The following is the OCR text of a book and will likely contain conversion errors. This page is designed to be indexed by search engines. Click on a page number to view the book in your web browser.
The text is believed to be in the Public Domain.
Page 1
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS OF THE PARISH OF HALIFAX.
Page 2
66 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY
when the parish was trading with all Eng- land and Western Europe. But, though it supplanted, it failed to destroy many of them. In spite of the transformation wrought in the parish by modern in- dustry the roads of the old industrial pack-horse era still survive to an extent that is without paralle] in England.
Contemporary records nearly always speak of these older roads as highways, either the
Page 3
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS 67
quent too, away from the ” town,” on the hills and moors. The old pack horse road to Wake- field was called Wakefield Gate. There is Cock
Page 4
68
Page 5
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS 69
18 stones himeelf, he put his companion, “WN.” on horseback behind him and so they came to Sowerby, but ‘ passing to a place where my horse was loath to goe on an yee, (we) went on the Causey, the upper way,. but it was so narrow and bear the wall, that our knees and lees hitting the wall, justied the horse dewn ito the lower way, yet fell not but light on his feet.” (Diaries, iv. p. 102).
The story of an
Page 6
70 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY
man complaining but heard not a word of thankfulnes.”” (Diaries, iv. p. 20).
It is possible that the high causey that existed in Suffolm or Southholme Jane un- til recent yeare was the scene of this ac- cident. But we must leave Oliver Hey- wood and the lessons and moral truths he draws from the incident and hark back to earlier times.
THE PARISH.
The existence and survival of these ancient highways is due to a combination of geographical conditions and economic history that is in itself remarkable. Rut, for our purpose, it is more than that; it is the pivot on which all else binges. Let us for a moment, try to picture the beginning, to see the forces at work shaping the history of the parish.
At the outset, the scene is set in a
barren, moorland hill-country: a land of many swift streams, of many deep,
narrow and densely wooded valleys. So narrow are valleys,
Page 7
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS 71
Calder Valley had been built of moun- tain limestone, instead of grit, it would still, like Craven, be a
Page 8
72 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY
yoked tu the Earl’s waggon to carry his hay; or Peter Swerd was fined for ping a footpath between Stansfield and Mankanholes; or in the same year, the mare of Richard Wood, of Sowerby, was borrowed (without leave) for a Bradford man to fetch salt from Manchester: or John the Smith was sent to York for stealing two thraves of his own oats that
Page 9
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS 73
16th century is one .of still greater pros- perity and of continued growth iu the cioth trade. The effects of this are secn in many directions, but for our purpose the most important is the insistent de- mand for better. means of communica.ion, Apart from the frequent redistribution of the materials in the course of manufac- ture within the parish, the raw wool ana possibly much yarn had to come in from distant places, and the pieces had to be sent to distant markets and fairs, so that the existence of the trade was dependent upon passable roads. In such a billy district wheeled“traffic was out of the question, but we may regard it as certain that all through the Tudor period on iu the
Page 10
74. HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY.
that the population of the whole parish at the
Page 11
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS 15
and running Water on the Tops of the Lighest
Page 12
76 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY,
dhe
Page 13
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS 77
Page 14
78 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY,
speaking. But even if the local use of jagger for a drover has escaped record, we have the word as a place name in
Page 15
AXCIENT HIGHWAYS 79
near a Thousand Horse-Packs of such Goods from that side of the Country.” In the 17th century there are, in addi- tion to
Page 16
80 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY.
travelled to London with eight or nine horses all the
Page 17
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS 81
loads, or pack-loads, the equivalent of the waggons and carriages, Kendal was sending out weekly 250 pack-horses in about twenty gangs. Here we have facts that enable us to gain some approximate idea of the pack-horse traffic that flowed in and out of Halifax, for there can have been no great disparity between it and Kendal any time about 1750.
But 1750, or thereabouts marks the climax. The clothing trade had out- grown its means of transport. For some {ime the clothiers had been looking to water carriage for transport, and gradual'v they obtained it. First the river was made navigable, then canals were constructed and tuinpike roads driven through the parish. New indus- trial, mill-born towns sprang up in the valley; the old towns were left stranded on the hill tops. The doom of the jagger and the pack-horse was sealed. Neither disanpeared absolutely for another cen- tury, mainly because of the tolls on the iturnpikes. Knowing the old hill routes the jaggers couid thread their way across country without passing a single toll-bar and could find traders ready to employ them.
Page 18
82 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY,
Flanders, these ancient trade routes are deserving of study and record.
SOURCES OF INFORMATION.
The earliest references to highways and bridges within the parish, exact or vague, occar incidentally in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield com- mencing with the vear 1274. The three volumes published by the Yorkshire Archeeological Society in their Record Series stop short at the year 1316, but they afford proof of the existence of Rybourne Bridge for example and contain a valn- ably entry with respect to Sowerby bridge showing that it was repairable by the township. But the references to high- wavs
Page 19
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS 83
The West Riding Sessions Rolls, as pub- lished by the Yorkshire Society, only cover a part of the 17th century, but they contain a number of Indictments and Orders relating to the repair of bridges and highways in this ‘istrict.
TOWNSHIP BOOKS
Township Records, consisting of account bool's of Overseers, Constables and Sur- veyors are full of details, but have only been very partially explored. In fact no one has yet compiled a list of the sur- viving books and records of the numerous townships of the parish. The earliest known are the Sowerby Constable’s Accounts from 1629 to 1708 copied by H. P. Kendall and forming the basis of several papers published by the Halifax Antiquarian Society, 1902-6. Similarly Joshua Holden in a paper on “Township Records in the Todmorden District ’’ (Hx. A.S., 1908), gave an idea of what material of the 18th century remains to be examined. J. Horsfal] Turner years ago published in the local press lengthy extracts from the
Page 20
84 HALIFAX
Page 22
86 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY.
wood’s door by a team of eight oxen and one horse.
With the Restoration and ‘the entry of Charles the Second into wrote J. R. Green, England bepan.” The king founded the Royal Society and he appointed John Ogilby His Majesty’s Cosmographer and paid for his survey oi the roads of the Kingdom out cf his own pocket. We turn from Ileywood, the embodiment of the old spirit ty the
Page 23
ANCIENT
Page 24
88 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY.
sident; to H. P. Kendall and C. Clegg, who have written on the old roads; and above all to T W. Hanson, who by his “Story of Old and by much personal advice has guided my faltering feet into che old and narrow ways.
Page 26
Photo by W. B. Crump. M.A.
DARK LANE, OR BARROWCLOUGH LANE IN SOUTHOWRAM.
Page 27
89
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS OF THE PARISH OF HALIFAX.
By W.
Page 28
90 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY.
ef the North, and to London as well. The little town at the foot of Beacon Hill knew no outlet to the south or the east, save by breasting the
Page 29
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS 9)
it into Halifax after the disastrous battle on Adwalton Moor in 1643. True, a very different Halifax suddenly bursts upon the view to-day, but the
Page 30
92 ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY
widened in 1788, and is now (1923-24) undergoing further widening and straightening. Smith House-lane, on the left at the top of the hill, was the old way to Brighouse and Huddersfield in continuation of the lane from
Page 31
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS 93
Of the setting up of this
Page 32
94 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY
Accounts have an entry of three
Page 33
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS 95
nothing like it in the whole country. Here on the rim of a modern inferno hangs the slender thread of a_ silent, medieval pack-horse way that zigzags down the inside of the bowl to be en- gulfed in the seething town at the bottom. Once it was a fair hill face adorned with woods, to-day it is a gaunt scarp of shale and clay. But the way follows its an- cient track, unfenced and unenclosed— just a broken line of sets all but sub- merged in the wasting shales.
Shortly after the descent commences, the road makes a beautiful elbow curve to the right, with the pavement excep- tionally well preserved (four to six feet wide), ‘nen continues diagonally down the hill, with the paved track three to four feet wide, slightly sunk in the hiil side anc covered or less with the wash from the steeps above. It is presently cut in two by the modern Beacon Hill- Toad and at the same time loses much of its primitive character. By sweeping round an old hcuse, Brierley Hill, in a curve, it alters its course from north- west to north, and so runs into Old Bank at a very acute angle, somewhat below Bank Top. All this upper reach, from the elbow to the junction with Old Bank has been known as Whiscombe Bank, ur Whiskham Dandy; the Ordnance Survey in the Town Plan of 1852 (five feet to the mile) names it three times ‘‘Whiskam
Page 34
96 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY,
where it makes a right-angled turn that gives a straight approach to Clark Bridge. Southowram Bank enters it on the left and the short length to the bridge is Bank Bottom. In spite of much cottage property up the Bank and gas works and great mills at the bottom, the Bank pre- serves a good deal of its origina] charac- ter, and is not unworthy to be compared with the Buttress leading to Heptonstall, which no doubt it once closely resembled. Of Clark Bridge there is singularly little to say. There is no early mention of it and no knowledge of the older bridges. A 20th century ferro-concrete structure nas replaced a 19th century stone one. I can only add that J. Warburton in des- cribing the town in 1720 mentions a stone bridge of one arch over Clark Beck on the road towards Wakefield (Lansdowne MS., British Museum, 913, f12).
The way up the town of Halifax from the bridge was to the north of_the church, by Cripplegate, Well i’ th’ Wall Lane, Skeldergate, and Woolshops to the Market Cross and the Cross Inn.
AN OLD VIEW OF BEACON HILL. Having traversed the way and entered Halifax we are now in a position to con- sider certain earlier references to it or
Page 35
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS 97
However we need only consider the plate in Camden, as it appears to be ihe more accurate of the two and was prob- ably dr wn quite as early as the other. in it we can distinguish Beacon Hill (with its beacon), and Bairstow. with the way appearing in the notch between them; the elbow, the diagonal descent of Whiskam Dandy aimost reaching a house which can be identified with Brierley Hill: the straight cut of Whiscombe Bank entering Old Bank where a second house is on the lower side of the Bank. A third house well to the right of the way is The Haynes, otherwise Folly Hall, that has now vanished. A fourth house on the top of Bairstow, also gone, was called Whiskam
Page 37
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS 99
The Wakefield: Court Rolls begin the
Page 38
100 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY.
