Exploring the Unseen Heptonstall: A Walk Through History and Charm

Perched high above the Calder Valley, the ancient village of Heptonstall is a place of profound history and quiet beauty. While many visitors flock to its famous landmarks—the Ruined Church and its replacement—this collection of photographs, taken on a clear July day in 2020, offers a different perspective, focusing on the hidden corners and everyday charm of this historic settlement.

A Glimpse into Village Life

Heptonstall is not just a tourist destination; it is a living, breathing village of approximately 1,400 people. Its history is deeply rooted in the textile industry, particularly hand-loom weaving, a tradition that shaped the village’s unique architecture. The pictures capture this character beautifully, from the cobbled streets of Towngate to the sturdy stone houses that have stood for centuries.

One image shows a classic red telephone box, a vibrant splash of colour against the backdrop of a well-kept garden. This iconic symbol of British life, now a rare sight, feels perfectly at home in Heptonstall's timeless setting. Another shot frames a charming row of buildings on Towngate, including the village's post office, with its traditional signage and hanging baskets, a testament to the community spirit that keeps this place alive.

The Stories in the Stone

The houses themselves tell stories. One particularly grand building on Towngate, with its large windows and elegant stonework, stands out as a former high-status dwelling, perhaps a merchant's house from the village's prosperous past. Another photograph shows the former grammar school, now the Heptonstall Museum, its plain, solid facade a symbol of the importance of education in this community. The simple yet striking stonework of these buildings highlights the craftsmanship that went into their construction.

The village's narrow, winding streets feel like a journey back in time, a feeling enhanced by the lack of modern clutter. Heptonstall has featured in a number of TV shows, including the recent Shane Meadows drama The Gallows Pole, a story about the Cragg Vale Coiners. It is a fitting location for such a tale, as the leader of the coiners, "King" David Hartley, is buried in the village churchyard—a grim piece of history that adds another layer to the village's already-rich tapestry.

These photographs reveal the quieter side of Heptonstall, the side that locals and long-time visitors know well. They show a village that has adapted to modern life without losing its soul. Heptonstall remains a favorite spot for hikers and history buffs, a place where every cobbled street and every stone wall has a tale to tell. It is a village that lives up to its reputation as a stunning, historic gem in the heart of the Calder Valley.

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The phone box found towards the lower end of Hetonstall is now I am told used as a library by the local community.

Towngate is the main route through the centre of the village.

The village's post office.

34 Towngate.

41A Towngate. The passge to the right leads to the former grammar school and museum and runs past the churchyard.

The grammar school and museum buildings, the fence to the right surrounds the lower part of the churchyard.

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The Hidden Corners of Heptonstall

Perched high above the bustling market town of Hebden Bridge, the village of Heptonstall feels like a place suspended in time. With its cobbled streets, rugged stone cottages, and a history etched into every building, it's a favourite spot for those who love to wander. While many come for the famous ruined church, my recent journey there was about exploring the lesser-known, quieter corners that truly define its character.

Heptonstall, home to around 1,400 people, has a long tradition of hand-loom weaving, a past that’s visible in its sturdy architecture. The village has also found a new kind of fame, recently serving as a backdrop for the drama The Gallows Pole, a story about the notorious Cragg Vale Coiners. Their leader, "King" David Hartley, is buried in the churchyard—a reminder that this idyllic setting has its share of dramatic history.

The images I captured on a crisp November day show a different side of the village, focusing on its nooks and crannies. The black and white photos accentuate the timelessness of the stone and slate. You can see the old Cloth Hall, where weavers would have sold their wares, its solid walls hinting at the commerce that once drove this community. Walking through the village, you discover delightful details, like the a foreboding archway leading down to the village square and the narrow passages, or "snickets," that wind between the houses. One such snicket, framed by an ancient archway dated 1778, feels like a secret passageway into the past. You can almost hear the echoes of generations of villagers hurrying through, their footsteps muffled by the same stone walls that stand today.

Another highlight was the old water pump, an austere but beautiful piece of functional history built into a stone archway. It’s a powerful symbol of a time before modern plumbing, when life was harder and every resource was valued.

While this set of photographs deliberately omits the more famous landmarks—the Wesleyan Chapel and the twin churches—they offer something more intimate. They reveal the soul of Heptonstall: a village of resilient stone, winding paths, and a palpable sense of history that you can feel with every step.

I took these pictures with a Samsung Galaxy Tablet on the 16th November 2016, clicking any of them should open a link in another window to my Colin Green photography store on Zazzle.

The Museum Snicket runs from Towngate alongside The Cloth Hall towards the Museum and Churchyard, which is to the right behind the metal railings.

