Denholme

Coordinates: 53°48′07″N 1°53′38″W / 53.802°N 1.894°W / 53.802; -1.894

Denholme is a small town and civil parish in the Bradford Metropolitan Borough, West Yorkshire, England. It is 8 miles (13 km) west of Bradford, 7 miles (11 km) from Keighley and roughly the same distance from Halifax. Administratively, it is part of the Bingley Rural ward of the City of Bradford. Denholme has a population of 2,976.

History

The name Denholme is probably of Viking origin, translating to "A flat amongst the hillside". This is a good description of the village's geographical setting, since it is located in a broad side valley extending southwards from that of the River Aire - the Aire Valley or Airedale. However, an alternative suggestion of the word "Holme", in old Viking Danelaw, would be that of reclaimed marshland (or an "island" in a wet area) and Den or Denu, in Old English, means Valley. This would also make sense given the areas many springs, marshy terrain and being situated in a valley. Denholme is also on the eastern flank of the Pennines, commonly known as the "backbone of England", about midway along their length.