England, United Kingdom, West Yorkshire, Yorkshire

Hebden Bridge The Five Minute Spare Guide

Hebden Bridge The Five Minute Spare Guide
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Hebden Bridge – The Jewel of the Calder Valley. How’s that for an elevator pitch!  Anyway if you fancy a stroll (well a climb around some of Yorkshires finest fells), but want to avoid the touristy trap that is the Yorkshire Dales? Then why not base yourself in the historic market town of Hebden Bridge which is still one of Yorkshires best kept secrets, despite it being voted one of the worlds best places to live (more on that later).

Why haven’t I heard more about it we hear you ask? Well, we are at a loss given it is such a lovely place, full of friendly locals and surrounded by some of the best scenery in the world, however, we assume its because the Calder Valley falls outside of the world-renowned Yorkshire Dales National Park.

Hebden Bridge

Image: peter jeffreys/Shutterstock.com

Whatever, your mission (if you choose to accept) is to join us for the next five minutes (or so) while we give you the rundown on this terrific place, but don’t blame us when you go scurrying off to our Hebden Bridge directory to try and book your next staycation here! Ok preamble aside let’s start off with a little bit of Hebden history, well we all love a bit of history, don’t we?

Brief History

Although this area of the Calder Valley has probably been occupied since the early Saxon era, Hebden Bridge its self was not mentioned in the Doomsday Book in 1086. However, the nearby villages of Heptonstall and Wadsworth (which are now part of the Hebden Bridge postal district) are, so it is probable that a farming community of sorts was in the area, given its proximity to freshwater.

Hebden Bridge Plaque

Image: Leeds Fotografica/shutterstock.com

It probably remained a largely rural community for most of the Medieval Period, and in fact, most likely right up until the industrial revolution took off in the 1800s. Some more commercial activity is possible though given that the ford & old wooden bridge over the river would have been a major crossing point for travellers between the growing towns of Halifax & Burnley. This was replaced with a stone one in 1510 and around that time textile production began to expand.

With plenty of wool available locally hand-loom weaving became one of the towns main industries from the late 15th Century. This involved producing rough woollen cloth, known as Kersey, which was the mainstay of every less affluent medieval person’s wardrobe. This kept the townsfolk busy for a couple of hundred years – until the beginning of the industrial revolution arrived so putting the town firmly on the map.

 



 

The Battle Of Hepstonstall

However, it did become a bit of a focal point, in November 1643 when a not insignificant battle was fought in and around the town during the First English Civil War. This included the folks of the Heptonstall joining with the Parliamentarian garrison there to fend off a Royalist attack. One can only imagine the sight of the local farmers chasing down the opposing troops with Pitchforks! Sadly their efforts were soon in vain as they were abandoned by the garrison in 1644 and the Royalists took the town that year.

Anyway back to commerce. The creation of the Rochdale Canal which was completed by 1804 sped up Hebden Bridges move into full-blown industrial town and in the 19th Century the town sported a number of water-powered mills and produced sufficient Corduroy & Moleskin cloth to earn itself the nickname “Trouser Town”!

Making woollen material was not all the town did though and there were several mills devoted to making cotton cloth as well as dye works and even some foundry work which kept the Canal Barges busy.

Here Comes The Train!

In 1840 Hebden Bridge joined the growing list of towns on the rail network, and by 1841 the town was connected to both Leeds & Manchester further spurring its growth. The current Railway Station was built between 1891 & 1893 and at that time there was a large goods yard – to transport all those trousers we assume. The line & station survived the Beeching purges of the 1960s, however, the goods yard was closed in 1966.

Town Growth

Hebden Bridge Town Hall is now a Grade II listed building.
Image: Alastair Wallace/Shutterstock.com

All this trouser making meant that Hebden Bridge began to boom and with it so did the population, and pretty it soon became the most significant settlement in the area.  The Hebden Bridge Urban District Council was constituted in 1894 and in 1897 Hebden’s Town Hall was built along with much of what now forms the centre of the town.

Then in 1921, the town got its own “Picture House” which is still operating to this day as Hebden Bridge Cinema, showing everything from the latest Hollywood blockbuster, through Art-House movies to Live Theatre. This is now a grade II listed building and a must-visit if you are staying in the town for a few days. You can check out what’s on here.

