Ted Hughes’ Birthplace

Mytholmroyd is a village in the Calderdale district of West Yorkshire, 1.5 miles east of Hebden Bridge. It is probably best known as the birthplace of Ted Hughes, who was Poet Laureate from 1984 until his death in 1998.

1, Aspinall Street is not easy to find. A terrace house in an area full of terraced houses, it is only identified by a small blue plaque. Now owned by the Elmet Trust, it is available as a holiday let and is open for public tours at times- but not when we were in the area! Hughes lived here from his birth on 17th August 1930 for the first seven years of his life. During his childhood, he roamed the countryside around Mytholmroyd and these experiences and the influences of the landscape greatly shaped his poetry.

Mytholmroyd Station pays homage to this famous resident with The Iron Man storyboards. Created by local school children, they are based on Hughes' novel. He lived in Lumb Bank in Heptonstall when he wrote ‘The Iron Man’, which is now used for creative writing courses. 

Chris Mould has beautifully illustrated ‘The Iron man’, creating a very engaging version of the book which is perfect for capturing the imagination of young children and bringing this story to life for them.

The Iron Man

Ted Hughes, illustrated by Chris Mould

Faber ISBN: 978-0571348862

Ted Hughes’ Birthplace

1, Aspinall Street

Mytholmroyd