Cliffe Castle - Keighley West Yorkshire

The first house on the site was called Cliffe Hall and was built from 1828 - 1833. In 1848 the property was bought by the Butterfield family who had made their money in the textile industry, owning three mills in Keighley. Henry Isaac Butterfield (1819 - 1910) inherited the house in 1874, and began to transform the house renaming it Cliffe Castle in 1878.

Henry Butterfield's son Frederick (1858 - 1943 was Mayor of Keighley 1916 - 1918) inherited Cliffe Castle in 1910. He took a less extravagant approach to the building than his father and by the 1940's the building was falling into decay. In 1950 Sir Bracewell Smith bought the property and presented it to Keighley as a new public museum. You can take a 360 degree view of the castle and grounds here...

The museum houses displays of local fossils and geology; crystals and minerals; natural history; local bygones, stained glass, pottery; furnished Victorian rooms and temporary exhibitions.

There are many cases of stuffed animals in the museum some of which are a legacy from the Victorian era when protection of wildlife was not an issue. Today, the museum's approach to taxidermy is not to deliberately kill wildlife, any animals used are ones accidentally killed such as on roads.

The museum has archaeological displays that look at the resources in our local area such as coal, sandstone and peat. There are displays of local crafts and the objects that were made such as chimney pots and cast iron work. Timmy Feathers loom is in the exhibition, more about Timmy Feather and weaving here...

You can find out about minerals and how they grow and about their chemical elements. Some of the exhibits came from the collection of local businessman George Hinchcliffe.

In the upper gallery there is a room with stained glass. They came from the Temple Street Methodist Chapel in Keighley which was dedicated in 1921. They were made by Morris and Company of London.

The museum has a small shop, outside in the grounds there is a café, aviaries, greenhouse and children's play area.

Your Reviews:

Visited Cliffe Castle today with my 3 kids(10, 6 and 3). All found it really interesting, which is unusual with the age differences, and had a very good time. The staff were helpful and very friendly. Will definately be returning again and would recommend it to any poor stressed parents as a place to visit in those, at times, long holiday periods
09/08/2010

I want to know a bit more about cliff castle. I mean the whole of it and not just the museum. I was taught at school that it was a real cast;e during the viking times. Is it true? Can someone please reply.

Chingu Babunorus
07/08/2010

I visit cliffe castle almost every week with my hadicapped daughter who loves the cafe. the only complaint is that the cafe is not advertised as well ss it should be. this means that lots of visitors miss out,great place to visit.
16/07/2010

Cliffe Castle is a great place to visit. I lived in Keighley for the first 24 years of my life and I've spent a lot of time there. It's a truly wonderful place. The only problem is actually getting there. You must use transport, preferably a car. Whatever you do - don't walk. It's a sad state of affairs but I myself, and many of my friends have been mugged and/or attacked en route to Cliffe Castle.
04/07/2010

i loved it i brought a rose quartz and the crystal i want to go there again love it so much <3
13/06/2010

I am a decendant of the butterfield family, and yet just now I found out about the castle.
27/04/2010

I only live 10 minutes away from cliff castle. I used to always go as a child and I loved it. The park is beautiful and the museum is fab!
Today its a beautiful day, so I'll be taking my 2 nephews and niece for the 1st time.
I think I'm more excited than rhe children!

Samina (",)
24/04/2010

i went with my school we all loved it!

19/03/2010

i married into the butterfield family who are related to the butterfields at cliffe castle but alas no fortune i am told my son has some resemblance to henry isaac
29/01/2010

I spent lots of time at Cliffe castle as a child, and since visiting the musuem and cafe and looking at the floral displays, as a child I remember one particular path through one of the flower beds had stepping stones, the tunnel by the side of the cafe could be quite scary on a miserable damp day, and in the winter sleding down the big hill near where the toilets are and trying to avoid the flowerbed at the bottom of the hill otheriwse you ended up kneeing in the flowerbeds.
05/08/2009

i really enjoyed cliff castle, the museum was really good the rock collection and light show thing made it for me, not forgetting the stuffed animals! i have to mention the cafe, the service was great along with the staff.
12/05/2009

i really enjoy walking there, it is a great place to take your children.
09/05/2009

Cliff castle is a amazing place to be. check out all the wonderful things. This is good for kids when they learning about history etc. so go and check the wonderful Cliff castle OUT!!!!!!!!!!! its only in keely not that far best place to live so hurry up get moving lol!
08/01/2009

A good place to learn, my husband found it invaluable when he was studying geology at Bradford University. My two sons spent many happy hours there as children, and now my grandchildren and great grandchildren are finding it a fascinating place to visit. They take part in the many art and creative projects and just generally looking around. Keep up the good work, in these times of financial restraint it is good to have something which is free for all.
09/12/2008

I have visited Cliffe Castle as part of my family history research into the Butterfield family,as I have relatives who all came originally from the Haworth/Keighley area but later moved over to enemy territory in Lancashire! (not all that far away into the Burnley/Accrington areas) I am not sure whether we are related to this particular line of the Butterfields, but if we are, we are still waiting to inherit a vast fortune!
Well I can still dream, and walk round the lovely Cliffe Castle. Steve Butterfield.
8/12/2008
Cliffe Castle Steve Butterfield.
08/12/2008

I have just come back from Cliffe Castle and its AMAZING! There are some HUGE chandeliers. I cannot belive it was actually a house. My favourite part of the trip was the Crystals & Minerals because they were so sparkly.I also liked the stuffed animals.They had stuffed hares,bats,a badger,ferrets,a swan and her cygnets,ducks,fish,lots of different birds and loads more.