 

Hebden Bridge Picture House. Image  Tim Green from Bradford / CC BY 2.0

Expansion

This expansion increased the need for housing and led to the rather unusual and distinctive layout of the terrace houses in the area which are colloquially known as “the top and bottom house”.  Given the steep valley sides, it was easier to build this way with the top two floors having their front doors on the opposite side on a street above.

top and bottom house Hebden Bridge

These are Not four-story houses but instead, two houses built on top of each other!
Image: Nicholas Peter Gavin Davies/Shutterstock.com

20th Century Hebden

Anyway, the town continued to thrive throughout the early part of the 20th century, despite losing many of its young men in the two world wars, but fortunately, like most of the Calder Valley largely escaped the bombing in WWII and thus took in its fair share of evacuees.

It also helped the war effort from a practical point too, thanks to the Acre Mill factory which was set up in 1939 to make filters for Gas masks. Post-war the factory remained, making other Asbestos products, however, it was closed in 1970 amid some controversy regarding its safety, and a number of its former employees sadly succumbed to Asbestos-related illnesses.

Textiles on the wane

As the 1950s and 1960s drew on Britain’s role as a textiles producer began to wain, and with it went the fortunes of most of the old mill towns including Hebden Bridge, which went into a bit of a decline economically.  However, it did become very popular with artists and musicians during the 1970s and 80s and became something of a haven for the New Age fraternity who still influence its bohemian culture today.

Modern Hebden Bridge

Today Hebden Bridge is home to around 4,500 residents and it is within the commuter belt for the regions larger towns and cities, being a short train ride away from Halifax and within easy travelling distance of Leeds, Huddersfield & Bradford. The town may no longer be an industrial powerhouse, however, they are not totally dependent on commuters and tourists as they have the countries only clog factory “Walkley Clogs” and it has garnered two accolades, namely being named the best place to live in the UK and also the title of  “UK Lesbian Capital”. The accolade of the UK’s best place to live was awarded in 2018 by the Artificial Intelligence data Analysts SAS who also ranked it 5th in the World!

So there you have it – you don’t even need to take our word for it, this is a must-visit place!

Anyway now on to a bit of trivia just in case you decide to join in with a local quiz night, or like this type of thing.

Not Everyone Knows That…

  • Hebden Bridge has been the setting for a number of Films & TV series. The best-known ones being Happy Valley, which featured the Town extensively and also the three-part TV drama Death Comes to Pemberley which was partially filmed at Gibson Mill.
  • Hebden has a couple of twin towns, namely St Pol sur Ternoise a similar-sized French town in the Hauts-de-France region and the much larger Warstein which is located in the North Rhine region of Germany. These links have been going since 1979 & 1995 respectively.
  • It also has less formal town links with Blatna (Czech Republic) & both Paratico & Pietrapaola in Italy.
  • Acclaimed Photographer Martin Parr spent a few years in the mid-late 1970s living in Hebden where he took numerous pictures of the town and surrounding area. Some of these are presented in his 1984 publication “Calderdale Photographs“.
  • Singer, Songwriter, Actor and Tomato Ketchup addict Ed Sheeran who was born in nearby Halifax spent his formative youth soaking up the bohemian environment of Hebden Bridge, having moved here when he was four. This may explain his performing talent, if not the sauce addiction.
Ed Sheeran

Image: Denis Makarenko/Shutterstock.com

  • Popular 1980s Band The Dream Acadamy filmed the original video for their Top 20 hit single “Life in a Northern Town” in Hebden Bridge. Ok they did end up making another for the American market a year later but we still prefer the original (full disclosure we may be a little biased) and we have tracked it down for your viewing and listening pleasure below:

 

However, if you really want to make your ears smile you need to listen to the Sugarland version.

Any Famous Hebden Bridge Locals?

We are glad you asked because despite it being a small town, and relatively modern in terms of population growth, Hebden Bridge can boast a few people of note. We have chosen a couple of actors and a journalist as examples.