The Cloth Hall on Towngate was built around 1545 by the Waterhouse family who lived at Shibden Hall, Halifax. The building was originally single story and known as Blackwell Hall, it was used by local hand-loom weavers to sell their cloth. The 2nd story was added around 1766 by John Uttley, and remained in use for traders until the Piece Hall was opened at Halifax in 1779. It is now a private residence and was granted Grade 11 Listed Status in December 1984.

Towngate is the main road through the village and features at least 15 Listed Buildings along it's length. The stone sets on the road were rediscovered in the 1980's, a plan to replace them was thought off by local residents and they were restored, it is now seen as helping to calm traffic down through the village.

The village water pump was replaced by a public water supply in July 1933.

Bottom of Towngate.

I think I took these last 2 somewhere near the church and museum, the bottom picture I would have thought must be amongst the oldest properties in the village.

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Fielden Square: A Canvas of Todmorden's Past

Todmorden's Fielden Square is a place with a story etched into its very foundations. Today, it serves as a busy car park, but a century ago, it was a space designed for a grander purpose: to honour one of the town's most influential figures, John Fielden.

Fielden was a local businessman, a major benefactor, and a dedicated social reformer. The town chose this square as the perfect spot for his statue, a place where his legacy could be a constant reminder to the people he served. However, in 1939, the statue was moved to Centre Vale Park, leaving the square to evolve with the changing needs of the town.

This photograph, taken on a cold November day in 2013, captures the square's modern-day utility. The sky, which was originally flat and grey, has been replaced with a vibrant, dramatic cloudscape, a testament to the power of digital editing. This change breathes new life into the image, giving it a sense of dynamism that the original lacked.

The picture also features a few other key Todmorden landmarks. To the left, you can see the Golden Lion Pub, which was closed at the time due to severe flooding. Its reopening a year later was a symbol of the town's resilience. Looming over the entire scene is the stunning spire of Todmorden Unitarian Church, a building that the Fielden family themselves helped to construct. This connection reinforces the lasting impact the family had on the town's identity.

Fielden Square may no longer hold a statue of its namesake, but the ghosts of its past are still very much present, in the architecture, the history of its surrounding buildings, and the stories they tell.

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Church Bank: A Cobbled Journey Through Sowerby Bridge's Past

Nestled on the hillside of Sowerby Bridge, amidst the hustle and bustle of modern life, lies Church Bank – a beautifully cobbled road that whispers tales of a bygone era. Once a vital artery connecting the upper reaches of the town with the bustling Wharf Street below, Church Bank today offers a tranquil, almost hidden, pedestrian and cyclist's escape.

These evocative images, captured on a bright April day in 2022 with a Nikon D3300 SLR, invite us to explore this fascinating thoroughfare and uncover its rich history.

A Route Reimagined

Looking at the images, particularly, you can clearly see the charming cobblestones that define this route. Once, these very cobbles would have echoed with the clip-clop of hooves and the rumble of carts, serving as one of the primary arteries linking the hillside to the industrial heart of Sowerby Bridge at Wharf Street.

However, Church Bank's status as a main vehicular access route came to an end in the 1950s. This period saw significant changes to the local landscape, most notably the extension of Tuel Lane and the infilling of sections of the Rochdale Canal. Around this time, local authority housing was constructed on the Church Bank hillside, leading to the road's closure to through traffic.

Today, while cars can still access a portion of Church Bank from Wharf Street, the connection to Church View - Sunnybank Street is now exclusively for pedestrians and cyclists, as evident in the pictures, which shows the narrow, walled section leading to the upper street. This transformation has allowed Church Bank to retain its historic charm, offering a peaceful ascent or descent away from the main roads.

Orrell House: A Landmark on the Rise

As you make your way up Church Bank, approximately a quarter of the way, you encounter Orrell House, occupying a unique plot of land nestled between Church Bank and Grange Place. For many years, Orrell House served the community as a doctor's surgery, a place of healing and care. More recently, it has been transformed into a private residence, though its grand facade still speaks of its significant past.

Towards Christ Church: A Glimpse of Grandeur

The cobbled path continues, lined with mature trees, eventually opening up to reveal the magnificent tower of Christ Church. This view beautifully illustrates how Church Bank once directly led to the church, underscoring its historical importance as a direct link for parishioners and residents. The bare branches of the trees in this spring shot hint at the seasonal beauty that transforms this path throughout the year.

Church Bank, then, is more than just a cobbled path; it's a living piece of Sowerby Bridge's heritage. It's a reminder of how towns evolve, how old routes adapt, and how, even in the midst of change, pockets of historical charm can be preserved. Next time you're in Sowerby Bridge, take a moment to explore Church Bank – you'll be walking through history, one cobblestone at a time.

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Taken from the bottom of Church Bank, with Wharf Street behind me, Orrell House
is largely hidden from view to the right of the picture.

