Judging by the state of the gardens and the exuberance of the building, this was Cliffe Castle not long after its presentation to the Borough of Keighley in 1949 by Sir Bracewell Smith, who had started his career as a local pupil-teacher before making his mark in the hotel and property business and serving as Lord Mayor of London.

For a decade the grounds were open to the public, but the house did not emerge as an art gallery and museum until 1959.

The elaborate Cliffe Castle, seen here, begun in 1875 and taking eight years to build, was deemed "a good specimen of the Elizabethan castellated style of architecture". The solidity of its turrets and pinnacles is deceptive, for it was riddled with dry rot.

Keighley Councillors debated its fate at length and it was even threatened with demolition. Sir Bracewell contributed another £100,000 towards its reconstruction and maintenance, but by the time the house opened to the public it had of necessity been pruned of many of its original features.