Bank which are unfilled up, man and horse cannot travel but in great danger.” (J. Lister, Elizabethan Hali‘-
Page 39
ANCIENT H:GHWAYS 162
Page 40
102 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY.
Page 41
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS 103
1696. Paid by John Batley. Sbr. 2 Pd. John Ramsden, for
repairs of Northouram Bank 11
Oct. 31. Pd. Mickel Ingham for repairs of
Page 42
104 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY,
the a/c of the Surveyour.
Receivd., 4 March, 1720/21, of Val Stead twenty four shillings eight pence being the proportion Left to ye Highways of Southorum p. Mr. Waterhouse, De- ceased. Jeremiah Swift.
In 1742 there is simply an entry of a cash payment:—
To the Repair of some Highways 3 In 1743 the Receipts appear again :—
Feb. 2, 1743.—Then Reed. of Mr. Water- house Feoffees thirteen shillings and fourvence due te the Repair of North Bridze Bank leading to Bradforg for the Year 1739. the like sum for 1740, 1741 and 1742, 1743—by me. Timothy Sharp.
March 12, 1743.—Recd. of Mr. Water- house Feoffees one pound six shillings and eight pence for Repairs
Page 43
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS 105
(3) Speight Smithy wes situated in Hip perholme, at Lane Ends, within a stone’s throw of the memorial tablet.
Page 44
106 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY,
name, i.e., Speight’s Smithy, and we can be pretty sure that a Richard
Page 45
Crump, M.A.:
B.
Photo by W
PAVED TRACK AT THE ELBOW AT THE
TOP OF WHISKAM DANDY.
Page 47
109
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS OF THE PARISH OF HALIFAX.
Page 48
110 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY
deep and narrow valleys. To cross the Hebble, the Luddenden and the Hebden streams it is compelled to come down every time to 350ft. and rise again to 1,0001. or more. The gentler slope may be negotiable, but there is no room to circumvent the steeper face of each val- lev. Unlike other Pennine crossings that have been readily adapted to modera requirements and to-day hum with motor trafic, this remains in places both a narrow and precipitous way, for widen- ing could not make it less arduous, or more practicable.
The whole route, in reverse. is set out in a nominy that has already been
Page 49
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS Ml
also the short cuts across the moors that became known as
Page 51
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS 113
it makes a right-angled turn and, as Halifax Lane, descends steeply into the High-street of Luddenden. Whether that is its old name or not, the street remains, like the lanes from Royles Head, little altered by modern improvements, save gas lamps and decent stone sets. In- deed, Luddenden, though it lies in the hottom, has much of the aspect, the
seclusion and the steepness of a hill-top town. Its
Page 52
114
Page 53
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS. 118
The latter has a hand pointing in the direction of Cross-roads, or the top of Stocks-lane, and there is no doubt that the L. stands for Luddenden. There was formerly another guide stoop at Cross- roads, and Whiteley Turner in
Page 54
116 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY.
To Bradford 6M. To Burnley
Page 55
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS. 117
Crow Hill. We traverse the whole length of its Town Gate and reach Scout Head at 700ft. Here we gain our first glimpse of the Calder Valley, almost at our feet. The river, the canal, the railway and the Yodinorden turnpike jostle each other in the narrow valley, the mills of Lud- denden Foot choke the bottom; but Sowerby Church rises serene on the far- ther side with Sowerby Town slanting down to its bridge. Sowerby Crow Hill with the precipitous scar of Hathershelf Scout face us. repeating the features of Midgley.
At Scout Head the road forks and
Page 56
118 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY.
to Midgley. A little further, at Dog Naze, we come to the edge of the shelf and the road drops more rapidly towards the Hebden valley. Half way down this Birchcliffe-road there is another guide post at the corner of Sandy Gate. It points up and down to Midgley and
Page 57
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS 119
Bridge, and an inquiry by Mr. E. B. Gibson led to its being brought to Nght last year. This plan shows and names what was the only highway cut ot Hebden Bridge to Haworth at that date. As the Haworth road was also a part of the
Page 58
120 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY.
Lower Stubbing. The counci! schoo! ealled Stubbings is built within this and derives its name from it. There 3s at the side of the school a narrow patl:- way, known
Page 59
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS 121
part of the highway from Halifax, and to leave the Heptonstall-Haworth routes for separate discussion later. Curiously there is not a single guide stoop directing us to Heptonstall all the way from Halifax.
HEPTON BRIG. From the White Lion, Bridge Gate (has it never been called Briggate?) brings us io the cld brig over the Hebden, which we may continue to spel! Hepton Brig, to distinguish it from the town of Hebden Bridge
Page 60
122 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY.
and i657. There are two stone tablets side by side on the north-east taee above the first prer. The first arch is now on dani as the river bed has been
Page 61
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS 128
of the bridge, and in like fashion Jchn Grenwod, the Overseer of Heptonstall, at the Heptonstall end. The damage to the bridge must have been considerable, for the township, or townships, did not bear the whole cost of repair: the he'p of the West Riding nad been
Page 62
124 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY,
scription. Such are our Jittle, human frailties.
The custom of recording the repairs to the bridge has been maintained, but the
Page 63
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS 125
Some time since 1850 the river bed
Page 64
126 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY,
Page 65
—_— mem
Page 66
‘OINA NO
*‘poomAey
Page 69
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS OF THE PARISH OF HALIFAX.
By Mr. W. B. CRUMP, M.A. DECEMBER 2nd, 1925.
IV.-Early Maps and Road Surveys.
1. The earliest maps. 2. Christopher Saxton: ‘‘ Mapp of York- 1577.
3. John Ogilby:
Page 70
190 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY
number of genuine surveyors. Sometimes they improved the appearance, or added io the detail of a map, often they but pro- pagated the errors and added others of their own. But there are three names of supreme importance and distinction associated witii our parish—Saxton, Ogilby and Warburton —between 1570 and 1720. No one else matters, and indeed no one else contribut-s at all to our knowledge
Page 71
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS, 191
truthful record of the importance of Halifax _in 1330? But there was at least some com- pensation for my disappointment. teaching emphasises the importance of the Aire gap in the Pennines, but it came as a surprise to find a route indicated branching off the Great Noith road at Doncaster, by way of Wakefeld, Bradford, Shipton, Seteil, ty Kirkebie-lonesdale, and so by Chap, or alternatively by Kuirkebie-Kendale, to Pen- reth and Karliel. Familiar as it is to-day, as a through route this almost disappeared from the map im the
Page 72
192
Page 73
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS. 193
Besides all this, Saxton lived almost
Page 74
—
—
194 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIRTY
and in all they are accompanied with lists of fairs. But it was well into the 17th cen- tury before the course of any road was shown upon a map. They began to on later editions of both Saxton’s and Speed’s maps, but the first general map of England, with the roads indicated (since the medieval map in the Bodleian) was the set of six sheets known as the ‘ Quarter- master’s Maps.’”? These were made by Wenceslaus Hollar by the order of Oliver Cromwell, and were first published in 1644. The map was based on Saxton’s and the roads were but feebly drawn
Page 75
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS. 195
making a survey of the principal roads in England and Wales when he was over (0 years of age. He planned a great folio in three volumes, but only the first ws published in 1675. Ogilby died the follow- ing year, leaving vain instructions to his wife’s grandson, Wm. Morgan, to comple‘e it. The volume was titled ‘ Britannia. Volume the First: or. an
Page 77
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS. 197
the parish. The London Road that con- cerns us he treated as branching out of the great Holyhead road at St. Albans and thence by way of Bedford, Oakham, and Nottingham to Barnsley, and on
Page 78
198 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY
water-parting of central England. But whilst the road through Market Harborougn strikes across the Welland, flowing east, the one by Husband’s Bosworth touches tno head-water of the Warwickshire Avon at Welford.
Now there happens to be
Page 80
200 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY
to Ollerton and so to Southwell, a few miles west of Newark. There his road turned south-west for Nottingham, and
Page 81
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS.
ridge of the water parting through Flockton straight for Colne Bridge, which has been used as an alternative approach; and, indeed it comes to Elland almost as directly as the one we are following.
From Kirk Burton Ogilby’s road descended to cross the Fenay beck, and its track for a short mile has become a part
Page 82
202 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIRTY
and at 195’7 to Elland, a Village of 2 Fur- longs Extent and good Entertainment.”
Now this account is all of a piece with the plan, it is the precise report of a sur- veyor. The map gives additional details, such as pairs of lanes branching out on the right to three several places—Dightou, Colne bridg and Rastrick.
Page 83
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS. 203 descend we may yet see
Page 84
204 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY
33.1 Huddersfield. 35.1 Gelly Royd. R. to Leeds 15m. Bradford 8m.
38.1 Ealand
Page 85
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS.
Page 86
206 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY
there is certainly a mistake there. I take it that the road from Gilly Royd to Far- town has been marked as a turnpike instead of that section of the Dewsbury road. But my suggestion fails to account for the Exley length being represented as a turnpike in 1775. Yet all the evidence of the Turn- pike Acts is dead against Jefferys, and his only turnpike (bar) at Clough House, Ras- trick, must be on the Elland-Dewsbury turn- pike road.
ELLAND BRIDGE AND EXLEY BANK.
Arrived in Elland we once more turn tou Ogilby’s description of the road:
Elland you cross a Vale,
Page 87
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS, 207
bank there is a good, dry approach to thr river on sandstone rock, and the alluvium is at its narrowest. When the river was first bridged we do not know, but the first stone bridge, erected in 1579, was carried away in the great flood of 1614. It was re-erected three years later, and still remaius a part of the present bridge, but in Ogilby’s time and for another century it was oniy 15 feet wide.
