ILKLEY Manor House has announced its autumn/winter programme, bringing together contemporary art, live music, local history, talks, family activities, Halloween storytelling and its popular Christmas Makers’ Fair.
The season begins in September with CONDUiT – Wharfespeed, an immersive exhibition by artist Anji Timlin, whose large-scale paintings of the River Wharfe form the centre of a wider programme exploring rivers, landscape and community. Running from September 12 to October 18, the exhibition will be accompanied by an artist talk, live music, storytelling, poetry and prose readings, film and a related display featuring contributions from Ilkley Clean River Group and Yorkshire Water. CONDUiT is supported by Bradford Culture Company, LCF Law, Friendly Framing and Keighley Town Council
The season begins in September with CONDUiT – Wharfespeed, an immersive exhibition by artist Anji Timlin
(Image: submitted)
The visual arts programme continues in the Solar Artists group show, ‘A Path Well Travelled’ on from September 12 to November 15, exploring memory, movement, place and transformation through the work of local artists. From October 24 to November 15, Fran’s Life Group returns to the Manor House with life studies, landscapes, still-life, interpretive art and sculpture, with original works available to buy.
Music also features strongly throughout the season. Multi-award-winning Samuel Moore brings an evening of solo flamenco guitar to the Manor House on Friday, September 18, followed on Friday, October 9 by a unique collaboration between Bradford-based audiovisual duo Latterhand and Anji Timlin, combining piano, violin, River Wharfe field recordings and live painting. On Thursday, November 26, acclaimed singer-songwriter Sarah McQuaid brings her genre-spanning music to Ilkley Manor House.
The Manor House’s heritage programme includes Heritage Open Days on September 12 and 20, with guided tours exploring the period when the building was known as the Old Castle and divided into cottages. A special display will share photographs, artefacts and stories connected with the Robinson family, who lived in the former Cottage 7.
Old Castle
(Image: submitted)
A programme of talks walks and Coffee Mornings will explore local history and archaeology. Highlights include ‘Sir Peter Middleton – His Life and Times’ on September 25, ‘Ilkley’s Roman Fort’ with John Cockshott on October 10, ‘A Pagan View of Verbeia’ with Suzie Quartly on October 30, and ‘Soil to Study: Public Finds and the Portable Antiquities Scheme’ with Rachael Varley on November 27.
For Halloween, Ilkley Manor House will once again join forces with Ilkley Playhouse. On Saturday, October 31, families can enjoy free afternoon ‘Spooky Stories for Young Listeners’, before the historic house takes on a darker atmosphere in the evening for ‘Stories of Suspense and Disbelief’, an evening of ghostly, unusual and unexplained stories and poems.
Children and families can also join free Family Fun sessions throughout the season, from Victorian dressing-up and model-making in September to autumn owls in October and Christmas decorations in November. All sessions are free and no booking is required.
The festive season begins with the Christmas Makers’ Fair on November 21 and 22 (from 10am to 5pm), when the medieval Manor House will be filled with local makers, handcrafted gifts, ceramics, jewellery, cards and decorations, alongside mulled wine and festive refreshments.
Christmas at Ilkley Manor House in 2025
(Image: submitted)
The season concludes with ‘Ilkley in the 1950s’ heritage exhibition, running from November 28 to December 13. Featuring CH Wood aerial photographs, images of local events from the Ilkley Gazette and material from the Ilkley Local History Hub, the exhibition will offer a glimpse into the town seventy years ago and invite visitors to contribute their own memories and family stories.
Ilkley Manor House is open weekends, 11am–4pm, with free admission to the House and exhibitions. Individual events and performances may be ticketed. Full programme and booking information will be available through the Ilkley Manor House website.