Westgate Arcade, Halifax

 Westgate is one of the oldest streets in the centre of Halifax, originally built to provide access to the nearby Piece Hall on land owned by the vicarage of Halifax, it required an Act of Parliament to enable construction. The road provided access from Southgate to Market Street and then on towards the western gate of the Piece Hall. The area around Westgate was little used and under developed when a number of properties were acquired around the late 1990's and a plan was announced to develop the area in to a covered pedestrian zone including carrier street which connects the arcade with the nearby Borough Market. In 2006 this plan was completed and the mix of independent shops, leisure, bars that occupy the arcade have become a welcome addition to the Halifax scene.

These pictures were taken on the 27th May 2018 using a Nikon d3300 SLR camera. They can be seen below or on Clickasnap full size, resolution and un-watermarked by clicking any image, link opens in another window.

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Dean Clough Complex, Halifax May 2015

 Dean Clough once the world's largest carpet mill is a mixed use development in Halifax, West Yorkshire. The majority of the buildings that make up the complex are Victorian having been built between 1840 and 1869, having been constructed by the Crossley's family, owners of Crossley's carpets. The first mill is thought to have been constructed in 1802 and the complex took its name from the valley in which it was built. The company moved its headquarters from Halifax to Kidderminster in 1970 and declining sales and competition from cheaper imports led to the Dean Clough site closing in 1982.

In 1983 Sir Ernest Hall and Jonathan Silver bought the complex and established Dean Clough Galleries and Dean Clough Industrial Park. The partnership was not to last with Hall buying Silver's shares the following year and to date he has invested over £20million pounds in redeveloping the Dean Clough complex. The large sheds were demolished to create car parking spaces and over the years the complex has become a hub of over 150 companies calling Dean Clough Home. The site also includes a hotel, leisure facilities, restaurants and the Viaduct Theatre.

The pictures were taken in May 2015 using a Polaroid is2132 bridge camera. There are a total of 17 taken around Dean Clough which can be seen below, in a slideshow on YouTube and Tik Tok, and full size, resolution, and un-watermarked on Clickasnap where copies can also be purchased if required.

All the pictures can be seen in the YouTube slideshow below.

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The Piece Hall, Halifax, December 2013.

The Piece Hall in Halifax is the last remaining cloth hall in the United Kingdom, built as a place for trading pieces of cloth the hall has seen many changes during it's long history, including a recent multi million pound refurbishment to turn the hall in to a modern multi purpose leisure and shopping destination. And to think in 1972 people on the local authority wanted to demolish the building. Below are a number of pictures i took with my Samsung Galaxy Tablet on December 1 2013. This was prior to the Piece Hall's transformation.

The North Gate, this and the South Gate were the original entrances
to the Hall, the West Gate being added in 1785 and the east Gate during the
hall's recent refurbishment.

The former cobbled courtyard, with the spire of Square Church visible.
The hall has offered a number of concerts since re-opening, the stage in it's 
pre refurbishment history offered token entertainment.

The Piece Hall was opened on the 1st January 1779 as a place for people to trade cloth they had produced. As the cloth industry became larger and more industrialised the hall saw a decline in traders and was purchased by the Halifax Corporation in 1868 with conversion to a wholesale market following soon after. This is how the remained until 1971 when the wholesale market was dispersed and demolition of the hall was considered. Over the following years the hall underwent a refurbishment and was reopened as a tourist destination on the 3rd July 1976 including shops, museum and an art gallery. There was also an open air market added during this era before once again declining visitor numbers had the now Calderdale Council considering the best way forward for the building. A plan was put together with funding from various sources to refurbish the hall and it closed to the public on the 16th January 2014 to undergo a 3 year long refurb. The hall was reopened on the 1st August 2017 (Yorkshire Day) and provides restaurants, bars, shops and live entertainment including music concerts and has been the starting point for the Tour de Yorkshire.

Granted Grade I listed status on the 3rd November 1954, the reasons given for this were as follows

Historic interest
Rarity. It is the only remaining cloth hall in Yorkshire
Architectural interest
Architectural layout.

The hall is overlooked by Beacon Hill and the Square Church spire, which is all that remains of the church damaged by fire and partially demolished in the 1970's. The spire now forms part of the recently opened Halifax Central Library.

The hall also has a couple of supernatural stories linked with it, don't all old buildings. One of the units in the south west corner of the hall is said to be haunted by the ghost of a young girl known as Amy. The TV show Derek Acorah's Ghost Towns also broadcast from the hall in March 2006. In a segment of the show broadcast from the cellars at the hall, he claimed to have made contact with spirits known as Mary and another one known as Joseph. Another story from the hall is of the Hand Prints. Many local legends spring from these, at the westgate entrance to the hall are a pair of hand prints on the wall, sadly although still visible not as much as they once were. A couple of the more popular theories are that a local with was responsible for the prints, or the more well known story is that they were put there by a murderer as he was making his escape.

I took the above from my previous post about the hall dated October 19 2019, below are more pictured from December 2013.

