The site was first utilised as a mill pond for Callis Mill. After the mill had switched to coal power the mill pond became redundant and was then converted into a sewage works. As technology advanced the sewage works was able to occupy less footprint and so that section of it was abandoned by the 1980s. The site then became a park up place for travellers which had become a common feature in the run down mill town of Hebden Bridge.
With the formalisation of the canal moorings in 2004 the site started being used as an informal community garden. Not long after the owners of the land, Yorkshire Water decided to create a flood aliveation installation on the site. This meant bulldozing the gardens to create a space where the river could burst it banks without flooding into the canal. There were protests but ultimately the works were completed.
Unhindered by the upheaval the boaters and wider community came together to create a new garden for everyone to enjoy.
20 years on and we have now formalised things in the form of this charity with an understanding from the land owner that we use that structure to care for the land.
Check out this link for more history of the site.
https://www.charlestownhistory.org.uk/pages/callis#gsc.tab=0
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