The route for Halifax was then by way
Page 88
208 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY
Dryclough-lane and (2) Oxford-lane, if we suppose the entry into the town was made by Hunger Hill end Clare Hall-road. But the scale is too small really to identify the details of the town, especially as the church is omitted—a most unusual oversight. At the bottom of the town two roads are
Page 89
HIGHWAYS. - 209
Valley from Airedale. Nowhere is tne watershed lower than 1,000 feet, and wast- wards it rises to 1,500 feet. Even in the east Swill Hill is 1,300 feet., so that roads to the north are bound to climb steadily, even if the gradients are not so severe or the changes so sudden as elsewhere in the parish. ‘The level tops diminish the sense of height and century-long improvements have smoothed the difficulties. It we would realise what earlier travellers northwards had to tace in crossing Cockhill, Mickle Moss, or Nab End, we had best walk the moorland road by Top o’ Stairs to Haworth, that has not been robbed of all its terrors and difficulties as have the more immediate roads trom Halifax.
As it happens the Keighley road delineated by Ogilby looks tar less formidable than the London road hither from Almondbury, or even
Page 90
210 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY.
North Bridge, the Keighley
Page 91
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS. 211
The name of the Ovenden Constable has quite perished.
A short distance past this corner, at the next cross-roads, the old highway diverges to the right off the tram route, and only joins it again at Causeway Foot. This length is called Cock Hill Gate and two farms are named from it, ‘‘ Cock Hill’ and
Page 92
212 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY.
To Halifax 2M
with directions to Dlingworth and Brad- ford on the other. Holdsworth will be quite three miles to Halifax. The low road thither goes to Ovenden Cross by way of Shay-lane, and then drops down to the beck side and threads its tortuous way to Halifax along the narrow valley choked with miils, mill-dams,dyehouses, and railway viaducts. Such is Old-lane, and it emerges at Bowling Dyke, crosses the beck into Halifax over the low bridge of Bowling Dyke and by the vanished Blue Ball Inn, under the shadow of North Bridge. It is a wonderful bit of modern industrial Halifax, but it needs the pen or the brush of a Dean Foxley Norris to picture its smoke-filled valley, its sheer precipices of grimed masonry, the steam, the glow of boiler fires. I prefer to picture Old-lane as it was in Ogilby’s day, when as you looked up the valley from the old North Bridge, you saw such a picture as Crims- worth Dene offers you to-day when you look up it from Horse Bridge, just before the Lodge of Hardcastle Crags; a sparkling astream, a wooded clough; bilberry and heather clothing the banks and slopes. I am not romancing. ‘‘ At North Bridge, half a mile from Halifax, by the way lead- ing to grew the Winter-green
Page 93
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS 213
This duplication of the Keighley road between Halifax and Causeway Foot is puzzling, especially as both started from North Bridge. The Low Road kept its identity, though once, at Ovenden Cross, it made contact with the upper way, and the milestones demonstrate its continuity. But though it is ancient, I cannot regard it as more than a feeder of the high way.
COCK HILL AND DENHOLME GATE.
We return to Ogilby’s road at Causeway Foot, where a rill crosses the road short of the 204th mile from London. There is no mistaking the bend in his road, for it is exactly how Cock Hill Gate approaches the Foot. The rill may be a small stream from Swilling End descending by Grayshaw Syke (its name, no doubt), to join the infant Hebble just below at Boggart Bridge. There began the Long Causeway over Cock Hill (or Cockhill Hill), rising from 1,035 feet at the Foot to 1,175 feet at Causeway Top, with the hump of Swill Hill (1,330 feet) on the right. This particular ‘‘ Lonz Causeway
Page 94
914 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY.
Calder this climbed the further flanks of Ovenden, by Sentry Edge and Cold Edge, but to reach Cock Hill it had to plunge down from Hunter Hill into Mixenden and win a difficult way across the head-waters of the Hebble. North of Cock Hill remains of the Roman road have been found, or exist still, again and again on the left of our road to Keighley. We may say that the medieval highways have been attracted to and have followed the course of the Roman road, but there are deeper reasons. Tf we look ahead we shall find that the united road continues to keep to the uplands between the Harden the
Page 95
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS 215
At Manywells Height the modern, or last turnpike road for Keighley turns sharply off to Flappet Spring, but the old highway con- tinued its direction north, and dropped tu Cullingworth, but it first, at Cullingworth Gate, crossed the old road from Bradford to Haworth and Colne, marked by Ogilby
Page 96
216 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY.
the old turnpike, though we have just seen that the moor near Catstones was called Hainworth Common. As the actual route can be established without
Page 98
918 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY.
To Bradford
6M
Page 100
320 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIF TY.
THE ROMAN ROADS ACROSS THE PENNINES.
It is extremely probable that the medieval road was tounded upon and grew out cf the Roman roads made across the Pennines to link York with Chester, and therefore it becomes necessary to inquire, as_ briefly as possible, what the evidence actually ia for the line of the Roman road or roads. The problem has been recently examined afresh by an able scholar and investigator,
Page 101
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS
Page 103
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS 222
“Leaving Leeds, you pass by Humlet Hall on the Left, and Holbeck, alias Hunslet, a Village, and Beeston Chapel ani Hall on the Right, and by several disperst Houses are brought at 27’7 to Chernhill, a small Village; then by Morley Church and
Hall on the Left, Gilderson, a Village, an] the Quakers’ Sepulture on the Right, come at
Page 104
294. HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY.
broad highway we have travelled, I invite you at this point to turn aside and follow it. The lane introduces us to the ancient way by which Halifax reached the York (and Leeds) road, although only half a mile back we have crossed the great Halifax- Wakefield highway. Our present way is. as it were, the curved bow, of which the Wakefield-road to the Pack-horse Inn, is the taut string. The journey shall
Page 105
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS. 225
inhabitants of Hipperholme and _ Clifton ought to repair the same.”
The cost as usual is shared by the two townships, as the beck is the boundary between them.
“1 Oct., 1639. That the inhabitants of Brighouse sufficiently fill up a pit dug in the King’s highway between the towns of Wakc- feild and Hallifax.”’
The last order presents difficulties, and
Page 106
226 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY.
up and away from the valley, but before we climb it let us turn to the ballad of the Elland Feud, for this is the scene of the murder of Sir John Eland as he came from the Turn at Brighouse on his way to Elland Hall in the year 1350.
In Cromwell-bottom woods they lay, A number with them mo, Armed they were in good array ; A spy they had also To spy the time John Eland came From Brighouse Turn that day, Who plays his part and shows the same To them as there they lay. Beneath Brookfoot a hill there is To Brighouse on the way; Forth came they to the top of this, There prying for their prey. From the Lane-end then Eland came And spied these gentlemen.
It is only necessary to interpret
Page 107
ANCIENT 207
‘““A Oct., 1639. That the inhabitants of Southowram sufficiently repair and
Page 108
228 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY.
We must not judge the distances on these old stoops by modern standards. The old eustomary mile was longer than the statute mile, and allowed latitude for individual opinion. Defoe, who left Halifax by this very road, if he passed through (Kirkley), as his narrative suggests, gave the same estimate of the distance:
Page 109
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS. 229
Very careful examination and comparison with the other faces will reveal the remains of a hand that has been cut out, for as the stone is now set the hand would point down hill away from Leeds. -
On the lower side is:
J. A. J. W. 1787.
On the upper side:
TO Elland 4 Miles
with the hand pointing to
Page 110
930 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY
with the date, either 1779 or 1770, on a separate slab at the side. This is only half a mile away from the previous stoop.
Here the road bears to the right and crosses Clifton Beck not far from its con- fluence with the Calder, by Clifton Bridge. Having thus gained its object, contact with the Calder, by the mouth of the Clifton Beck, it meanders across the alluvial flats on which Brighouse is built, in order to cross the Calder by the old bridge of Brighouse, or as Ogilby writes the name, “
Page 111
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS. 25
not far off the line of Brighouse-lane, from Clifton Bridge to the ford, and that this was actually the course of the Roman road, which then continued along the line of Gooder-lane towards Rastrick.
Why the bridge was not built at the ford I cannot say, but the site actually selected a couple of hundred yards up stream had obvious advantages, which perhaps were decisive. A small stream from Rastrick enters the Calder there and cuts through the high rocky cliffs that form the right bank of the river both above and below the bridge. The history of the bridge I must leave for another occasion, except to say that there was a bridge before 1275.
Page 112
932 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY
T.ane and waye doth lye within there said towneshipp or hamlett of Brighouse.” (Pedigree of Hanson and Hoyle, by Hansen Ormerod, 1915.)
Before we leave Brighouse let me intro- duce to you the very human diary of the Rev. Robert Meeke, curate of the chapel of Slaithwaite, beyond Huddersfield. The object, a Parliamentary vote, and the details
of a journey to York on_ horseback in February, 1689-90, are well given in a few sentences, and the journey was over the road we have been travelling.
“Feb. 19. Arose about two o’clock this morning and went with Mr. Broome (his friend, the curate of Meltham) towards York. About 10 we came to Leeds, and refreshed ourselves, and then to Tadcaster: about 5 came to York.”’
“ Feb. 20. Blessed be God arose in some
Page 113
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS, 233
whence the name Bowling Alley, just before Toothill Bank. Ogilby marks the road up the Bank, and shows the chapel and “‘
Page 115
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS. 235
With regard to
Page 116
936 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN
Page 117
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS. 237
“We walked through the town, which is dirty and promises nothing, to the turn- pike at one end of it (I forget whither the road leads), where you come suddenly upon the view I told you of, and which is far beyond anything that
Page 118
938 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIRTY
But it must have been recut, for the Ordnance map of 1854 records it as
Rochdale 15, Ripponden 4, Elland Cross §.
At the fork just beyond this the Rochdale road (as the road beyond Elland has been called since it was turnpiked) bears to the right. The tram route follows the modern
Page 119
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS. 239
500 feet under Greetland Edge, and to 825 feet under Gallows Pole Hill, before it touches Barkisland.
