Addingham is a village nestled at the start of Upper Wharfedale in the Yorkshire Dales, one of the most beautiful areas in the country. Upstream are Bolton Abbey, a favourite of Turner, and Burnsall, probably the most painted village in the Dales. Downstream are the bright lights of Ilkley, and the famous moor dominates much of the view from Addingham.
There's plenty of creativity to be seen in the area, stretching from the Bronze Age "Cup and Ring Marks" of the Moor, some of Britain's oldest rock art, through to modern pieces like local artist Graeme Willson's Madonna of the Moors in Ilkley's St Margaret's Church.
In Addingham, we have work ranging from 3000 year old rock art to work by modern artists such as sculptor Fiona Bowley. Our church contains Saxon Crosses, rough-hewn folk-art faces, and work by Arts and Crafts furniture designer Robert "Mouseman" Thompson. The village, once home to the Sisters of Mercy's Craig Adams, has a thriving music scene, centred on The Swan pub. There's a very active drama group, and the village has had a panto since 1905 (oh yes it has!). On the food side, there the Beer Festival in October, and a wide variety of excellent food from the likes of The Fleece and The Swan. We also have a great community of local creators and performers; more details can be found in our directory.
Art in the local area includes regular concerts at Bolton Abbey Priory and King's Hall Ilkley, with plays at Ilkley Playhouse and films at the fabulous Ilkley Cinema. Ilkley has it's well-known Literature Festival, while upstream is the Grassington Festival. A short drive is Salt's Mill, famous for it's collection of Hockneys, but there's also a great art gallery at Cartwright Hall, and good exhibitions regularly at Ilkley Manor House and Cliffe Castle. A good starting point for finding out what's going on is the Yorkshire Times.
If you're interested in visiting the village, or want to know more about it, do visit the great Addingham Info which has lots of details of village life, businesses, and where to stay.