Otley Courthouse

The Courthouse welcomes Otley Museum's collection of photographs, documents and artefacts showing changes in Otley from pack-horse routes and cart tracks to Turnpikes and Toll houses. Victorians developed train lines, the structure of which remains today, along with the “modern” internal combustion engine. Horse power became steam power, and electricity brought changes to agriculture and industry. Freedom of travel was due to the coming of the humble bicycle, charabancs, the omnibus, buses, trams and trains. Museum exhibition in the courtroom from 1100 to 1500.

Local travel to the hinterland of this agricultural town with its regular cattle markets and hiring fairs was regularly interrupted by the flooding of the River Wharfe. View the collection of stories and pictures, collected by Courthouse volunteers, which had such a big impact on the life of the town. Courthouse exhibition 1000 to 1600.

Guided tours of the Victorian Courthouse, cells and Police Station available hourly from 10am to 3pm.

Back by popular demand is the ‘Beat Walk’, created by volunteers in 2018. Find out what it was like to walk a day and a night town beat in Otley between the years 1956 and 1968. Using memories from the Courthouse oral history project, walk around some of the beat and discover how local police worked before and after the introduction of radios. Walk lasts one hour and distance is 1 ½ miles. Maximum 15 people.

Otley Players will perform a specially written play twice in the afternoon.

Timings & Tours

Saturday 07 September:

Tours and Courthouse Exhibition 10.00 to 16.00. Museum exhibition 11.00 to 15.00. Beat Walk 13.00

Location & directions

Courthouse Street, Otley, West Yorkshire, LS21 3AN

Directions:

In town centre next to Courthouse Street Car Park. Additional Parking on North Parade car park. Two minutes from Bus Station. X84 or 33 bus from Leeds Centre. X52 bus from Harrogate. X84 from Ilkley.

Contact on day:

Laura Barker-Bey

Telephone number:

+441943467466

Booking information

Pre-booking requirement:

Pre-booking required

Booking conditions:

Guided tours of building hourly 10.00 to 15.00. Maximum number 6. Beat Walk 13.00. Maximum number 15 Storytelling activity 11am

Booking contact name:

Laura Barker -Bey

Booking telephone number:

+441943467466

Booking email:

[email protected]

Booking website:

https://otleycourthouse.org.uk

Booking opens:

01 Jul 2024 10:00 AM

Booking closes:

06 Sep 2024 02:30 PM

Additional information

Max no of people per tour:

6

Est. tour duration:

1 hour(s) 0 minute(s)

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