Ogilby’s details cannot all be reconciled. His ‘ Bradle,” if it really was Bradley Hall, is much too near ‘* Barsand,’’
Page 120
240 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY
Time of William and
Page 121
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS. 24]
arch saved it from destruction in the Rip- ponden flood of 1722 when the church was greatly damaged. It was replaced by the new bridge when New Bank was made about 1770. Jeffery’s map (1775) shows New Bank. Incidentally we know from the Wakefield Court Rolls that there was a “‘ Rybourne Bridge ”’ in 1316.
In keeping with this pack-horse bridge is the old Bridge Inn (Waterloo is but a modern name for it) that lies snug against it on the Soyland side. The inn is reputed to be, and may be, the oldest licensed house in the parish.
The old lane past the inn turns as if lead- ing only towards Soyland Town. But Mr. John H. Priestley states, in his ‘‘ History of that it went formerly through what is now the Vicarage garden, up to the turnpike road.
Before passing on I ought to note the facts recorded by F. A. Leyland in writing of the Roman Roads in 1861 (Yorks.
Page 122
242 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY
There is no difficulty in following Ogilby’s road as far as the old inn at Baitings, but difficulties lie ahead regarding the road in use over Blackstone Edge. The commencement of the old road is tu be found right in the centre of. Ripponden, for we leave the modern road at once wy turning off it to the right into Ripponden Old Lane. This goes by Nether Royd and then climbs the slopes to Old Lane Top and Slater Green, where a lane comes in on the right from Lane Head, Mill Bank and Sowerby. This agrees in distance with the road marked ‘to Hallifax,” just past the bend, and the 45th mile on Ogilby’s plan. To this point the way is shown unfenced on the upper side. A furlong or so beyond the
Page 123
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS. 243
as a marriage portion, his property
Page 125
ANCIENT
Page 126
246 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY.
There has been complete unanimity of opinion that the Roman road had fallen into disuse long before the 17th century, and that Ogilby in particular showed the ‘‘ old
Page 127
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS 247
in the engraving of the plate when the hills were added, for the distances on the road from point to point are not affected by it. In fact the quotation from Ogilby, above, gives the length from the summit to Windy Bank as 14 furlongs. Fishwick and March’s chain of reasoning having thus broken at the first link, ‘t became necessary to weigh all the evidence afresh, and first of all to examine Ogilby’s plan to extract from it all the information ‘+ could be made to yield. The only satis- factory method was to enlarge it up to the scale of the six-inch maps on tracing paper and then super-impose the drawing on the maps to compare his road with the various crossings of the Edge. This involved magnifying the errors of the survey and the engraver, and adding to them my own errors in measurement and projection, but the result has justified the labour. The result was a genuine surprise, for there was only one possible interpretation of the enlarged plan. Ogilby’s road was the Roman road for a certainty. There 3s only one gross error, the position of the summit and county boundary. A minor one makes the approach to Windy Bank from Lydgate bear south of west instead of a little north, so that Littleborough is also too far south. But this does not affect the question
Page 128
248 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY.
The next turn, where Ogilby puts ‘ Enter
Page 129
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS 249
lengths. This coincided with Ogilby’s road about Windy Bank (not named), and eut it at Baitings Inn, but I can only regard these as fortuitous crossings. The one happens to be correct, the other incorrect. As a fact there never was more than one road for some way either side of Buaitings Inn before perhaps 1775. Nor can T suppose that Warburton by any
Page 130
250 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY.
lordship of Rochdale, not of Eland. = Thus, centuries later in the ‘ Survey of the Manor of in 1626 Richard Lighttollers is shown to hold Windie banke and Knoll and much land ‘on both sides the Highway from Rochdale to
Page 131
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS.
Page 133
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS 993
in either case from the
Page 134
254 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY.
points are wrong. The direction of his journey was north, not, as he states,
Page 135
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS
Page 136
956 HALIFAX
Page 137
‘gq
Page 139
13
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS OF THE PARISH OF HALIFAX.
V.-The Road Surveys of John Warburton.
[By Mr. W. B. Crump, M.A.]
MARCH 3rd, 1926.
One morning in October, 1718, an Excise Officer stationed at Bedale in the North Riding walked out of his office to tramp the highways of the broad county. <A few days later he addressed to the Commissioners of Excise a letter asking for leave of absence for some months for the recovery of his health and vigour! He showed no lack of vigour in his self-imposed task for in less than two years he had traversed the high- ways of the county from end to end, from the coast to the Pennines, over hills and up dales; pushing always a wheel to measure their miles, filling note
Page 140
14 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY.
The map is a triumph of personal enter- prise and enthusiasm. Even if its ground- work is Saxton’s map of Yorkshire; even if Ogilby’s ‘ Britannia’? supplies the nucleus of the roads, the superstructure, the network of highways throughout Yorkshire surveyed and mapped for the first time, is wholly Warburton’s and wholly to his credit. The map is on
Page 141
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS 15
few more facts about him and his methods of going about his grand task. Thanks to his journal and his acquaintance with Ralph Thoresby, the Leeds historian, we can follow him into this neighbourhood. Thoresby’s letters that refer to Warburton are all preserved in the Bodleian Library, and were first printed in the second volume of
Page 142
16 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY.
East Ridings were then actually surveyed and a large portion of the West Riding. ‘‘I am mightily pleased with his perform- ance.”’ It was during this visit that Warburton came through Halifax. The MS. of his survey of
Page 143
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS 17
he has employed so many of the top work- men in London that the map will be ready to be delivered the middle of next month.”
THE MAP OF YORKSHIRE.
Having quoted this last letter of Thoresby, the late W. Brown added the remark of his own, ‘ Notwithstanding Thoresby’s lauda- tory notice the map is a_ very mediocre
Page 144
18 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY.
scale, the side of each square containing five statute or common miles, whereof 5,280 feet makes one mile.”
The roads shown on Warburton’s map in our immediate district fall into the follow-
ing categories:
(1) Ogilby’s roads. (a) The London road coming by Barnsley and Almondbury to Halifax, Keighley and Skipton. (b) The York-Chester
Page 146
20 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN
Page 147
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS 21
THE LANSDOWNE MSS.
The published map of “ the ingenious Mr. Warburton ” is far from being his only contribution to the knowledge of our county. It is but a brief epitome of the facts, sur- veys, measurements, drawings that he recorded during his road tramps. Happily these have all survived, gathered into that great garner of documents called ‘‘ the Lansdowne MSS.” in the British Museum. There you may see the original sketch books filled with views of gentlemen’s seats and prospects of sundry towns, all very slight and crude, but of some value; plans ot single roads, sheet by sheet, plotted from his measurements, and, best of all, the detailed record of the surveys, examples of which I am putting before you. The difference these make 1s enormous; would that the foundation of Ogilby’s road surveys had similarly escaped destruction! Let me illustrate this by a concrete example. You will be familiar with the main road between Keighley and Skipton. Take a half-inch ordnance map and compare the road on that map with Warburton’s representation of the road on his map, of nearly the same scale. For all you can tell by inspection the two roads are identical, or differ so slightly that you set down the discrepancies to Warbur- ton’s inferior technical ability or appliances. But with a copy of the original road survey in front of you, you may draw Warburton’s road between the two towns on the scale of the six-inch ordnance map; it will be none too large for the detail, and on com- parison you will discover that though it passes through the same places his road
Page 148
22
Page 149
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS 23
interrogated the native as he travelled, and with lightning speed spelt the names as he heard them. Such things as ‘‘ Mr. Baraclo house,” ‘‘
Page 150
24 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY.
subtraction the distance between Stations
Page 151
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS 25
north, but they are now obscured from sight, utterly lost in a maze of buildings and city smoke. When and where can one hope to see ‘‘ Heeton o’ th’
Page 152
26 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY.
Hill, and a new North Bridge had been built. But what a contrast in 80 years! The whole country now “ almost a continued and the road bad, on account
Page 153
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS 27
three miles it has been superseded by an easier road. In this it illustrates a change that often took place in the roads that were turnpiked before 1750 or not
Page 154
28 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY
Page 155
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS 29
But in itself it is quite a creditable 2nd accurate representation of the greater part of the town as it was in 1719; and particu- larly it identifies the roads used in leaving the town for Bradford, Wakefield, Southow- ram, Elland, Rochdale and Luddenden, 1.e.,
Page 156
30 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY
of Southowram, bequeathed two shillings in 1509 under the name “
Page 157
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS. 31
from that point, and of course Heath Hall has been swept away.
Between Stations 10 and 12
Page 158
32 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY.
side of the bridge, and the line of the bridge is to-day. as near as may be, 31 degrees cast of south. We are bound tu accept his evidence that the
Page 159
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS. 33
the intervening half-century, but we shall have to wait for further evidence on the question.
Beyond Elland Upper Edge as the road traverses the upper part of Rastrick town- ship and then the whole length of
Page 160
34 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY.
HERE PAR TS BRADL EY AND FIXBE
This is certainly the more ancient for the lettering is continuous, without spacing between the words, so that we may be sure that both of them stood by the lane side when Warburton passed this way.
Three hundred years ago there was a fierce dispute between Rastrick and
Page 161
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS 35
house [i.e., of Wakefield, held at Brighouse, as I imagine, or quite possibly of the then separate Manor of Brighouse] and a payne imposed upon them to repair the said way which is still dependinge there, proceedings in the Court to stay and to proceed upon the paine in the Courte Leete, because it had the prioritie.”’
The decision of the Court Leet is unknown, but Sessions took the dispute in
hand again and referred it to two umpires whose award is recorded a few months
later, as set out below. The whole incident is of considerable importance because
Page 162
36 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY
Now there are difficulties in interpreting these records, although it is clear enough that they must have reference to the Wake- field and Elland highway. The most con- fusing is the mention of Rastrick Common, which, where we know it to-day, has no relation to the
Page 163
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS 37
Colne by Colne Bridge, and so led to many places besides Kirkheaton.
