In the BBC’s ‘Countryfile’ programme of Sunday 17th May Anita Rani returned to her home turf of Bradford to explore the countryside on the edge of the city. She discovered the rural gems right on her doorstep and the journey that has been made for centuries from the urban sprawl to the fresh air of the nearby moors.

Images from the collection of Bradford Local Studies Library were shown in the programme including pictures of the Bowling Iron Works in 1861. The Bowling Iron Works had been established c 1780 in the southeast of Bradford. The process involved mining coal and iron ore, smelting and refining, casting and forging. By 1840 Bradford was known for having some of the most smoke-filled air in Britain, however these images also demonstrate the proximity of the local moors and countryside surrounding Bradford.