Actors

Kirk Baker is a local lad, who is probably best known for playing Prince Duncan in the cliched, yet thoroughly enjoyable TV Move “A Prince For Christmas” &  for starring as Arthfael in the 2015 film Arthur & Merlin which is actually not that bad for a low budget movie. He has also appeared in the comedy series Henry IX (episode 3 “Clearing the air”) a show which deserves a bigger audience than it currently gets on the Gold Channel.

You can see him in action in the clip below:

 

Paula Lane who was a six-year regular in the popular and long-running Soap Opera “Coronation Street” where she played Kylie Platt. She was killed off rather dramatically in the series in 2016 and since has been a guest on numerous TV shows where the subject of her demise is invariably brought up. She also appeared more topically in an episode of the UK TV series “Heartbeat” which was set in the nearby North Riding of Yorkshire.

Paula Lane

Paula Lane at the 2013 British Soap Awards.
Image:Featureflash Photo Agency/Shutterstock.com

Journalists

Sir Bernard Ingham who wrote in some capacity for the Hebden Bridge Times for 65 years as well as writing several books the most notable of which (in our opinion) being “The Wages of Spin” which discusses the rise of the political Spin Doctor so loved by politicians of all ilks these days.  He was Chief Press Secretary to Margret Thatcher too, which is where his Knighthood came from and maybe the reason he is not too fondly remembered in some parts of Yorkshire.

Things to do and see In Hebden Bridge

Well now you know a bit about the town we will move on to things you just have to do and see, and there are loads! We can’t cover everything in such a concise guide but here are a few to get you started; beginning with…

Places to visit

Hebden Bridge’s visitor centre is the ideal place to start your visit. It is staffed by friendly and knowledgable locals who can let you know what’s on in the town as well as suggest things which we don’t have the time to cover. They also have a great Town Centre Trail booklet which will guide you through a number of noteworthy places in the town. There is even a podcast you can listen to while you walk around; it’s like having a virtual guided tour!

Heptonstall Museum is only a shortish walk away from the town centre and although small is well worth a visit as it covers a lot of local history as well as still having many of its original features. It has a number of exhibits including ones relating to the English Civil War. Being a former late 18th-century grammar school building it of course, features a number of old school items too including an original Black Oak desk which you don’t see every day.

Visit the Rochdale Canal and either take a tranquil stroll along its leafy banks or better still take a cruise on a narrowboat. The famed Stubbing Wharf Pub, immortalised by Poet Laureate Ted Hughes in his’ poem “Stubbing Wharfe” is down here too if you get thirsty on your walk.

Image: Philip openshaw/Shutterstock.com

Out & About

If you fancy a ramble then Hardcastle Crags is worth a visit. Covering around 400-acres, this National Trust site features mixed woodland as well as bracken covered hillsides. There is also a fairly steep gorge to explore and the river has an old weir and some stepping stones for you to try your luck on. Spring is particularly stunning when the woods are filled with blossoming Bluebells.

Visit in the spring to enjoy stunning views like this.
Image: Derek oldfield/Shutterstock.com

Jumble Hole Clough

This is another nice walk and has some added interest in that it was once home to four large mills, whose now derelict remains serving as a reminder of how fast nature reclaims its own. Anyway, you need to be moderately fit to undertake this walk, as it involves a gradient of around 220 meters and a distance of about 5.5 miles from start to finish.

You will also have to climb over a few styles and some parts of the path are a little tricky in the wet, however, its a nice way of spending 3-4 hours especially on a nice day. Plus the scenery is amazing in any weather.

The remains of the once hulking mills are easily visible from the path. Image: Philip openshaw/Shutterstock.com

If however, you are after something less energetic Calder Holmes Park, which lies between the River Calder and the Rochdale Canal will fit the bill. It incorporates the Hebden Bridge Memorial Garden, has a nice children’s play area, fairly extensive lawns and even a small garden.

It offers great views of the valley too if you just want to sit back and relax, or for those feeling slightly more energetic, there are Tennis & Basketball courts, a Football pitch and even a Skateboard Park!  Toilet facilities are available and also a small cafe if you feel the need for a cuppa.

Anyone for fishing

Not surprisingly given its proximity to both the Calder & the Rochdale Canal angling is a popular pastime. Hebden Bridge Angling Society has a Facebook page, and from what we can gather there are a number of fish species available with Roach, Chub, Dace, Grayling, Perch & Trout being the most commonly encountered.