These two bridges over Calder and Colne are the last and perhaps the best example of the device I have called your attention to repeatedly; but curiously the river crossings here have not proved a focus of population as much as elsewhere, either in early
Page 164
38 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY
MIRFIELD MOOR AND BEYOND. A few more words about Warburton’s route beyond Cooper Bridge and we must leave him. Just beyond Station 29 he notes
Page 166
40 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY
Midgeley T. N.W. 16 at 4m. Wareley T. N.E. 5 at 3m. Nulend (a house) Mr. Murgatroid [Newland] N.E. 4 at 3m. Yuwood (a house) Mr.
farrer [Ewood] N.W. 24 at
Page 167
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS. 41
Crinnwell [Cromwell] (a house) Mr. Hagre S.E. 18
Bradle T. S.w. 454 Stainland T. S.W. 314 Barsland T. S.W. 37 Greetland S.W. 35 Rippinden S.W. 58 Copley H. S.W. 504 Skircoates T. S.W. 505 15 m. Heppenstall T. N.W. 67 Midgley T. N.W. 76 Wareley T. N.W. 87 Nuland (a house) N.W. 77 Yewood N.W. 763 Crostone Chap. N.W. 79 Soreby H. & T. N.W. 81
If I am right in my explanation of the three places following ‘‘S. Owram,’’ there is some error in the identification of them, for the bearings do not give their relative positions correctly. Perhaps Whittle Place and Cromwell Bottom have been transposed, or one mistaken for the other.
Page 168
THE ROAD BETWEEN BRADFORD AND HALLIFAX.
Station.
1 2
GN
on
10
10 11 12 13 14
15 16
—
Direc- tlon,
S.E. S.W.
N.W.
Page 169
43
7 — West 2 210—0 310 Crossley Hall bears North. Allerton Town bears
Page 170
29
30 31
32
33 34
35 36
37
38 39 40
Page 171
THE TOWN OF HALLIFAX.
Page 172
12
13
14 15 16
17 18 19
20
21
22
23
— South —
Page 173
THE ROAD BETWEEN
Page 174
12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20
al 22
23 24
29 26
a7 28 29
30
S.E. S.E. N.E,
Page 176
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS OF THE PARISH OF HALIFAX
VI.-Elland and its Highways
[By Mr. W. B. Crump, M.A.]
May 8th, 1926.
Six hundred years ago, Elland was more populous and more wealthy than Halifax. Part of the great Honour of Pontefract, it had become a compact, independent manor with a resident lord; within the great parish of Halifax, it possessed its own chapel and its own weekly market. It
Page 177
70 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY.
escarpment, and meandered through wide alluvial and impassable flats, bounded by steep slopes of shales, that still remain wooded as they have always been. Nor was there any feasible crossing above this point, for there was another broad belt of alluvium, due to the junction of the Halifax brook and the Blake burn, on either bank, with the Calder.
Yet direct evidence of the existence of a bridge at Elland in the 14th century is entirely lacking, and one incident in the narrative of the Eland Feud, the young knight crossing the river on his way to church by the
Page 178
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS
Page 179
72 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIRTY.
escarpment that forms 4 ring of steep Shale hills on one side of the town and isolates it to a considerable degree. Halifax of sheer necessity surmounted this barrier andl constructed new outlets. Elland was too little a place to influence the direction of new turnpikes; it could only receive thank- fully what was offered to it. Consequentlv its barrier proved a fatal obstacle, for the later turnpikes,
Page 180
Ancient Highways of the Parish of Halifax.
Vi.—ELLAND AND ITS HIGHWAYS. May 8th 1926.
ERRATA.
Please read the first line on page 78, as this line should appear at the top of page 72.
Page 181
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS 73
of them. Water-gate, or Northgate, came up from the bridge, with the ancient ‘* Rose and Crown” facing the church;
Page 182
74 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY
ELLAND PARISH. I have emphasised the bridge-head character of the site of Elland,
Page 183
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS 75
was founded upon a Roman road and to its existence in medieval times I attribute the origin and delimitation of Elland parish.
STAINLAND TO ELLAND. But this did not serve
Page 184
76 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY
this ‘‘ Upper Gate’? along the Nab until it jeined the Long Wall, or the Rochdale-road, at the
Page 185
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS 17
road into the town. The trustees had just obtained additional powers under a new Act (G Geo.
Page 186
78 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN
Page 187
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS 79
trates how every township in the Manor >f Wakefield, of which Stainland was one, must needs have as direct a way as possible towards Wakefield from the earliest times.
Before I leave the subject of the Stain- land roads into Elland, I ought to quote from an earlier case submitted to Mr. Stan- hope, in 1750, with regard to the rights of the occupiers of the Town Fields.
“That during the Winter Season, whilst the Fences lye down, it hath been usual for horses and carriages to travel across the Fields to Eland (tho’ there is a good High road and part of it lies thro’ one of ye Fields) in regard it’s something
Page 188
80 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN
Page 189
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS 81
The east face, close up against a wall-end,
reads : To Milsbrige 2: ms “SG Hallifax 4m
Page 190
82 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY
and so over the hill to another river crossing at Lockwood, or away to the right to Cros- land Hall. The sequence of names proves that this road, unromantic as it looks to-day, must be the very way Sir John Kland took in the 14th century to execute the murderous vengeance that cost him hus own life.
HAIGH CROSS. Only a field length down this road stands a memorial or wayside cross that
Page 191
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS 83
intended to be a guide stone, for it is set very near the summit of Haigh House
Page 192
84 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY
the slope of the hill down to Broad Carr and Holywell Green westwards.
Page 193
ANCIBNT HIGHWAYS 85
part comes just below the outcrop of the Hard Bed Coal, and here, near the
Page 194
86 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY
To Rippond - - 3 Mile Hallefax 4 Mile
Slaighwai - - 2 Mil. -
Conventional ornaments, now worn, take the place of the usual hands—the road to Ripponden and Halifax being marked
Page 196
88 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY
of Old Lindley almost as near in the other direction. But tne convergence of townships to this slack is not
Page 197
ANCIENr HIGHWAYS 89
As usual
Page 198
90 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY.
was a milestone on the other side of the
Page 199
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS 91
Page 200
92 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SCCIETY.
is evident from them that there was = as much visiting neighbouring
Page 201
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS 93
above on the ancient highways of the country, it becomes more certain than ever that the ballad was composed by someone with an intimate knowledge of the district. The only important errors in the ballad are those that extend the time of the action considerably and transfer the setting during these intervals to Lancashire, either (a) to Townley or (b) the Furness Fells, i.e., away from Elland. In the Elland country itself the ballad never makes a mistake, and 1s valuable early evidence, amply corroborating the deductions I have drawn from other sources.
In the first act of the tragedy, Sir
Page 202
94 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY
To Mr. Townley and Brereton Their help
Page 203
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS 95
Now the fact stated here is simply that
Page 205
ANCIENr HIGHWAYS 97
as he and his family crossed the river on their way to church. Whether there was a bridge or not is uncertain.
Page 207
GUIDE STOOP AT THE ROYAL GEORGE, SCAMMONDEN.
Page 210
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS
PARISH OF HALIFAX
PART VII ‘The York and Chester Highway through Sowerby
By W. B. CRUMP, M.A.
HALIFAX The Halifax Printing Co., Ltd. 1927
Page 211
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS OF THE PARISH OF HALIFAX
+>
VII.— The York and Chester Highway through Sowerby.
By W. B. CRUMP, M.A.
February
Page 212
2 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY
travellers went that way habitually to the 17th century, but that hardly proves it to be a great thoroughfare, used by more than local traffic. We know that the first turnpike Act of 1735
Page 213
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS. 3
worn as late as the 18th century? Beyond this isolated allegation what evidence is there of wheeled traffic over the Edge, or hetween Rochdale and Yorkshire, at any time? Knowing as we do that puck-horses aione carried all the merchandise of the dis- trict—wool, cloth, coal, lime, ete., and that horses were invariably
Page 214
4 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY
hear these ripples of ‘
Page 215
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS. 5
Here in fact was an anomaly, patent to any one coming hither from the South. By or during the 17th century the whole of the woollen district, either side of the Pennines, had become studded with
Page 216
6 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY
clothiers, possessing substantial landed estates, the typical yeomen of the parish. Mr. Kendall, as I have said, has delved more than once with pleasure and profit in this great quarry, and he has brought to light facts that bear on the story of the highways, and that reveal the through traffic on the great highway over Blackstone Edge. But only the history of the bridge of Sowerby, as recorded in the accounts, has he told at full length. So that he has left much metal for me to extract from his quarry, especially as he kindly lent me his complete transcript of the Accounts. Before I get to work in this Sowerby delf I propose to lay one or two foundation stones brought from other quarries.
THE ALTERNATIVE ROUTE.
Our knowledge of the York and Chester road by Tadcaster, Leeds and Elland, dates from Ogilby’s ‘“‘
Page 217
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS. 7
Page 218
8' HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY
bury and Bristol is in full accordance with the description by Defoe of the great post
Page 219
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS. 9
affords a satisfactory definition of the course of the highway, although if does not mame
York.
Now much of this road is the modern road to Harrogate from Bradford, and the short length on the little neck of land in Idle township just before Apperley
Page 220
10 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY
added ‘‘ the Roade is very much used over the same from Yorke, New Castle, Hull into
Page 221
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS. 11
a living, honest or dishonest, or failed to make a living, by wandering from place tu place. They were by no means all of the:n rogues and vagabonds, but they were liable to be treated as such, and to be whipped, stccked or branded, if they were tramping the road without visible means of support.
The one passport which gave them the right of travelling was a certificate from
Page 222
12 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY
to state: ‘‘ And tho’ the town of Idel lyeth u mile backwards from the said Bridge out of the Road, yet by reason of the said little neck of Land in their Constablery thro’ which the Road passeth, the Constables of Yeadon, Rawdon and Eccleshill do daily bring passengers to the Constable of Idel to be passed to and fro on the said Road to the manifest grievance of your Peticioners and the great hinderance of such
Page 223
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS. 13
To Criple travellinge from Newcastle into Somersettshire, in money and caryinge to the next Cunstable... 10d.
