Judging by the Victorian exuberance of the building, still elaborate with towers, turrets and pinnacles, this was Cliffe Castle shortly after being presented to the town in 1949 by Sir Bracewell Smith, a former Keighley teacher turned London property entrepreneur.

This view, enlarged from a small snapshot, dates from the years when the public could visit the grounds but not enter the building, which did not open as a museum and art gallery until 1959.

By then, having been found to be riddled with dry rot, the house had of necessity been pruned of many of its original features.

It had even been threatened with demolition, and Sir Bracewell had again contributed generously towards its reconstruction and maintenance.

Keighley is doubly fortunate in its enjoyment of Cliffe Castle.