The 15th heritage blue plaque in the Ilkley Civic Society award scheme was given out by Ilkley Parish Council chairman Alan Morrell Jul 3 2009.
It is located on the former pound for livestock called the Pinfold sited on Weston Road, off Leeds Road. The Pinfold was relocated here in 1869, from its previous location at the top of Brook Street near the junction with Green Lane (today The Grove). The old site was plot 285 on the 1840 Rate and 1847 Tithe Surveys and is next to 7 Brook Street (Oliva Bonas) on the site of what is today the left hand side of the Barclays Bank Entrance.
A spokesman for the Civic Society said: “The Pinfold is a three-sided stone structure which would originally have been gated. The town pinder rounded up stray livestock and kept them in the Pinfold until the owner claimed them and paid a fine.”
In 1977 work was done to improve the site and by the late 20th century it had developed into a small public area with a bench and some planting.
As the Pinfold had become somewhat neglected, Ilkley in Bloom in 2009 had a project to clear and restore it as part of their Britain in Bloom entry.
Local residents had started to cut down some of the growth before Ilkley in Bloom completed the clearance with the help of Bradford Parks and Landscape Department.
The area was then planted up by Ilkley in Bloom and will be maintained by them.
The spokesman said: “These initiatives all came together co-incidentally, but have resulted in an historic area being restored and recognised.”
The blue plaque is sponsored by the Ilkley Parish Council and Ilkley Civic Society.
If you have pictures or stories to share about the Pinfold, please contact Ilkley Local History Hub – localhistory@civicsociety.ilkley.org