Pigot and Co.'s Royal National and Commercial Directory of August 1841: Marsden, Slaithwaite, Linthwaite and Neighbourhoods

The following section is reproduced from Pigot and Co.'s Royal National and Commercial Directory of August 1841.


Marsden, Slaithwaite, Linthwaite and Neighbourhoods

Marsden is an extensive and populous chapelry, partly in the parish of Huddersfield, but chiefly in that of Almondbury, in the wapentake of Agbrigg, West Riding ; 5 miles north from Delph (in Saddleworth), 7 south-west from Huddersfield, and 17 north-east from Manchester ; situated on the banks of the Wessenden and the Colne — the latter stream, after receiving the former, separating the two parishes of Huddersfield and Almondbury. The manufacture of woollen cloth is carried on to a considerable extent in the chapelry and neighbourhood ; and there is likewise a mill for spinning silk, which employs a number of hands : formerly cotton was the staple of the place, but it is now nearly extinct. There is an iron foundry of some note, of which Messrs. Taylor and Co. are the proprietors ; it is conducted with superior skill, particularly in the manufacture of water wheels, steam engines and steam engine boilers, which branch has been the means of carrying the names of the proprietors into the principal manufacturing districts. The Huddersfield and Manchester canal passes through this chapelry, in a direction from east to west. At the distance of half a mile from the village is the famous tunnel under the hill of Standedge, — an achievement of skill and industry scarcely exceeded by the Thames tunnel in London. It was commenced under the superintendence of the celebrated James Brindley, and occupied twenty years in constructing : its length, from one side of the mountain to the other, is rather more than three miles and a quarter, and its line is at an elevation of six hundred and fifty-five feet above the level of the sea.

The places of worship are the chapel of ease, dedicated to St. Bartholomew, and a meeting-house each for independents and Wesleyan methodists : the living is a perpetual curacy, in the patronage of the vicar of Almondbury ; the Rev. James Morris Maxfield is the present incumbent. Edward IV granted three marks annually to this church, payable by the lord of the manor ; the grant was subsequently confirmed by Queen Elizabeth, and still constitutes part of the emoluments of the incumbency. The lord of the manor is Sir Joseph Radclifle, Bart., grandson of the first baronet of that name, who so highly distinguished himself for firmness and loyalty, in this part of the county, during the alarming times of 1811-12 and 13. In the village are a national school (under the immediate superintendence of the curate), the town's school, and a day school conducted by the independent minister. Three fairs are held annually — on the 25th April, 10th July, and 25th September — the last a great cattle fair. The chapelry contained, in 1831, 2,360 inhabitants, and at the last census (June, 1841,) 2,401.

Slaithwaite is a chapelry in the parish of Huddersfield, 4½ miles south-west from that town, and about 2½ north-east from Marsden ; situate in the valley of the Colne, and near to the Huddersfield and Manchester canal. The manufactures of this chapelry are extensive, numerous and various, comprising those for woollen cloth and smallwares, cotton spinning and machine making ; together with several scribbling and slubbling mills. The prosperity of the place is likewise promoted by its spa, which was discovered some years since ; the chalybeate properties of this spring are said to be equal to those of the waters of Harrogate, and found to be efficacious in the removal of rheumatic and scorbutic complaints. Mr. R. Varley (of the firm of Scholes & Varley, cotton spinners), of this place, shortly after the discovery of the spa, erected, at a considerable expense, commodious baths for the accommodation of visiters ; and it is now resorted to, in the spring and summer months, by the neighbouring gentry, and families of the most respectable class in trade. The chapel here, dedicated to St. James, was rebuilt in 1788 ; it is a convenient edifice, and will accommodate fifteen hundred persons : the living is a perpetual curacy, in the gift of the vicar of Huddersfield ; the Rev. Charles Augustus Hulbert, M.A., is the present incumbent. In a national school, a neat gothic structure, erected in 1840, nearly three hundred children are instructed ; a free school, endowed in 1718 by the Rev. Robert Meeke, then incumbent of Slaithwaite, is about to be revived, and the school rebuilt. The township of Lingards, in the parish of Aldmonbury, forms part of the chapelry. The population of Slaithwaite, according to the last census, was 2,892 ; and that of Lingards, Kitchen and Crimble (the two latter populous parts of Linthwaite and Golcar, adjoining the chapelry,) about 1,500 : so that the entire district in immediate connexion with the chapelry contains nearly 5,000 inhabitants.

Linthwaite is a township in the parish of Almondbury, nearly adjoining to Slaithwaite ; and its staple manufactures are of the same character as those that prevail in that chapelry. A new church was erected near Broad Oak, about the centre of the township, by aid of a government giant, in 1828 ; and, shortly after, a national school was established. Two chapels for particular baptists, and the like number for Wesleyan methodists, are in this township, which also embraces part of the populous hamlet of Milnsbridge.

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