The halls balcony areas featured a number of shops in 2013, today
there are still a number shops, eateries and bars surrounding the
courtyard. This was the western area of the hall.

Looking across the then cobbled courtyard towards the south
western corner.

The west gate entrance to the hall, this was added in 1785.

The south eastern corner of the hall, the South Gate seen in the
middle of the picture, this is often used as the halls main access
point, the bridge raises up to allow larger vehicle entry.

The balcony area that surrounds the courtyard, this was taken from the
south eastern corner looking west. 

Artwork in one of the halls corner stairwells.

The north western corner of the Piece Hall.

Looking north east across the cobbled courtyard. The north gate
was once considered the halls main entrance, this was changed
in 1785 when the west gate opened.

The halls north gate seen across the courtyard.

The Piece Hall's South Gate, the hall and area around the gate was
recently filmed as part of a Marvel's Secret Invasion production, doubling as an
Eastern European Country

One of the halls corner stairwells.

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The Ever-Evolving Heart of Halifax: The Piece Hall, A Photographic Journey

Some landmarks aren't just bricks and mortar; they're living chronicles, evolving with the pulse of a community. For me, The Piece Hall in Halifax is one such place. Being right on my doorstep has allowed me to witness its incredible transformations first hand, not just as a casual observer, but through the lens of a camera.

From Humble Beginnings to a Photographic Passion

My photographic journey with The Piece Hall began in December 2013. Back then, I was a nascent enthusiast, armed with just a Samsung Tablet. My aim was to capture the hall before it closed its doors in January 2014 for a monumental £19 million, three-year restoration project. Little did I know that this initial visit would spark a deeper interest in photography, prompting me to return in 2017 after its grand reopening. The difference was astonishing – from a tired, aging space to a vibrant hub of shopping, leisure, and community.

A Tapestry of History: The Piece Hall Through the Ages

Opened on January 1st, 1779, The Piece Hall was originally conceived as a bustling marketplace for local cloth traders. Imagine the clamour of merchants, the rustle of fabrics, and the vibrant exchange of goods that once filled its grand courtyard. However, as the textile industry modernized and industrialized, the hall's traditional role waned. In 1868, it was acquired by the Halifax Corporation and soon converted into a wholesale market, a function it maintained until 1971. At this point, with the wholesale market dispersed, the unthinkable was considered: demolition.

Thankfully, this fate was averted. After a period of refurbishment, the hall reopened on July 3rd, 1976, reborn as a tourist destination featuring shops, a museum, and an art gallery, along with an outdoor market. Yet, visitor numbers once again began to decline. This led the Calderdale Council to devise a comprehensive plan, securing funding from various sources for another extensive refurbishment. The hall closed its doors to the public on January 16th, 2014, for its much-anticipated three-year transformation.

The grand reopening on August 1st, 2017, coinciding with Yorkshire Day, marked a new era for The Piece Hall. Today, it’s a thriving space offering restaurants, bars, shops, and live entertainment, including music concerts. It even proudly served as the starting point for the renowned Tour de Yorkshire.

A Heritage Protected: Grade I Listed Status

The Piece Hall's significance extends far beyond its commercial history. On November 3rd, 1954, it was granted Grade I listed status, a testament to its exceptional historical, architectural, and cultural importance. The reasons cited were compelling:

• Historic interest: Its unique role in the cloth trade.
• Rarity: It stands as the only remaining cloth hall in Yorkshire.
• Architectural interest: Its distinctive and impressive design.
• Architectural layout: The remarkable and innovative structure of the building itself.

Overlooking the hall are Beacon Hill and the spire of the Square Church. Only the spire remains of the church, damaged by fire and partially demolished in the 1970s, now forming an integral part of the recently opened Halifax Central Library.

Whispers of the Past: Supernatural Tales and Enduring Mysteries

Like many old buildings, The Piece Hall isn't without its share of intriguing supernatural stories. One of the units in the southwest corner is said to be haunted by the ghost of a young girl known as Amy. The popular TV show Derek Acorah's Ghost Towns even broadcast from the hall in March 2006, with Acorah claiming to have made contact with spirits named Mary and Joseph in the cellars.

Another enduring mystery surrounds the Hand Prints at the Westgate entrance. Though sadly less visible than they once were, these prints have spawned numerous local legends. Some believe they were left by a local witch, while a more widely known story suggests they were imprinted by a murderer making his desperate escape. These tales add another layer of intrigue to an already fascinating historical landmark.

My most recent photographic outing to The Piece Hall was on October 12th, 2019, using a Nikon D3300. These images, along with others taken on various occasions with different cameras, aim to capture the enduring spirit and evolving beauty of this remarkable building. 

Clicking any of the images below should open a link in another window to my Colin Green Photography store on Zazzle.

The pictures below were taken with a Samsung Galaxy Tablet on the 1st December 2013. This was before the halls refurbishment.

The following pictures were taken on the 20th October 2018 with a Nikon d3300.

The following pictures were taken with a Nikon d3300 on the 3rd October 2017.

This final set of pictures was taken with a Nikon d3300 on the 22nd September 2019.

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