Idle Swing Bridge

Idle is a residential suburban area in the city of Bradford, West Yorkshire, in the north-east of the city. Historically it was a separate village, and before that it was the Manor of Idle. Idle is about 5 miles (8 km) north of the centre of Bradford and 2.5 miles (4 km) east of Shipley. It is loosely bordered by the areas of Eccleshill, Wrose, Thackley, Apperley Bridge, and Greengates, and also bordered to the north by the River Aire along with the Leeds-Liverpool canal. At the 2021 census, the area of Idle & Thackley had a total population of 17,290 people. The etymology of Idle can be traced back to the Old English word for "Idel", meaning "Empty Space". A myth perpetuates that the etymology of Idle belongs to that of "Idlawe" or "Ide's Hill", referring to an Anglo-Saxon settler called "Ide", however, this is not widely accepted due to a lack of historical evidence. Industry in Idle, according to the 2021 census, consists of retail and wholesale (14.5%), human health and social work activities (14.5%) and education (11.6%) for people living in Idle. Historically, the village achieved some economic success and experienced high population growth during the 19th century due to advances in industrialisation which influenced the widespread textile industry of 19th century Bradford which was also prevalent within the village, evidenced by remnant mills contained within the village to the modern day. The village also had a successful quarrying industry along Idle Moor, a geographical moorland where the modern Idle area is located.