The Rydings at John King Lane – now Halifax Road – in Brighouse was built in 1841 by corn miller John Brooke.
The name is probably related to Ryding.
The gardens were created by Charles Kershaw in the 1840s.
Owners and tenants have included
The building and the estate were bought for the town by public subscription to celebrate Queen Victoria's Jubilee in 1897. There was little support for the project, but the Brighouse Co-operative Society gave £1,000. The stable block was converted to become Brighouse Fire Station.
On Tuesday, 15th June 1898, The Rydings was opened as the Brighouse Free Library by the Marquis of Ripon, with a stock of 2,500 books and lending began on July 18th. J. Horsfall Turner gave his own collection to the library.
The gardens were transformed by Charles Kershaw into a public park – Rydings Park – at the same time.
A museum of geological and natural history exhibits – provided by Brighouse Naturalists' Society – was opened in 1899.
The new Smith Art Gallery extension was opened in 22nd May 1907 by Princess Louise. The Gallery was built and stocked at William Smith's own expense and given to the town.
There are some examples of work by Harry Percy Jackson.
Brighouse war memorial stands in the grounds.
Concerts were held at a bandstand which stood in the grounds. This was removed in 19??
Subsequent attempts to extend the gardens conflicted with the interests of the neighbouring school.
In July 2001, Calderdale Council made cost-cutting proposals which included selling The Rydings – a sum of £500,000 was mentioned – and moving the library and other facilities to a site nearer the centre of Brighouse. As a consequence, the Friends of the Rydings was set up to protect this part of the town's heritage. Mercifully, the building survived and the refurbished library and art gallery reopened in October 2008
This & associated entries use material contributed by David Nortcliffe
Page Ref: MMR98
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