Model villages began to emerge in the 18th century as self-contained communities, often housing workers for local factories. Due to the rapid urbanisation caused by the British Industrial Revolution, there was a reason for model villages to exist: to counter the massively overcrowded and dirty conditions of inner-city industrial England.
Titus Salt was one industrialist who had noticed the dire working conditions in the country, especially inside textile factories. After making his fortune in the textile industry in Bradford, Titus Salt sought new means of contribution and decided to change the working dynamics for many.
Salt purchased land outside of Bradford, which was seen as unusual at the time, as Bradford was a center for manufacturing. Instead, he chose to land in Shipley, which was more rural but avoided the dirty air in Bradford’s center and was adjacent to the Leeds Liverpool canal and next to the railway lines, which would allow for manufactured goods to be distributed worldwide. The river Aire also ran through Shipley, allowing for a plentiful water supply for the manufacturing process. Saltaire also takes its name from this river, with its founder’s surname used in a prefix to it, Salt-Aire.
Salts Mill
The first building to be constructed was Salts mill in 1853, as a place for textile manufacture. The mill as well as the subsequent model village was built in the Italianate style, designed by two local architects Lockwood and Mawson. It featured four stories with a large t-shaped basement and large windows allowing for plenty of natural light and good ventilation. It even included a rainwater collection system to help feed two beam engines and several boilers. The large machinery, engines, and boilers, as well as the driveshafts, were placed in the basement, helping to minimize the risk of industrial accidents, something that was not unusual at the time. There was an 80-meter-high chimney used to expel exhausted gases and fumes highlighted Titus’ desire for clean air in his town.
The structure consisted of sandstone externally, and an internal frame made of brick and cast iron, chosen to minimize the risk of fire. Local sandstone was used that was “hammer-dressed with ashlar and rock-faced dressings, with red brick lining”, (SaltaireVillageinfo), topped with a slate roof. The mill was constructed in several repeating bays, which not only helped with ease of construction but also allowed for classical symmetry, something that was key in architecture from the period.
After the decline of the textile industry, the mill was forced to close in 1986. It stood derelict for a number of years but was later redeveloped into an art gallery, with shops and a café being added later. In 2001, it became a grade 2 listed UNESCO world heritage site, in order to preserve a fantastic example of model villages and the significance of the textile industry.
Salts Mill stood as an architectural example of workmanship and engineering for a common purpose, but Salt did not stop there, instead building an entire community for his workforce.
Saltaire Village
Salt also wanted to create a community for his workforce to be looked after and have a good quality of life. His motives for this could either be down to his philanthropic paternalism, or due to his desire for economic success, and understanding that a healthy workforce would mean a more productive workforce. Whatever his motive, Saltaire still built a complete village containing 800 houses, 2 churches, a school, a park, a hospital, almshouses, and washhouses.
The village was planned out using a grid formation, something that was forward thinking at the time and most notably used in New York city. The grid layout combined with wide streets allowed for less cramped conditions and improved airflow, helping to slow the spread of diseases. It also led to better visibility, helping to reduce crime.
Terrace houses were built in rows, with each house including a front garden and space at the back. This was unusual for working-class houses in the period and allowed workers access to more space and natural light. Like the mill, the houses were made from Yorkshire sandstone and included running water and plumbing inside, which was not the norm.
The congregational church
The mill is the overwhelming building in Saltaire, but perhaps the most architecturally intricate one is the congregational church. The church was built in an Italianate, gothic revival style and features a nearly 70-meter-high spire, intricate stained-glass windows, and, like the rest of Saltaire, is made from locally sourced sandstone.
“The entrance is up six steps under a portico supported by six unfluted Corinthian columns and topped by a fretted tower with cupola” (Saltaireurc), with the interior featuring a high vaulted ceiling, allowing for a spacious and airy atmosphere.
The grandiose design of the church reflects the social ideals of the period, with Titus being deeply religious and believing strongly in moral improvement through a connection to God.
The preservation of Saltaire allows for an opportunity to examine one of the most interesting model villages in England. The architecture combines practicality with aesthetics and shows the impact and importance that good town planning can have, and that thoughtful architecture can greatly improve the quality of life of all that interact with it.
Bibliography:
Saltaireurc. “The Church – Saltaire UTC.” Saltaire UTC, 2024, www.saltaireurc.org.uk/the-church/. Accessed 11 Nov. 2024.
SaltaireVillageinfo. “Saltaire, World Heritage Site.” Saltairevillage.info, 2018, saltairevillage.info/Saltaire_WHS_Salts_Mill.html.
Images:
- SaltaireCollection. Painting of Salts Mill and Saltaire 1860s, www.saltairecollection.org/story-of-saltaire/foundation-of-saltaire/.
- Xinliang, Wei . Salts Mill. North Facade by Leeds to Liverpool Canal, saltairevillage.info/Saltaire_WHS_Salts_Mill.html.
- SaltaireCollection. Houses in William Henry Street, Saltaire, www.saltairecollection.org/story-of-saltaire/foundation-of-saltaire/.
- SaltaireVillage. Saltaire United Reformed Church, 23 July 2012, saltairevillage.info/Saltaire_WHS_Congregational_Church.html.