I would give this museum 10/10 because it has lots and lots of things to look at and you learn alot about Henry Isaac Butterfield who owned the house.
I would recommend this to people who like history!!!
19/10/2008

cliffe castle is amazing i went on a school trip there we all had a great time, well i did any way
12/07/2008

i been told that there are secret passages in cliff castle ,is this true/
15/06/2008

it is a cool museum it is the best museum i have ever been to. i liked the stuffanimal exhibition because i am learning about it. i have been about 10 times and it has been raly cool.
05/06/2008

it is a nice place to have a walk
21/05/2008

Visit regularly with grown up family when they are home. Love the displays and exhibits. Fabulous history. Very approachable staff.
Jane from Cowling
13/04/2008

hi went today with my friend and our children and we all loved it theres so much to do even out side if the weather is nice hav a picknik the gardens are massive theres soo much to do
12/02/2008

Spent many happy hours here as a kid,and took my own kids on wet Sundays. They loved it and learned a lot as well! Thank you v.v.much!!!
06/01/2008

A great place that includes education, fun and relaxtion all in a great setting. get in there cliffe castle
05/11/2007

I brought my Grandsons every Saturday from the age of 2 till 10,they learned so much and could even tell the Staff what was missing when displays were rearranged.My Mother who lives in Spain heard all about Cliffe Castle from them and has just been over for a visit to see it for herself,she was truly thrilled,it is a great credit to the town. Bruce of Oakworth
04/10/2007

When i was a kid growing up in kly i was at the castle every weekend with mi mate jimmy, we climbed 90% of the trees in that garden and chucked cheggies at all the kids walking past, we had a great time there, the trees are one's near the tower entrance to the right at the top of the steps as u walk into the main block.
When i was last back in KLY i looked at the trees and the fear of looking up let alone looking down was to much, hey i climbed them and am still here not i am far too big to even get the 1st step.
I live over sea's now and come home every 10 years or so and when i walk into the grounds the smell is still the same.
Thats my memory of CLIFF CASTLE.
Rob Balmer.
20/07/2007

used to play in the grounds when i was a child now i live in Cornwall but hoilday in Yorkshire every year and have to come here to look round it's such a great place a great day out we even have started to bring our 3 year old granddaughter with us
02/07/2007

We love Cliffe Castle... it ROCKS! We are doing a topic on the History of Keighley at South Craven School and we are finding it interesting for what we've learnt so far about Cliffe Castle =]
05/06/2007

I have lost count how many times i have been there, but i still always find something that i have not seen before. I think one of the best parts of the museum is the crystal and rock collection!!!
07/05/2007

This is such an important place for me. Mrs heap took me there from Lees CP School in the sixties. I had lunch in Cliffe Castle Park when I was in my teens from holy Family. I played in Haworth Brass Band when they did concerts there in the seventies. I took my children there in the 0000s. Just go and enjoy!

LK
06/04/2007

Cliffe castle is a great place to visit in the summer and winter.
it is great how they have bees in a box making honey.
the staff at cliffe castle are great.
the atmospher is wonderful!
21/02/2007

As a child i spent many happy summer days picnicing in the grounds, enjoying the castles attractions, addoring the birds and many winter days sledging down the hills in the grounds. Cliffe castle is a wonderful day out at any time of the year, and a place i hold dear. I cant wait to return!!!
16/02/2007

I live up the road from Cliffe Castle so im a regualar visitor and everytime i find it a wonderful place to be.
17/11/2006

A really great place for a day out. My 3 year old daughter and I find it so friendly and it's the perfect place for a rainy day, you can spend hours looking round the different exhibits. Deserves its reputation as one of the area's top museums.
11/09/2006

i love it
09/05/2006

i think it is a well kept castle, the grounds are superb, a beutiful area of green land. with lots of gorgeus plants. overall i think it is a fantastic place for a family outin or a day out

15/04/2006

i am a butterfield im trying to find my family tree my grandad was allso called henry butterfiel,so he could be related to me, ive visited cliffe castle many times i love it
08/04/2006

Great geological collection. A very interesting museum indeed.
27/12/2005

my eldest daughter is now 12 years old, we have visited frequently since she was a babe in arms. each time we visit we see something which we havent spotted before. the staff are friendly and informative and we love our picnic in the grounds too!!! with 3 children now, each one becomes excited when i tell them we're off to cliffe castle!! super!
14/09/2005

I spent many weekends when i was a little, running around the park, whatching the peecocks and looking round the museum. I was amazed at the furnished victorian rooms, and scared of the giant crock.

All in all it is a fantastic day out for a family. I am no longer living in keighley but i will be returning with my children (when i have some) to show them what i loved so much.
04/05/2005

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Visiting Cliffe Castle - Keighley West Yorkshire