Feb. 15. To a Soulder beinge laime travellinge from Richmond [Yks] for meate, drinke and lodgeinge and
caryinge him to the next Cun- Stable 10d.
Feb. 27.
Page 224
14 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY
Once also I have traced mention of Holy- head, when the pass offered a choice of »
Page 225
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS. 15
1634—Ann Walles had a pas to pas into Duchlande. John Johnson and his wife travilinge ffrom Ireland.
Page 226
16
HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY
Page 227
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS. 17
NORTH-EAST TO SOUTH-WEST. So
Page 228
18 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY
men that had a pase to goe into Scotland,” or simply Scotch men” in 1633; a ‘“maymed souldier’’ going towards Corn- wall, three men
Page 229
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS. 19
from Ireland, had a passe to New- castle, had lost £700 by fyer, 6d. in money given them and meate and drinke morne and even, 18d. 2
A
Page 230
20 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY
landed at Newcastle, travelling to Gloces-
Page 231
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS. 2)
great highway, either side of the Pennines, leading thither, it is surprising that any trafic from Ireland o: ont of Westmorland and Cumberland crossed Blackstone Edie for London and the South of England, yet there is always a dribble. There was also available the Roman road over Stainmoor from Penrith Catterick Bridge, which no doubt served the north-western counties, but not Ireland.
In 1639 there came from Ireland a family that “had loste £500 by
Page 232
22 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY
Again in 1684 there came a family out of Ireland and going to Boston; and a month later two families from London bound fcr Westmorland, and ‘‘ had 10 moneths’ time to return back to
Page 233
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS. 23
of the old Roman road that is the most definite in its long history.
So I find written on almost every page cf the Accounts payments to soldiers and pay- iments to passengers going to or coming from Ireland. To them and the other travellers through Sowerby we may now turn for a short time. The old rhyme is an appropriate description of them:
Tinker, tailor, soldier, sailor, Rich man, poor man, beggar man, thief.
The only class we do not meet with is the
native of the Pennines going about his
Page 234
24 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY
crowd of refugees from Ireland appear as:
1646—Dec.: 2 Ivish gentell women and 4 children.
1646-7—Feb.: 2 Irish gentell women and 4 children.
1646-7.—Mch.: 2 Irish gentell women and a child.
Page 235
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS. 25
through Sowerby on their way to London. But by the summer of 1690 the tide had turned and there were
Page 236
26 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY
the incidents and the movements in the Civil War reflected in one way or another by the passage of soldiers over the highway. Apart from such, the general impression viven by the Accounts is the unending drift hither and thither of the wrecks of warfare
Page 237
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS. 27
1691—.Jun. 22d: Pd. for meat drink and lodging of Jane Jackson, Widd., with 4 children, whose husband was slain at Cork, and for help- ing her part of ve way over Blackstonedge 1
1694—Pd. to Robert Sage, a leeutenant and a Sargant with him, seeking of 6 soulgers that hath out runn ther coulers, and carrying them to the Constable (of) Rachdale with horses 2 6 Spent for executing 4 severall hue and cry warrant about soulgers that hath outrun ther
Page 238
28 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY,
Page 240
30 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY,
The next got a taste of both: 1658—July 23th. Spent about Barnard Husband who Mr. Horton ordered to be whipped and stocked and made him a pass to [from] Constable
Page 241
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS. 31
1664—the same day (June 8) to fifeteen Geibaes
Page 242
32 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY
Somersetshire.
Page 243
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS. 33
The next year there were 36 payments to 139 people—50 men, 26 women, 63 children.
Selecting 1647-8 to represent the more troubled period of the Civil War; Sowerby was then full of soldiers and their coming and going, but these local movements can be disregarded, and only soldiers with a pass counted.
There were 80 entries of payments to 265 men (including 81 soldiers), 24 women and 21 children. A good many of the men and women were Irish; but there were few cripples and few wounded
Page 244
34 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY
pounds on Nov. 20, 1646, ‘‘ for the quar- tring of 27 of Captan
Page 245
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS. 35
1598-9, Feh. 16. Sir Henry Cocke to Sir Robt, Cecil.
On Monday next at Halifax we are to deliver to Sir John = Shelton 100 men pressed for Treland, whose furniture is to he carried by cart to West Chester. This will involve
Page 246
36 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY,
the next picture, a similar mustering for service
Page 247
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS 37
more “going about to charge horses and going to
Page 248
38 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY.
see what obstructions and wash-outs had heen caused by the winter rains. Judging from Mr. Meeke’s diary the winter was not severe. At any rate one draft was sent forward forthwith.
In March there were more, as witness his preparations :
For charging of 12 horses, pack-saddles,
Page 249
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS. 39
To Henry ith Withins fir going wth
Page 250
40 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY
HIGHWAY REPAIRS.
It is impossible at the end of so long a paper to do justice to the systematic repair of the highways of Sowerby and Soyland in the 17th century. But IT must at least establish the fact that the great highway from Sowerby Bridge to the summit of the
Page 251
“ANCIENT HIGHWAYS 41
To Jos. Mackrell for vt. day worke and 2
Page 252
42 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN
Page 253
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS. 43
At a
Page 255
PART VIII
Sowerby Highways
Page 257
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS OF THE PARISH OF HALIFAX
VIII.—Sowerby Highways. By W. B. CRUMP, M.A.
February 7th, 1928,
The Sowerby Constables’ Book supplied most of the material of my last paper devoted to the history of the York and Chester Highway over Blackstone Edge. Enough remains to provide an adequate survey of the other highways existing in tiie township in the 17th century, when it had become a prosperous and
Page 258
46 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY
within our survey, for at that time Soyland ranked as one of the quarters of Sowerby (Constabulary. The mill, common to both, lay within Soyland, on the stream that divided them; but ecclesiastically Soyland lay within Elland chapelry.
Roughly, Sowerby, with Soyland, is bounded on three sides by deep valleys and rises on the fourth to a watershed. On the north the Calder forms the boundary for three miles from Mytholmroyd bridge to Sowerby bridge. The Ryburn is_ the eastern, Cragg Brook the western boundary, and Blackstone Edge forms the watershed to the south-west. The great mass of grits is very little cut into within the bounds and dips gradually from the heights the western border (Nab End, Crow Hill, Man’s Head) towards the south-east.
The escarpment to the west and north- west is the most difficult frontier, and any descent into Cragg Vale, to Mytholmroyd or Erringden, is bound to be precipitous. This steep scarp culminates in the sheer drop of Hathershelf Scout facing the main valley. On the other hand the easiest access is at the north-east corner, where the bridge of Sowerby marks the natural entry into the township. For it is not merely the lowest point on the bounds; it leads up the shelving nose of land enclosed between the Calder and the Ryburn, and on this slope lies the ancient town of Sowerby, perched aloft and but slightly sheltered from the south-west’ by the heights beyond. The church lies just a mile, as the crow flies,
Page 259
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS 4]
hanks of the Calder around the bridge of Sowerby. Nor is it like Haworth or Eliand, where the new and ugly has been added to the old. Sowerby Town can he
Page 260
48 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY
enclosure and cultivation of the wastes—the only possible method of expansion, had already commenced before we have any records, and certainly before A.D. 1300. At first the cultivators of
Page 261
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS 49
said towneshippe of Sowerbye, who for most part live upon their labours in and about cloathinge.”” Not more than one-tenth of these houses would be in Sowerby Town or Soyland Town: the rest were scattered the length and breadth of the township, with one cluster on the way up to Sowerby Town from the bridge along Sowerby- street and Quarry or Quarrell Hill, and an- other cluster near Ripponden bridge.
This development of a township is
Page 262
50 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY
and wastes were parcelled out into walled closes. The economic results are negligible, but the award has left its indelible mark on the township in the straight roads and straight walls that intensify the bare aspect of these uplands.
NETWORK OF LANES. Neglecting this artificial lay-out we arrive inevitably at the conclusion that Sowerby’s highways have developed with the settle- ment of the township. They form a net- work linking the homesteads with one au- other and with several strategic points: Sowerby Town, the bridges, the mill. Con- sequently tnere are nearly always alternative routes from point to point, even from the chief bridge to Sowerby Town and even on the great thoroughfare to Blackstone Edge.
Certainly no other of our townships shows
Page 263
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS 51.
least as far as Marshaw Bridge on the line of existing lanes, with slight exceptions. Probably there was a track forward up Turvin Clough, leading over into Lanea- shire, and I suggest that the line of this track, from the point where the two turn- pikes meet beyond the county boundary, to
Littleborough, was utilised in making the first turnpike to Rochdale. In support of
this suggestion the Mytholmroyd turnpike forms the boundary of Soyland for some distance up Turvin Clough. If so, then the only length of new route in the first Rochdale turnpike was the mile up Black- castle Clough, and this was the ‘ New Gate.”
Neither of these turnpikes
Page 264
52 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY
county bridge in 1636, when the Constables’ Book contains a payment “ to gett Sowrbye Bridge into the Callender.’ Many more details in H. P. Kendall’s paper, “ Sowerhy Bridge and Stirk Bridge,” Hx.A.S., 1915.
2. Boy
Page 265
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS 53
almost certainly rebuilt in stone, as witness the entry:
1684—Oct. 6th. Pd. Timothy Wadsworth for building of Mithamroyd Bridge
Page 266
54 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY
from Snape.” Marshey Bridge also appears in the Bridge Book as_ repairahle hy Sowerby and Erringden.
BRIDGES OVER THE RYBURN. 6. Stirk Bridge and Ford.—The connect- ing link between Sowerby and Norland, and near the mouth of the Ryburn
Page 267
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS 55
close to Slithero Mill. This may be tne other Brow bridge. It certainly is badly placed if intended for Rishworth Mill Bridge, which is another half-mile up stream.
There remains an ancient and abandoned pack-horse bridge two or three miles further up Booth Dean, evidently replaced by the great modern Oxygrains Bridge, when the
Oldham turnpike was made from Ripponden in 1795. The importance of this old
Oxgrains Bridge will appear in the sequel.
