| Title | Cragg Wood (1) |
| Date | 1800s |
| Location | Rawdon |
| Photo ID | BB044 |
| Comment | Nathanial Brigg developed Cliffe Drive, Cragg Wood Drive, Woodlands Drive and Underwood Drive as four fashionable west/east carriage drives with lodge houses at their entrances. |
Nathanial Brigg had the woods landscaped and planted with trees and shrubs, many mature specimens of which remain today. The Cragg Wood area is located on the Southern facing slope of a wooded valley. The valley follows the course of the River Aire, with land rising relatively steeply from the wash-lands on either side. The Leeds & Liverpool canal and railway have taken advantage of the valley bottom and add to the picturesque settings and views from and towards Cragg Wood. The villa development took advantage of the sloping topography. Houses were built on the varying terraces of the valley side, allowing each to benefit from open views across the valley.
There was very little development before the coming of the Midland Railway to Apperely Bridge in 1846, which made it possible for Bradford textile barons to live in a deeply rural ambience yet commute daily to their mills and warehouses.
In the 1881, census, of the 24 “big houses”, 20 were occupied by textile magnates.
Today some of those houses can still be found in Cragg Wood such as Summer hill, Daisy Hill, Cliffe cottage and Cragg Royd, plus cottages at Cragg Terrace (known previously as Cragg Bottom or Cragg Row).
G055 – Cragg Wood, 1907.
Cragg Terrace – 1907
Cragg Terrace is located near Woodlands Drive.
E071 – Cragg Wood, 1910.
Cragg Wood – 1910
Located near Mansell & Hatcher Orchid Nursery, Woodlands Drive.
G223 – Cragg Wood, Undated.
Cragg Terrace – Undated
Cragg Terrace- Undated
Previously known as Cragg Bottom, these cottages were built prior to 1790, and were once owned by the Green-Emmott Estate then they were bought by Robert Milligan.
B780 – Cragg Wood, Undated.
Cragg Wood – Undated
Cottages in Cragg Wood.
Donated by Philip Archdale.
A453 – Cragg Wood, 1916.
Cragg Wood Wishing Gate and Steps – 1916
Postcard from a sister to her brother in France during WWI.
When landscaping Cragg Wood the wishing gate steps & gate were a feature amongst others created around the villas.
The message on the reverse of the card –
My dear brother, have not had a letter for over a fortnight did you receive your money on your birthday, do write and say if you are getting anything yet. Hope you are keeping well as we all are at home. Excuse a P.C this time as I have a lot to do tonight. So will write a letter later
Signed Nelly
Addressed to Gunner T (Tom) Barker 1482
RFA Attached
32 Base Park Copy
Royal Engineers
Le Harvre
France
T218 – Cragg Wood, Undated.
Cragg Wood Wishing Gate and Steps – Undated
Another postcard, this one has been used as a birthday card.
Donated by Carol Hall.
T219 – Cragg Wood, Undated.
Cragg Wood Wishing Gate and Steps – Undated
The postcard is undated as it appears to have not been posted as the message reads:
Wishing you many Happy Returns of your Birthday
Love from No 4
B226 – Cragg Wood, Undated.
Cragg Wood, – Undated
A tinted postcard showing the roof top of an unidentified house.
B226R – Cragg Wood, Undated.
Cragg Wood, – Undated
The message reads:
Dear Aunt, I invite you to come on the 10th of August because it is Rawdon Feast. We brake up at school on Friday August 2nd and i hope you are very well with best love from all Willie Mallinson.
The card is addressed to Miss l Webster c/o Mrs Horsfall, Hayfield, Crosshills
(note spelling of “break” as it was written)
Y39 – Cragg Wood, 1930.
Cragg Wood, – 1930
Underwood Drive in the vicinity of Woodlands Convalescent Hospital which closed in 1993.
G075 – Cragg Wood, Undated.
Cragg Wood, – Undated
Boys in the wood , pupils from the Friends School (Quakers) Low Green Rawdon.
Editor’s note: Judging by the boys attire I estimate the era to be late 1800s – who knows!
B320 – Cragg Wood, Undated.
Cragg Wood, – Undated
This is unconfirmed as Underwood Drive, could be Woodlands Drive leading into Underwood Drive.
K070 – Cragg Wood, c1947.
Cragg Wood, – c1947
A path through Cragg Wood an area which in 2015 remains unchanged.
Photographer Marmaduke Milner, donated by the Swain Family of Rawdon.
Previous Comments:
Re E071
teleg
I used to collect insurance along here in the 50’s, before the yuppies moved in and did them all up.
21 May 2013.
norabatty
I used to live at Number 7, until I left home in 1966.
14 November 2014.
Re B780
quiltsupporter
I used to live at number 7, my mother used to run the shop on there.
Anyone remember Lesley Wells. Margaret or George Wells or David Wells.
05 August 2018.
Re A453
teleg
My wife and children spent many happy hours walking, playing and gathering conkers in the wood, a lovely place, the wishing gate has long since gone but the steps remained as long as I can remember.
30 June 2013.
Re B226
teleg
I think the unidentified house is “Cragg Royd” the road in the foreground splits one road going up to Mansell and Hatcher’s Orchid House the other along Cragg Terrace.
6 June 2013.
Rich
I would suggest it shows Cragg Mount as viewed from Westholm facing ENE The road is the driveway to Westholm (see map url) though Cragg Mount is not named on the map. The Westholm driveway/house are on Woodlands Drive around the junction with Cragg Wood Drive. Westholm (and Cragg Mount) was built by Nathaniel Briggs for the Principal of the Baptist College, though demolished in 1935.
4 August 2020.
Tim B
The unidentifiable house is indeed Cragg Mount, the view is approaching the bottom of Cragg Wood Drive.
15 February 2021.
teleg
Photograph is start of the pathway down to the river.
4 November 2014.
teleg
The postmark on the card is for July 1930, which means I knew Willie Mallinson most of my life and although he was slightly older than me I wonder if he is still alive.
05 May 2014.
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Consolidated by: Elaine Ellwood. 25March 2021.
Last updated: 26 October 2022 – All images updated.