If you fancy wetting a line then we would suggest contacting the Society first as they will know which swims are best at any given time of year, and where to get a permit where required.

There is plenty of fishing opportunities in and around the town.
Image: Julija Ogrodowski/Shutterstock.com

Birdwatching Around Hebden Bridge

If you are a seasoned twitcher, still a budding Ornithologist or just fancy seeing a bit of wildlife, then you are spoiled for choice. The locale has a range of different terrains and habitats and as such there are a number of common as well as lesser observed species to look out for.

The Calderdale Birds website is a good resource for checking on what’s flying around as it seems to be updated pretty much every day. Of note at the time of writing (9 Sept 2020) was the spotting of a Black Redstart, which is usually a migratory visitor to the Yorkshire region. Anyway if this is your thing grab your binoculars and notebook, or better still a camera and send us some pictures of what you saw.

Black Redstarts are found in the Calder Valley

Black redstarts are one of the more unusual avian visitors to the Calder Valley. Image: Jude Vincy/Shutterstock.com

Architecture Of Significance

There are loads of interesting buildings in and around Hebden Bridge (many of them Grade II listed). Far too many to list however if architecture is your thing these three are must see’s in our opinion…

Gibson Mill

This large impressive ex cotton mill has stood here in Hardcastle Crags since the 1800s, and churned out textiles right up until 1890 when it changed use, becoming an entertainment emporium. Nowadays it and the surrounding worker’s cottages are owned by the National Trust, which has made it pretty much energy self-sufficient. This is thanks to its impressive water turbines which generate all the energy the complex needs. As well as being an impressive sight it also houses a number of exhibitions and that all-important cafe.

Gibson Mill Hebden Bridge

Image: DMC Photogallery/Shutterstock.com

Church of St Thomas the Apostle Heptonstall

The original church which is now in ruins (see second pic below) was built somewhere between 1256 and 1260. and with a few extensions over the years served the community until the great storm of 1847 which caused considerable damage. However, it was soon replaced and the new church which is in use today was consecrated on 26th October 1854.

Church Of St Thomas The Apostle Heptonstall

Image: Alastair Wallace/Shutterstock.com

The remains of the original church dating back to around 1256 is open to the public and as you can see it remains rather picturesque.

Image: DMC Photogallery/Shutterstock.com

There are also three churchyards and the famous American poet Sylvia Plath and her former husband Poet Laureate Ted Hughes are buried here.

Hebden Bridge Signal Box

This dates from 1891 and is one of the best remaining examples of a Victorian-era signal box on the Lancashire & Yorkshire line. It remains pretty much as it was in its heyday and not surprisingly now holds Grade II listed status.

Hebden Bridge Signal Box

Image: Lachlan1/Shutterstock.com

Arts Venues

Ok, that’s enough of the out and about stuff, so now on to some things which are a bit more leisurely. Let’s start with…

The Picture House Or Hebden Bridge Cinema

Set in a stunning Art Deco building this is an independent, Hebden Bridge Cinema is a not-for-profit venture operated by the Town Council. Given this, you can get to see more than the latest blockbuster and they often have independent and foreign language films. If you ever wanted to see an old-time classic, on the big screen as it was intended, then this is your chance and of course they also frequently offer live Theatre performances via satellite link.

There are evening screening daily, and matinee showings at the weekends and during school holidays. The cinema also plays a big part in the local festivals and recently they have introduced the Hebden Bridge Film Festival. You can get a proper cup of tea here (served in a mug) and despite the building being antiquated the stalls seating area gives great views of the screen, the seats are really comfy and there is room to stretch your legs. Overall it is a great experience.

Hebden Bridge Little Theatre

As its name suggests this is a cosy place with around 120 seats, so book in advance is recommended. It is nicely located by the canal and the attaching bar is open before and after each performance so you can make a night of it. They put on around five plays a year and these can be quite varied both in date and style judging by the archive section on their web site. If you love the theatre then you will enjoy the friendly intimate style of the setting and even if it’s not your thing normally the bar is still there and who knows you might end up a convert.

