Sowerby Bridge
West Yorkshire
The town lies in the Calder Valley about 4 miles south-west of
Sowerby Bridge is a place where watercourses and transport routes come together.
The River Ryburn flows into the River Calder at Sowerby Bridge and the Calder and Hebble Navigation joins into the Rochdale Canal, the latter reopened to through navigation in 2002.
Just along the line to the east of Sowerby Bridge station the railway does much the same with a line continuing along the Calder valley through
Like many West Yorkshire towns, Sowerby Bridge saw massive growth around the end of the 19th century, when the area had textile mills and engineering works to provide mill machinery. There was a major increase in the residential area of the town which has continued since that time.
Sowerby Bridge does, however, have one of the Calderdale district's newest swimming pools and fitness centres at Station Road, while community group Sowerby Bridge Fire and Water has ambitious plans to use the town's old swimming pool, adjoining council offices and fire station at Hollins Mill Lane as a new community resource centre.
Town features
The town is on the River Calder
Sowerby Bridge is on the Calder and Hebble Navigation. Sowerby Bridge is on the Rochdale Canal. 
Sowerby Bridge has a choice of pubs.
The town has a range of shops and supermarkets.
Sowerby Bridge holds a traditional outdoor market - Tuesday and Friday general market, Thursday and Saturday second-hand.
The town has pharmacies.
The town has a Post Office.
Sowerby Bridge has takeaway food outlets.
Sowerby Bridge has a selection of places to eat.
The town has a leisure centre with swimming pool.
Sowerby Bridge has a community centre. 
The town has a library. 
Sowerby Bridge has schools.
Places of worship: Anglican, Catholic, Methodist, other.
Travel
Sowerby Bridge station
Managed by: NorthernOperator/s: Northern -
Northern - Sowerby Bridge Station and departure information at Northern website. Bus travel
The town has buses to neighbouring towns and villages. 
Road travel
Sowerby Bridge can be reached via the A646 A58 A6142 A6026 Places to Visit
Shibden Hall
The hall, dating from 1420, is located alongside Shibden Park, which was formed from its estate. Exploring the house reveals a variety of architecture from the various periods of its history and an insight into the people who lived there over the years. One of those was Anne Lister, whose diaries in the early 18th century were the inspiration of the recent BBC period drama series "Gentleman Jack", written by Sally Wainwright. Much of the series was filmed in the real-life location at Shibden Hall. The house also has a 17th century barn housing a carriage collection. Shibden Hall is managed by Calderdale Council museums.
For more information see the
Calderdale Museums - Shibden HallLocate on map:
Shibden Hall
Hardcastle Crags
off Midgehole Road, Hebden Bridge
Hardcastle Crags is a delightful wooded valley about 2 miles north of Hebden Bridge with beautiful streams and more than 15 miles of footpaths. A visitor centre, cafe and shop is based in Gibson Mill, a former textile mill built around 1800, in the heart of the valley. The centre gets its power entirely from water turbines, solar panels and a biomass boiler, has a filtered spring water supply and recycles all waste. Hardcastle Crags is managed by the National Trust.Find out more at the
National Trust - Hardcastle Crags
Eureka! The National Children's Museum
Discovery Road, This modern museum near to Halifax railway station is full of interactive exhibits in themed galleries aimed at inspiring younger children to learn.
More information at
Eureka!
Wainhouse Tower
Wakefield Gate, off Skircoat Moor Road, King Cross
This facscinatingly ornate 77 metre (253 foot) tower overlooks the Calder Valley in the King Cross area of Halifax, 1.5 miles south-west of the centre. Although many legendary tales have developed about its construction, it was started as an elaborate mill chimney but finished as a folly. On bank holidays it is open to vistors, who can pay a small fee to climb its internal spiral staircase.Locate on map:
Wainhouse Tower
Emergency services
West Yorkshire Police West Yorkshire PoliceWest Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service
West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue ServiceYorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust
Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust
Local government
Metropolitan district council
Calderdale CouncilCalderdale Council is centred in
Part of the district includes seven civil parish councils, four of which are small single ward councils.
Calderdale has 51 elected councillors, 3 per ward across 17 wards. Each councillor serves a 4-year term with one councillor per ward elected each year in 3 out of 4 years. An election of one-third of the council due to be held in 2020 has been postponed to 2021.
Link to Calderdale Council website.
Calderdale CouncilThe political composition after the May 2019 election was:
County strategic authority
West Yorkshire Combined Authority
Covers some combined services of the five metropolitan district councils of
Bradford
Calderdale
Leeds
Kirklees
Wakefield
York West Yorkshire Combined AuthorityPolice and Crime Commissioner
The Police and Crime Commissioner for West Yorkshire
Police and Crime Commissioner West YorkshireFire Authority
West Yorkshire Fire Authority
The fire authority is made up of elected members of each of the five metropolitan district councils of West Yorkshire - Bradford, Calderdale, Leeds, Kirklees and Wakefield.
West Yorkshire Fire AuthorityCeremonial county
West Yorkshire
Historic
-1974 Within the West Riding of Yorkshire