Park, Bradford

The City Park has created a great area for exhibitions, markets, concerts and other city centre events. It is a great place to "hang out" whilst children play in the water and adults enjoy a coffee in the sunshine.

Beautiful reflection in the Mirror Pool

Last year, the City Park was awarded the Best Place in the UK award. It also hosts the highest fountain in the UK.

The City Hall surrounded by the City Park, Bradford

The Mirror Pool is empty at the beginning of the day and fills gradually throughout the day with the numerous fountains surrounding it. There is a light show in the evening when the pool is full and it is drained overnight, ready for the next day.

The Mirror Pool full

The opening ceremony of the City Park was just over a year ago and it was an amazing day. The square was packed with people and there were acrobats and a firework display.

BRADFORD - The Old Odeon Cinema

The old Odeon Cinema sits next to the Alhambra Theatre overlooking the City Park & City Hall. It was originally built in 1930 as the New Victoria Grand Ballroom, Restaurant and Tea Room. In 1938 it was renovated to broadcast films but in World War Two was damaged by a bomb blast.

The old Odeon Cinema

It was later renovated in the 1950s as a cinema, ballroom and later a bingo hall, but shut in 2000 when it was under competition from the larger out of town cinema complexes which had been opened.

The City Park, Odeon & Alhambra Theatre

It is a wonderful building but no one really knows what to do with it and now it is in such a bad state of repair that it would need huge financial input to make into a building safe for people to use again. There have been talks of selling it to the Council for £1. The big question today is demolition or redevelopment?

BRADFORD - The Alhambra Theatre

The Alhambra Theatre was named after the Alhambra Palace in Spain. It was opened in 1914 and currently hosts many large touring theatre performances. It is a Grade 2 listed building and stands overlooking the new City Park, Centenary Square and City Hall.

Bradford Alhambra Theatre

There is a restaurant on the top floor of the theatre that has a glass frontage and looks over the City Park, there will be amazing views from there especially on a night with the fountains all beautifully lit.

The Alhambra Theatre from the City Park

Unfortunately, Alhambra sits next to the old dilapidated Odeon Cinema which is in great need of a face lift or even demolition. 

The Alhambra Theatre sits next to the Old Odeon Cinema

BRADFORD - St George's Hall

St George's Concert Hall is the oldest concert hall still in use in the UK. It is a fantastic building which stands on the corner of the junction of Bridge Street and Hall Ings near Bradford Interchange Rail and Bus Station. The building was opened in 1853 and is currently a Grade 2 listed building.

St George's Hall, Bradford

I have never been inside but would love to go in one day.

BRADFORD - Bradford Cathedral

Bradford Cathedral was originally the St Peter Parish Church of Bradford and there has been Christian worship on this site since the 8th century. The oldest part of the current building dates back to the 14th century and has been added to numerous times since.

Bradford Cathedral

The Cathedral is built on a piece of higher land that has formed on the outside of the bend of the Bradford Beck which curves round to flow north towards Shipley. The original township of Bradford grew up on the other side of the beck, und

The cathedral can now be seen from various places across the city centre as the Broadway Shopping Centre was demolished in 2005 and that blocked most of the view of the old stone clock tower.

Bradford Cathedral from the Urban Garden (site of previous Broadway shopping centre)

BRADFORD - Lamp posts

When wandering around Bradford city centre if you look up, you can see these beautifully designed lamp posts.

Bradford lamp posts

BRADFORD - The Wool Exchange

The Wool Exchange in Bradford is a beautiful ornate Grade 1 listed building in the city centre, hidden by many large surrounding buildings. It is now better known for hosting Waterstones.

From the Urban Garden you get a wonderful view of its clock tower which holds the correct time.

Wool Exchange, Bradford

It was built in the 1860's as a wool-trading centre, the grandeur of the building shows Bradford's 19th century wealth in the trading of wool. It is great to see the building still in good use with its interior beauty restored, a good view of the inside architecture can be seen from the Starbucks cafe.

BRADFORD - The City Hall

Bradford City Hall is a huge building in Centenary Square which dominates the city centre's skyline with its tall clock tower. 

Bradford City Hall & City Park

It is a Grade 1 listed building and was built to replace an old town hall, as Bradford needed a city hall to revival that of Leeds and Halifax's. It was opened on the 9th September 1873 but has been extended a few times since then.

The back of Bradford City Hall

On the frontage of the hall a stone statue of Oliver Cromwell can be found, if you look for him carefully.

The front of the City Hall and main entrance

Main entrance - close up

A side door to the city hall

The view of the City Hall over the grass embankment near the Alhambra

On a good day with the wind blowing in the correct direction we can hear the clock chiming from our house a few miles away. At Christmas the bells play a festive tune to make the turning of another hour.

The sun shining behind the clock tower, silhouetting the City Hall clock tower

I love to see the inside of this fantastic building one day.