Quirky Yorkshire hamlet in hidden valley boasting classic Yorkshire boozer and slow pace of life

Described by locals as both ‘unique’ and ‘quirky’, the secluded Pennine hamlet of Burnlee is also something of a treat if you love art and artists.

Every now and then, the lovingly restored home of Jill Hayfield and John Sandford becomes an exhibition space for local artists, so that visitors can step inside and admire the house, called Somerton, as well as the art, and the huge variety of house plants .

Designed by ‘Hobbit house’ architect Arthur Quarmby in 1965, Somerton was at risk of being demolished when it was bought by Jill and John six years ago who not only saved it but made it into a perfect place for artists to show off their work. They had known Arthur Quarmby as he was a neighbor when they ran Holme Castle hotel in Holme.

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Glass artist Louise Watson, who is showing her work at Somerton until May 26, thinks Burnlee itself is a special place. She hails from ‘down South’ and finds locals a bit chattier in the Holme and Colne Valleys.

“I love it up here – everyone is more friendly. I live in Marsden and work in Slawit and have known Jill and John from art events over the years.”

She enjoys the slower pace of life and thinks it encourages people to be more chatty and engaging with one another.

And she was impressed by Jill and John’s commitment to renovating the property which she recalls was in a bit of a state when they bought it.

“When I first visited, I was quite in awe of their ability to remain completely undeterred by the dustbin in the middle of the living room collecting water from a significantly degraded flat roof – frankly it looked like it was on the verge of collapse.”

Louise recalled Jill saying “we love a project”, and the hard work started from there.

“I was so impressed with their determination and drive to continue with the eco-renovation ‘future proofing’ aspect of the project, despite the various draw backs caused by the aftermath of Brexit and then the pandemic.

“I have an ongoing interest in and love of architecture which influences my work, so I continued to follow their story and we stayed in touch. I was absolutely delighted when Jill and John asked me if I’d like to exhibit my work at Somerton ArtSPACE. I knew instinctively… it would be the perfect space to showcase my work.”

John Sandford, who was brought up in Holmfirth, loves Burnlee for its country setting and the feeling that it is off the beaten track, even though Holmfirth is just on the doorstep. “It’s a really nice little secluded valley, with nice views.

“Not many people know about this valley. We have the Farmers Arms which is a really nice pub and has been restored. It is a great little community.”

The Farmers Arms, described by its owner as a ‘classic Yorkshire boozer’, has been fully refurbished and boasts flagged floors, log fires and Timothy Taylor ales.

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Jill Hayfield, a textile artist, describes Burnlee as a “little enclave in a hidden valley” which she says is surrounded by artists up and down the valley.

“We are sardinated between Greenfield Road and Woodhead Road. A lot of people don’t know we are here.”

Burnlee resident Una Lire described the hamlet simply as ‘ace’.

She said: “It is so cathartic and beautiful. The open spaces are so good for your mental health, it makes your problems go away. It is a beautiful place and people are so friendly. It is really quirky and has a uniqueness to it that a lot of modern places don’t have. The vibe here is so free.

“Also, there is the Farmers Arms which has great food, and has just been renovated. And we have Compo’s chippie (on Burnlee Road) which is very good. People come from all over Yorkshire to go there.”