Taken from the top of Church Bank, Sunnybank Street behind me and Church
View to my right. Christ Church can be seen in the centre of the image.

About half way up or down, Church View can be seen to the left.

Looking down with Wharf Street Visible, Orrell House is
hidden behind the wall to my left.

Again about half way up or down depending on your perspective,
it's hard to believe this was once a busy route in to town.

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A New Year's Day Revelation: Unmasking the Heart of Sowerby Bridge

New Year's Day usually means hangovers and quiet contemplation. For me, it was an irresistible opportunity to experience Sowerby Bridge like never before. This market town in West Yorkshire’s dramatic Calder Valley is often a pulsating artery of traffic, but on this crisp morning, its streets lay unusually serene, inviting a deeper look at a place whose story runs as deep as its historic waterways.

Sowerby Bridge’s very name hints at its origins: a blend of "Sowerby" (a nearby hill settlement) and the crucial bridge that allowed travellers to cross the River Calder on their epic journeys between Yorkshire and Lancashire. It was this strategic crossing, and the raw power of the Calder and Ryburn rivers, that ignited the town’s industrial boom. Mills sprang up, churning out textiles and engineering marvels, transforming a simple ford into a thriving industrial powerhouse.

But the wheels of industry eventually slowed, leaving Sowerby Bridge to reinvent itself. And what a reinvention it has been! Today, it's a testament to resilience, a vibrant tourism destination with a particular charm for canal boaters. Picture this: the confluence of two rivers, the Calder & Ryburn, meeting the incredible junction of the Calder & Hebble Navigation and the Rochdale Canal. This isn't just a picturesque scene; it's a triumph of restoration. Imagine the silence of the 1960s to 1990s, when this vital section of canal was blocked. Then, the monumental effort: the re-opening of Tuel Lane Tunnel and the construction of the deepest inland canal lock in the UK. This engineering feat didn't just reconnect waterways; it reconnected history, allowing boats to travel this route from Yorkshire to Manchester for the first time in years. It’s a truly inspiring story of community and perseverance.

Beyond the canals, Sowerby Bridge’s railway past is equally captivating. For over seven decades, it was a pivotal railway junction, with the Rishworth Branch Line curving away towards the Ryburn Valley. Though intended as a shortcut to Littleborough, it only ever reached Rishworth. This junction status meant a much larger station, a bustling hub that sadly met a fiery end in 1978, leaving behind only memories of its former grandeur.

Knowing Sowerby Bridge's usual hustle and bustle, I couldn't resist the chance to see its core laid bare, free from the constant flow of vehicles. My walk took me from Pye Nest on the eastern fringes, right through the heart of the main street, and into the West End, allowing me to capture some of the lesser-seen gems away from the primary thoroughfare. These images, aren't just snapshots of a town; they're glimpses into its soul, revealing the quiet beauty and rich narrative that lies beneath the surface, waiting to be discovered.

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Garden area on Bolton Brow. This used to be covered by housing.

Wharf Street.

The former Sowerby Bridge Police Station, the building was featured in seasons 1 and 2 of Happy Valley.

Lock 2 on the Rochdale Canal from the top of Tuel lane Tunnel.

Tower Hill.

County Bridge towards the Town Hall building.

River Ryburn.

Donaldson's Vets at the end of Wakefield Road used to be a pub known as the Prospect Inn.

Locks 1 and 2 on the Rochdale Canal.

Main Road underneath Sowerby Bridge Viaduct.

River Calder from County Bridge.

The Jubilee Refreshment rooms are housed in the former ticket office for Sowerby Bridge Railway Station. The building is all that remains of the station building damaged by fire and demolished 1978-81.

Ryburn Buildings at West End.

Looking down Bolton Brow, Gratrix Lane to the right.

Train passing over Sowerby Bridge Viaduct, taken from County Bridge.

J.D. Wetherspoons Commercial Inn at the bottom of Tuel Lane. The canal originally exited a bridge near the traffic lights, this was infilled in the 1950's. Their was a tunnel built underneath this junction in 1996 to reopen the Rochdale Canal, which comes out behind the Commercial Inn.

Christ Church.

Wharf Street, the building with the to let sign was once a branch of the Halifax Bank.

Victoria Bridge and the River Ryburn.

The River Calder.

Sowerby Bridge Railway Station.

Warehouse 2 and the Salt Warehouse at Sowerby Bridge Canal Basin.

Carlton Mill.

River Calder.

Sowerby Bridge Viaduct.

River Calder.

It should be pointed out that the building often referred to as the town hall was never actually Sowerby Bridge Town Hall. It was built in the hope that Sowerby Bridge Council would purchase the hall from the developers but this never happened. The clock is owned by the people of Sowerby Bridge and the building until recently was a branch of Lloyds Bank.

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All the pictures remain the copyright of Colin Green.