Ilkley Civic Society held its first meeting in June 1966, and to commemorate its 60th anniversary the Society undertook a project to improve part of the Canker Well garden on The Grove, Ilkley.
The present well was installed in 1923, replacing a much earlier one. It was Ilkley’s only mineral water well, and its iron-rich water was once believed to cure canker, an infection of the mouth and lips. This belief gave the park its name. Unfortunately, the well has been dry since the 1980s, when apartments were built at the bottom of Parish Ghyll Road.
This small park contains the original bath from the Shrine at Ben Rhydding Hydro. The bath was the repository for the water from the Hydro fountain and people would drink from it. After the Hydro was demolished in 1955/6, Ilkley Urban District Council moved the bath to the park in 1960. Ilkley Civic Society has replanted and tidied the area and revealed the inscription on the bath once more.
A heritage information board was produced as part of the project. It was unveiled by Ilkley Town Mayor, Councillor Damien Kearns on 18 June 2026.
Alex Cockshott, Chair of Ilkley Civic Society, spoke about the Society’s history and thanked everyone involved.
As well as the Civic Society, the project sponsors are City of Bradford MDC, Ilkley in Bloom, Ilkley Town Council and The Old Bridge Nurseries.
After the unveiling, guests gathered at Outside the Box for refreshments and anniversary cake.
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