The Birchcliffe Centre

This is a community centre owned by the Pennine Heritage charity. Originally it was a rather grand Baptist Chapel however it fell from use. Today it has been returned to into a number of Exhibition halls and houses a number of exhibits & events as well as serving as a conference & community centre. The Pennine Horizons Digital Archive is housed here and if you like history or photography is a must-see! It is also home to the local pop choir “Take it to the Bridge” if you live locally and fancy exercising the old voice box.

The Trades Club

The Trades Club building dates back to the early 1920s and today is a bit of a hidden gem venue where live music is concerned, often being nominated for the NME Small Venue of the Year Awards. Like the Little Theatre, the venue is quite small (around 200 capacity) but this is a positive in that it gives a cosy & intimate setting that suits the eclectic variety of acts on offer. Although it is mostly up and coming musicians, the offering is not restricted to music and there are usually other things on offer when a band is not playing.

Shopping

Image: philip openshaw/shutterstock.com

If you love to browse boutique & niche shops then you are in for a treat as nearly every store in Hebden Bridge is a small independent business. Hebden Bridge quite deservedly won a Great British High Street award in 2016, and it is a showcase for what the British Highstreet could (and possibly should) be.

It has dozens of small outlets covering everything from Art to Yoga and even has a multi-vendor antique centre. Add to that a wide range of fair-trade cafes & vegetarian restaurants and you have an ideal retail therapy setting.

Hebden Bridge Open Market

Hebden Bridge Market

Image: Lachlan1/Shutterstock.com

Hebden Bridge Market, based in Lees Yard was the 2016 winner of Britain’s Best Small Open Market and normally it sets up Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. It is sort of a boutique one (in keeping with the town) where you are more likely to find fair-trade goods & natural beauty products as opposed to the more usual market fare.

It also has themes on each day with Saturdays often featuring Arts & Crafts heavily. Even if you don’t normally like markets you will enjoy the experience of this one.

Getting To Hebden Bridge

Hebden Bridge Sign

Image: philip openshaw/Shutterstock.com

So now you know a bit more about the town we might as well move on to how to get there – it’s easier than you would think!

By Road

From the South of the country head for the M1 and go north then take the M62 and finally the A629. Best use a sat nav for this as the latter part of the journey is a little involved. The Town postcode is HX7. From Scotland or the North its a little easier – head south on the M6 and then the A66. From the West or East, head for those Motorway arteries.

Air Links

Leeds-Bradford is the nearest airport (about 25 miles away). There are fairly regular train services from the Bradford Interchange to the town and also bus services; allow an hour or two for travel including waiting time.

Train Services

The town is on the Calder Valley line so is easy to reach from Leeds. If heading from the North start from York and if coming from the South head for Manchester. The Calder line is quite scenic so travelling to the Town by train is quite pleasant, as long as you can get a seat!

Image: Lachlan1/Shutterstock.com

Where to stay?

Well, that entirely depends on what you fancy. We had a check on the options and you can literally find everything from a cosy hotel room, right through to a Houseboat on AirBnB. We were particularly intrigued by the Faun Lodge which takes glamping to the extreme. Eco-built, with its turf roof, it sports a wood burner and a compost toilet, which really embraces the ethos of the Town. Check out our Hebden Bridge Directory for more details.

Thinking of Moving To Hebden Bridge

Hebden Bridge is a popular place to live and although much of the housing stock is terraced that does not mean its cheap to buy here. Rightmove lists the average property in the town over the last 12 months (as of Mid 2020) at £227,572.

The majority of sales in HX7 during the last year were terraced properties, selling for an average price of £192,150. Semi-detached properties sold for an average of £276,880, with detached properties fetching £391,118.

Overall, sold prices in HX7 over the last year (2019) were 8% up on the previous year and 15% up on the 2017 peak of £198,623.

Check out our Hebden Bridge Directory for a list of local estate agents.

So there we have it Hebden Bridge in all its glory laid out the Five Minute Spare way. Before you go don’t forget to join our growing community by signing up for updates or joining the site where you can share your thoughts on Hebden or pretty much anything else that takes your fancy. Go on have a browse we cover a multitude of things and it can be quite rewarding.

 

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