There also remains for mention an un- identified ‘‘ Tillyholm Bridge,’? named in the Event Book of Oliver Heywood (Diaries
Page 268
56 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY
be considered in turn, it may be advisable to discuss now the entrance from Sowerby
Page 269
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS 57
absorbed in the modern road along the valley as far as Triangle. The name is like the road; and in the 17th century it was Pond or Stansfield’s Pond.
Page 270
58 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY
Constables to the systematic repair which is such a remarkable feature of the Accounts and which puts Sowerby in a niche by itself in the history of English highway adminis- tration.
Nominally from the time of the
Page 271
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS 59
and gravel,’ or in some districts with ‘ flint or rotting pebbles.’ ”
With that in mind it will be well to see how the Constables repaired the highways in Sowerby through the 17th century.
I have already quoted (Part VII) some entries relating to the Blackstone Edge road, and notably the provision of Causie Stones,” in 1640, for the length between Sowerby and
Page 272
60 ‘HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY
There are several more entries of “ setting ye highway,” both in that year and later; and in 1674 when Jonas Wilde was paid ‘hy the piece:
60 yds att 2d. p. yard 10 45 yds att 1d. ob. p. yd. 5 Tob 60 yards att 1d. p. yd. 5
he would he engaged in laying setts.
Yet this is just 200 years before, accord- ing to the New English Dictionary, the word “
Page 273
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS
Page 274
62 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY
carrying earth to cover the high way.
1690.—Pd. John Wadsworth for cleansinge the Janes hetween
Sowerby Street and Soyland Mill 2 35
Well as the Constables of Sowerhy had repaired the highways, the responsibility was ahout to be taken from them, and the Accounts extend far enough to foreshadow the coming change. This
Page 275
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS 63
upon to convey him to the next Constable; and only where the Constable entered in the Book both the destination of the pas- senger and the township to which he was conveyed do we get the clue to these other outlets from Sowerby that were used during the 17th century. Hence the entries that are valuable for this purpose are compara- tively few, and some of them are so obscure as to be useless. The residue, small in number as they are, submitted to careful comparison, yield direct evidence of the use of other highways over the Pennines such as is difficult to obtain from any other source.
I will first deal with the records of passengers conveyed “into Rishworth ” or
Page 276
64 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY
husband being a souldger 1 A year or two later an entry suggests that this Rishworth route was the Oldham road in particular:
1654.—July 8 and 9: Payd for keping of a criple that came from Sunderland, was to goe into Oudum Parish, and sending him of horsebacke to the Con- stable of Rushworth 1
I may perhaps be giving the impression that I am labouring the point in insisting that these few records in the Sowerby Con- stables’ Book establish the existence of an ancient highway through Rishworth, along the whole length of Booth Dean and over the summit to Oldham, the precursor of the Ripponden-Oldham turnpike. But there are other facts to corroborate them, and these I will present as 1 attempt to recover the older highway and to separate it from
the turnpike which partly utilised and thereby obliterated it. In itself the turn-
pike presents the aspect of a well-engineered and purely modern road, working steadily up the long lonely
Page 277
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS 65
Derby Inn, the Oldham turnpike did strike out a new course nearer the stream. We have to remember that the Blackstone Edge road as it leaves Ripponden only came into existence about the same date. The earlier highway still lies above it. Whatever road reached Slithero Bridge, or some crossing of the Ryburn towards Swift Place, must have come off the old Blackstone Edge road and gone towards Rishworth
Page 278
66 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY
tion along the roadside before the Lodge is reached, and tall stoops have been set into the wall bounding it in order to stretch wire fencing above the wall. One of these stoops is an old
Page 279
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS
Page 280
68 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY
more it is to be found in its primitive state. a trodden footpath amongst the rougn moorland vegetation, running parallel to the main road. It is so shown on the 1848 six-inch Ordnance map, winding, rising and falling much more than the modern road, which is almost level, just gently rising towards the 1,000ft. contour.
So we come to Oxygrains,
Page 281
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS 69
assisted me in discovering the site of Cain- bodunum.”? Watson apparently saw no evidence of a Roman road either in Dean Gate or on Blackstone Edge; but
Page 282
70 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY
Watson traced it personally to Warm Withens, which is on the Rishworth side vf Rag Sapling Clough, and therefore within sight of the Devil’s Causeway. Cold Laughton is the part of Soyland in the angle between the two turnpikes just before Blackstone Edge Reservoir, and looks to me both impracticable and too far east. If the old man had said ‘‘ under the i.e., on the Lancashire side of the edge, it would be a much
Page 283
ANCIENT
Page 285
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS 73
TRAFFIC INTO BARKISLAND.
It is not. easy to understand the references to the Constable of Barkisland
Page 286
74 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY
T can only suggest that these and some others for Ireland were sent to Barkisland to pass thence by Butts Green to the Booth Dean road.
Again the Constable of Barkisland appears in these years to have had thrust upon him
Page 287
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS 75
Pd. for a guide for her to Ratch- dale and other charges about her 10 Aug. 26th: Pd. for meat drink and lodging of Mary White and her child and a hors with a pass from Portland in Dorsetshire, to Peterhead, in Scottland, and for a guide to ye Counstable Midgly 1 8
Certainly, Midgley was more on the line of her route than Rochdale, and there are a few records in the Midgley Accounts of passengers from Hull and
Page 288
76 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY
sufficient to reveal another and. more
Page 289
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS 77
(2) From Sowerby Green at the top of Town Gate, Dob Lane is the beginning of a second artery that goes by Snape to Steep Lane and then turns up to Lane Ends. Here the cross road to the right that resumes the original direction makes a fairly straight and level course at about 850ft. for Hall Bank, above Mytholmroyd, ard a considerable length of it is known as the Long Causey. (3) From Steep Lane to Lane Ends again and keeping forward a lane goes west over the flank of Crow Hill to High Stones, on the further side. (4) From Sowerby Green, Well Head Lane goes (right) by Riggin to Wine Tavern and Upper Quick Stavers on the 1,000ft. con- tour, and probably served also as a way to Lane Ends, or otherwise into No. 3.
The Constables’ Book affords abundant evidence of the repair of all these lanes in the 17th century, sections of them being named in various guises as having been repaired.
Undoubtedly the Long Causey was thie one direct way to Mytholmroyd of Elpha- brough Hall, and it had a way mark in the 17th century in the Standing Stone, the site of which is shown on the 1848 map close to the house called Bull Green. Stake Lane continued the Long Causey, passing Stake. Then came the steep descent of Hall Bank, from 800ft. down to 350ft., to the foot of Cragg Vale.
There are numerous entries relating to the repair of this highway, especially on Hall Bank and at Errenden Brook, as
Page 290
78 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY
for journeys to Leeds and York and Halifax, for witnesses at Wakefield, for lawyers and Sheriff’s Clark, and for wyne and ale for
Page 291
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS 79
of either crossing the Calder by Hard Hip- pens, opposite Fallingroyd, or of going on towards Old Chamber and then descending and crossing by the bridge,
Page 292
80 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY
and a man and a carte 7 days QS. DA 14
From High Stones the
Page 293
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS 8]
first, from Marshaw Bridge it was, and is, known as Rudgate. After a mile it entered the Withens and crossed at the Withens Gate to the south side of the stream for half a mile. Here at the first Withens Gate began yet another Long which continued right through the Withens and beyond
Page 294
82 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY
isolated farmsteads. Beyond and _ helow, out of sight, is the inner valley, the deep gorge of Todmorden, with
Page 295
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS 83
Page 296
84 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY
gorge. It crosses the gorge either at Walsden or at Bottomley, and ascends on to tie further edge. It then turns south along the edge from
Page 297
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS 85
forward very hastily now, but happily I discussed this and similar
Page 298
86 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY
Undoubtedly it was the woollen industry that kept in being primitive tracks and added others linking this part of the West Riding with East Lancashire. The Forest of Rossendale and the Forest of Sowerby- shire have had for centuries much more in common than is apparent to-day. Rochdale and Burnley especially have
Page 299
PART IX.
Heptonstall and its Highways
Page 300
OL GVON AHL NO
Page 301
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS OF THE PARISH OF HALIFAX.
IX. Heptonstall and its Highways.
By W. B. CRUMP, M.A.
July 14th, 1928,
The ancient chapelry of Heptonstall em- braced the five western townships of the parish of Halifax—townships of high moor- lands and great wastes, separated from one another by deep, wooded gorges. In each there was in early times a ‘“ tonstall”’ or farmstead, probably identical with the manoria] vaccaries mentioned about 1300. But in Heptonstall, more than the others, the population began to cluster round the
Page 302
90 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY
Page 303
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS. 91
terraces flanking the valleys of Hebden and Calder and Colden.
Heptonstall was also their market town, for by the time of Elizabeth it had its own Cloth Hall, and the traffic from Heptonstall to the outer world that lay beyond ite encircling moors was a traffic in cloth, in wool and yarn and pieces. Every highway out of Heptonstall led through these upland
Page 304
92 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY
So the 16th century was the prelude to the industrial revolution that began in the 18th, and that in this
Page 305
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS. 93
narrow defile. The railway penetrates it up both branches, without any real need for tunnelling, except to find space or to improve difficult curves. The defile is in effect a natural cutting, with its banks gashed where streams break through it, giving glimpses of an outer high barrier behind the steep pastures and woods on either hand. On the shelving slope of this outer valley there are numerous lanes and tracks of older times, and some of them follow the trend of the valley, but keep several hundred feet above the stream level. Of necessity,
Page 306
94 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY
The explanation of these valley charac- teristics is to be found in the conditions that prevailed locally during the glacial period. No glacier, of any importance, filled the Calder Valley, which became the outlet for the melt-waters from the immense ice sheet which was pressed high up the western flanks of the Pennines. The torrents that poured down it gouged out a narrow deeper gorge, sweeping the detritus along in the flood. The valley, besides being deepened, was cut back beyond the main water-shed (at Todmorden) and the Burnley and Walsden waters captured.
