Ted Hughes Birthplace

The Elmet Trust invite you to come and explore the home of a key figure in the Calder Valley's literary heritage, Ted Hughes. Ted's House is where Ted Hughes was born in 1930 and lived until he was eight. The house has been lovingly restored in 1930's style to capture the ambience of the era when Hughes lived there. The surrounding countryside is rich in wildlife, and many of Hughes's memories and experiences in the environs of Aspinall Street and the wider Calder Valley are captured in his collections of poems, Remains of Elmet (1979) and Elmet (1994). In 'The Rock', an autobiographical piece about his early childhood, Hughes writes about Scout Rock, whose cliff face provided 'both the curtain and back-drop to existence'. The area continued to be a powerful source of inspiration in his poetry long after he left Yorkshire. We are also delighted to join forces with the exceptional local artist Anne Cahill, who will be exhibiting her own work inspired by both Hughes's poetry and his collaborations with artists such as Leonard Baskin and Reg Lloyd. Her artwork will be on display throughout the house. Please do come along on Sunday 20th September to experience a rare opportunity to learn about how spaces and memories in the house connect with several Hughes poems set there.

Timings

Sunday 20 September:

1000-1500

Location & directions

1 Aspinall Street, Mytholmroyd, Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, HX7 5NL

Directions:

Public Transport: Maximum 5 minute walk from the main bus stop on the A646 in the centre of Mytholmroyd, on the 590, 591, 592, 597, 900 and 901 bus routes. Mytholmroyd train station is also approximately 5 minutes from the house. Trains run regularly from York, Leeds and Manchester. Parking: There is very limited parking on and around Aspinall Street, so please use public transport and arrive on foot if possible.

Contact on day:

Dr Ruth Crossley

Telephone number:

+447789811528

Booking information

Pre-booking requirement:

Pre-booking not required

Accessibility details

The ground floor is wheelchair accessible. The second and third floors are only accessible on foot. The stairs up to the attic room are very steep and narrow. There is very limited parking on and around Aspinall Street, so please use public transport and arrive on foot if possible. Dogs are welcome, but must be kept on a lead and under control at all times.

Additional information

The house is very small with narrow staircases. Experts will be stationed on each floor to provide context/information about the poems relating to the different rooms.

Max number of people:

20

Estimated duration:

0 hour(s) 30 minute(s)

Check out our online channels

Back to results