Mark Hunnebell – författare

There is evidence of human settlement at Ilkley in prehistoric and Roman times but the town grew rapidly in the nineteenth century when it became well known as a fashionable spa town, accessible to visitors by the new railway system.The town’s Victorian legacy is still in evidence in many of its buildings, enhanced by its wide streets and floral displays. The town lies in Wharfedale in Yorkshire, adjacent to the moor, subject of the song: ‘On Ilkla Moor bah’t ‘at’. The scenic landscape and roads around Ilkley and the steep climb to the Cow and Calf Rocks have become well known internationally through the staging of the Tour de France passing through Ilkley and the Tour de Yorkshire cycle race. The town is also home to the oldest Literature Festival in the north of England.This fascinating A to Z tour focuses largely, but not exclusively, on Ilkley’s history during the twentieth century; its interesting people, places and events. It is fully illustrated and will appeal to all those with an interest in this Yorkshire spa town.

The Yorkshire spa town of Ilkley is a popular tourist destination famous for its moor and literature festival. It is less well known that Ilkley is a town with a rich military history. By 1914, army camps were a familiar sight along the River Wharfe. With the arrival of Belgian refugees, wounded soldiers and regiments from Leeds, many of the hotels and halls were adapted for new purposes. The war affected everybody through absence or loss of loved ones and changing political and social circumstances.While those at home reacted to the challenges of this momentous time, Wharfedale men served in all of the major battles on the Western Front. Among these men were the Ilkley Territorials, a Howitzer Battery who served together throughout the war and kept detailed diaries of their experiences. In this book, authors Caroline Brown and Mark Hunnebell document the impact the First World War had on Ilkey and its residents using old photographs, newspaper articles and heartfelt diary entries.