Plaque plan to remember landmark tower's creator

Wainhouse Tower in Halifax was completed in September 1875

A 253ft (77m) high tower which has dominated part of a West Yorkshire town's skyline since the Victorian era could be awarded a blue heritage plaque to mark its 150th anniversary.

Intended as the chimney of a local dye works, Halifax's Wainhouse Tower was finished in September 1875, complete with viewing balcony, but it was never connected to the site and remains "one of Britain's finest" follies, according to Calderdale Council.

Permission has now been sought by the authority to install a plaque commemorating the tower's creator, John Edward Wainhouse.

In its application, the council said the plaque would "subtly pay tribute" to Wainhouse, without intruding on the building's historical nature.

If permission for the plaque was granted, it would commemorate Wainhouse as a "significant Calderdale resident in the late 19th Century", the council said.

Wainhouse is also known for other elaborate building projects in Halifax, such as several Grade II-listed buildings like Wainhouse Terrace and the Wainhouse Tavern, as well as the tower itself, which is on Skircoat Moor Road.

Wainhouse Tower is now open to the public on certain days and attracts nearly 4,000 visitors a year

The application for the blue plaque, to be considered by Calderdale Council planners, said Wainhouse was well-remembered for a feud with his neighbour, Sir Henry Edwards of Pye Nest, as well as for his local philanthropy.

Calderdale Council said Wainhouse Tower was regarded as the tallest folly in the world, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).

Since 2023, volunteers have opened the site to the public more regularly than it has been open at any other time in its history, currently opening twice a month from March to October and hosting almost 4,000 visitors a year.

The building has also been featured in regional and national publications, the council said, and it was illuminated to mark big events such as the 2025 CultureDale festival and for the VE Day anniversary on 8 May this year.

The application for the plaque stated that September 2025 was the 150th anniversary of the tower's completion and it was time Wainhouse's contributions to Calderdale were marked.

If the plans were approved, the plaque - provided by Halifax Civic Trust - would be put at the base of the tower's south-east wall, close to the door and frontage, the council said.

"The plaque will be fixed to the wall but will be removable," council papers stated.

"Any fittings will be drilled into the mortar rather than the stone of the building.

"The plaque may be taken down temporarily [during] photography or filming, so as to not add an anachronistic feature to the Grade II* building."

Calderdale Council added that Wainhouse Tower was a "fine example of Victorian engineering and Calderdale's industrial heritage".

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