Dewsbury in Yorkshire recognised as ‘greenest town’ of the 1800s

Dewsbury town hall. The growing affluence of the town in the 19th century was reflected in its architecture. Photograph: Christopher Thomond/The Guardian

It’s a Yorkshire town perhaps best known for its big market or as the birthplace of Betty Boothroyd but a national heritage body is now adding a more surprising label to Dewsbury: the greenest town in 19th-century England.

Historic England has undertaken new research that reveals the importance of the town as an international centre for recycled cloth during the Industrial Revolution.