The tributaries were left as hanging valleys, with their outlets high above the newly deepened Calder. They cascaded down in the first place, but this fall increased their powers of erosion, and they proceeded to cut out a funnel-shaped clough in their lower course as they worked down to the new level. The cascade receded up stream and is still to be found, as a waterfall, at about the 800ft. level, marking the head of the clough. Possibly the Hebden Valley received some smaller portion of melt- waters through the gaps of Widdop and Gorple. Its long gorge is more like the Calder defile than a clough, and the water- falls are to be found on ite tributaries and not on the Hebden itself. But, apart from that possibility, there is a regular develop- ment of the clough from west to east from the Calder Head to the Hebden, as the tributaries become longer and more effective. In human history both older and modern practice has avoided the clough as difficult to negotiate. Hence the older highways serving a population living on the uplands crossed the streams at the clough head; or, alternatively, came down to the clough foot (Hepton bridge, Mytholm bridge, Horse bridge), at tho confluence with the main stream.
Page 307
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS. 95
defile because it involved no _ heavy gradients. In doing so, they have left Heptonstall as it was, dwelling in the upper plane and telling its story to those who climb ite fianks or see it from its daughter hamlets.
THE TOWNSHIP BOUNDARIES AND BRIDGES. Following the boundaries of Heptonstall township it igs evident that the bridge sites, or river crossings, determined by the natural factors
Page 308
96 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY
tress), were much too steep for anything. but pack-horse traffic, but the bridge was close to the confluence of the Hebden, with the Calder, and
Page 309
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS. 97
an ancient crossing, and must primarily be regarded as an approach to the steep ascent, called Rawtonstall Bank and then Badger Lane, that leads to Blackshaw Head, though the turnpike utilised the crossing for the valley road to Todmorden. At first the Colden forms a very deep, wooded clough, invaded by mills from the time of the Industrial Revolution. It is overhung by the precipitous scar of Heptonstall Eaves, harring all approach to the Town; but a footpath known as Oldgate works its way up to Heptonstall Slack and appears to he a continuation of the Oldgate at the Bridge.
The clough diminishes in depth and may he regarded as ending at Jack Bridge, which carries the old highway to Burnley. But. helow that point the old fulling mill erected by Thomas Hudson before 1570, and_ still bearing his name, is set on the stream, arid below the mill is an old bridge of interest both in name and structure. It is built of two pairs of stone slabs, supported on a pier in midstream, so that it is a “‘hebble.” It must have
Page 310
98 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY
Haworth road, superseded by a_ turnpike read, originated at Heptonstall and retains features of considerable interest. Before turning to a consideration of it and the Burnley road, we may glance at the mincr tracks leading into Lancashire. Going towards the south-west they had all to cross the difficult Calder gorge,
Page 311
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS. 99
By that time turnpikes were being planned and engineered on much more independent lines than in the 18th century. The course of the Halifax-Keighley road had _ been boldly diverted from its early route through Cullingworth to Sugden End and the Worth Valley, and this stimulated the project of a new road over the hills from Hebden Bridge, through Oxenhope (otherwise Upper Town), to join it near Lees, at the Cross Roads.
To understand the highways northwards as they existed prior to this momentous change, it is neceasary to wipe this turn- pike off the map. It not only took an entirely new route over the moors; it cut a new outlet from the White Lion in Hebden Bridge, up to Pecket Well,
Page 312
100 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY
Ibbotroyd Clough and Kitling Clough, and reaches Pecket Well by way of Acre, Old Town and Akroyd. The hamlet of Pecket Well has been created by the new road, and stretches along it; the old road is the deserted lane that goes down into the hollow and joins the turnpike again just before Upper Crimsworth.
Practically Heptonstall has been visible the whole way, standing at the same altitude, but separated by the deep Hebden valley. The ways across this must of necessity be steep on both sides, and the creation of the Keighley road has, by affording an alterna- tive route to Pecket Well and Old Town, left the old ways virtually unchanged, There were two of them, and both are shown in Jeffreys’ map (1771), which is particularly good in the neighbourhood of Heptonstall.
The first began with the descent of the Buttress to the old Hepton Brig and then from King’s Farm (the White Lion) it climbed the
Page 313
ANCIEXT HIGHWAYS. 101
through the ‘‘ North Field” of old, other- wise by Town Field Lane, until it reaches the edge of it at White Hill Nook, where the panorama of woods and cloughs bursts upon the view. Here it simply tumbles headlong 400ft. down to New Bridge.
Page 314
102 HALIFAX ANTIQUARSAN SOCIETY
behind the house and pursues its way through the wood under Smeekin Hill, the
Page 316
104 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY
week. The firet portion of her journey is to the * New Bridge,’ the descent of which is declivitous, and might almost be com- pared to a house side. The next is an ascent, steep, uneven and craggy; and having climbed its altitude, she arrives at either Pecket Well or Bent Head, Crims- worth. This part of the journey is extremely iaborious in any description of weather, without the addition of a burden. After this, a very good road
Page 317
ANCIBNT HIGHWAYS 105
Grain Water Bridge, and there begins the steeper climb up Thurrish on to the open moor. Thurrish Dyke is the beginning of another ‘‘ Limers’
Page 318
106 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN
Page 319
ANCIRNT HIGHWAYS. 107
tion of the causeway—or of the crosses,
Page 320
108 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY
making a new reservoir in the valley, there is still a danger of interference with a public right of way.
At Jack Bridge the Burnley road crosses Colden Water and enters Stans- field. The direct ascent the bridge is known as Old Shaw-lane, going straight up by Lower Murgatehaw and becoming a sunk lane towards the top. This has been replaced by a loop road by Far Murgatshaw, which is shown on a map of Stansfield township, made in 1833. But only the old straight Shaw-lane appears on an earlier township map (1805) and on the Enclosure Award plan of 1816, when the highway was narrowed by
Page 321
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS. 109
maps, and so keeping the ridge between the Lancashire Calder and its tributary Brun, it comes down to Burnley.
A PRIMITIVE TRACK-WAY.
Having described the course and salient features of this highway between Hepton- stall and Burnley, I must now attempt to deduce its possible age and purpose, to view it as part of a greater highway—for such it undoubtedly is. There can be no hesita- tion in linking it up to the highways that came from Wakefield to Halifax and from Halifax to Heptonstall, described in Parts II and IT (1924). For 35 miles or so this highway follows a steady course, parallel with the Calder, but keeping high up on the northern flanks of its valley. Although it follows hill contours and is never straight, it maintains a direction that is consistently west by north, or from 10 to 15 degrees north of west; so much go that it is hardly anywhere a mile out of the straight line joining Wakefield and Hebden Bridge.
There is, however, one notable departure from this alignment, and that is the course of the highway through Heptonstall town- ship. Between the crossing of the Hebden at the old
Page 322
110 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY
the hill by Badger Lane* to Blackshaw Head. There is no geographical reason whatever for the detour through Hepton- stall, unless it is claimed that the descent into the main valley, and a passage along it even for half a mile is inconsistent with the uniform character of
Page 323
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS 111
between Ribchester and Clitheroe. There, even if it lost its identity, it merged into a system of other ancient tracks. From Whalley or Clitheroe ran the hill track over twenty miles of fell to Lancaster in the north-west; whilst the other Roman road out of Ribchester went north through the Forest of Bowland to Shap and Carlisle. The last consideration to be taken into accoum is the isolated mass of Pendle rising to over 1,800 feet. It is largely the explana- tion of the old highway running parallel to the two Calders, for it was an obstacle that had to be circumvented. The Calders provided a etraight route to the southern end of the ridge, and that once passed (towards Whalley), the W. by N. line was abandoned in favour of various tracks bear- ing more north.
Turning to the eastern end, it is equally certain that the track crossed the Calder at Wakefield and reached the Roman North road somewhere between Doncaster and Castleford. If it went forward without change of direction it would have reached Ermine-street,
Page 324
112 HALIFAx ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY
But the place-names in themselves are at least sufficient to prove that the native track- way was Romanised, or made into a street, from its junction with Ermine-street to or towards Dewsbury. No one can now say whether the Long Causeway in Cliviger was akin to the Roman pavement on Blackstone Edge, for it is destroyed; and there is no other evidence of Romanisation on the hills. But seeing that the road, or native track- way, linked two Roman roads, fifty miles apart, either side of the Pennines, and that the eastern end of it was Romanised for a dozen miles, it is likely that the whole length of the road was in use in Roman times.
ITS USE AFTER THE CONQUEST. The continued use of the road in medieval times, a thousand years later, is beset with difficulties. At first sight Whitaker’s con- clusion that it ‘‘ was the line which the Lacies and Plantagenets were condemned to pursue in their progress from Pontefract to Clitheroe, and the latter from thence to (History of Whalley, p. 350), seems to be an adequate explanation. But though the road did link directly the important centres of the Laci fees it ran very largely through Warenne territory, in the manor of Wakefield, with the castle at Sandal guarding the passage of the Calder. Even Whitaker had to postulate a diversion from the direct route, not for this reason, but because certain Laci tenants at Bradford were under obligation to attend these pro- gresses, accompanying their lord thence into
Page 325
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS. 113
specifiad the route. The serfs at Bradford were bound to “carry the victuals of the lord from Bradford to Haworth and Colne, and thence to
Page 326
114 HALIFAX ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY
a causey and getting up wayside crosses on it. The abbey was rearing sheep and ex- porting wool to the Low Countries. The Long Causeway, from end to end, from Whalley to Pontefract, was the direct route by which wool could be sent to Kingston- on-Hull. Below Knottingley, or some other point further down the Aire, the
Page 327
ANCIENT HIGHWAYS. 115
along it from Halifax or Heptonstall to Wakefield, pack-horses were travelling the road eastwards, laden with wool from the Lancashire granges of the Abbey of Whalley. At first this was al! destined for Flanders, but restrictions on the export of wool during the 15th century no doubt compelled the monasteries to seek a home market for their