The changing face of rural...Holmfirth

Pete,
Thank you so much for these photos. You have a great eye for detail. I can't believe that you could find the exact spots, comparing new to old. Since it seems that I will never have the chance to visit LOTSW country in person, it felt as though you had posted them just for me. Thanks again, from across the Big Pond.
 
Bless you Emma,thanks so much,if you look back over the posts I'v posted quite a few photos over the years,I know the area quote well,it's my walking ground and I usually know every exact location when I watch the episodes,I'm going over to Holmfirth next week,tell me where you would like some now photos of and I will take them and post them just for you,and if you are ever able to come over,I would love to be your guide to all the hidden locations that you would know so well.
Thanks again,Pete x
 
Pete. said:
Bless you Emma,thanks so much,if you look back over the posts I'v posted quite a few photos over the years,I know the area quote well,it's my walking ground and I usually know every exact location when I watch the episodes,I'm going over to Holmfirth next week,tell me where you would like some now photos of and I will take them and post them just for you,and if you are ever able to come over,I would love to be your guide to all the hidden locations that you would know so well.
Thanks again,Pete x
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Oh, you're going to be sorry you asked. There are so many areas I would love to explore.

There are several spots I would like to see, if I had the chance. One of them is no longer there. Another forum member posted photos of a dwelling that looked to have been dug into a wall. One episode that showed it was Who's That Dancing With Nora Batty. I was disappointed to see that it had been razed, and filled in with dirt. It's now just part of the hillside. I had always wondered about its historical significance.

Another area is outside the Butcher's Arms Pub. If you're standing with your back to the pub, there is a wall on the left side of the street. What buildings are above that wall? Is it the site of Norman Clegg's, and the Sibshaw's second house? I understand that both their first and second houses are private property, and visitors may not be welcomed. I'm just curious.

Another episode showed the path that led down a hill to the right of Hobbo's house. Where does it lead? It looked like a somewhat steep, grass covered hill.

There are steps that go down in front of the Sibshaw's and Clegg's second houses. Where do they lead? I think the places they lived in were used as housing for mill workers.

In the episode The Empire That Foggy Nearly Built, what are remnants of those buildings? Were they woollen mills? What businesses were housed in the other buildings across the street?

After Alvin (Brian Murphy) joined the show, he is shown being towed by Entwistle, in an office chair. Is the house that sits at the intersection occupied? It looks to be abandoned.

Is the house where Mr. Walter Ridley lived a single family dwelling?

I have so many more questions, but for now, I'll just leave it at that. Thanks in advance.
 
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Blimey Emma,ask away though,I'm sure myself and other forum members would be happy to answer anything if we could,
I'v been to all those places you mention,and on my next visits will take some photos for you.
I only visited the Butchers last week,it's in Hepworth next to Jackson Bridge,not sure what that building is to the left I'll take a closer look next time,although lots of filming was done there it's nothing significant to the show,Howard and Cleggys houses are about half a mile away in Jackson Bridge above the White Horse pub,they are private dwellings but have visited them in the past,I always write to the current owners to ask if I can visit and everyone has always been so friendly and welcoming,in quite a few of my previous posts I have put photos up of these houses,it was so surreal to stand there,they are on a very narrow dead and lane with a private residences sign but I have always been welcomed there,so too when I visited Seymours cottage,there's photos of that visit too somewhere.
Hobbos house is on the same road as Cleggys and Howards,it's just a private road in some lovely holly countryside,the steps in Howard's yard don't lead down to the bottom,although it might appear so in the episodes,it's quite steep and is directly above the White Horse pub,you have to go out via the lane,which is left out of Howard's house.
In the Empire episode,that is filmed at Marsden,about six miles from Holmfirth,you would recognise every bit of Marsden just as much as you would Holmfirth,again I'v taken hundreds of photos of Marsden them and now over the years,next time I go I'll take those photos for you from that episode.
The House that you mention at the junction is very much loved in and exactly the same as in the episodes,there's then and now photo of it in this thread with Seymour on the runaway mangle being towed by Eli's relative.
I'm going to Holmfirth next week and will post some more pics,they're all in Holmfirth showing it today and I post them so that people overseas or who can't visit can see what our lovely little Yorkshire Pennine town looks like today.
Hope some of this helps.
Pete x
 
Thank you for posting Pete a lovely sunny summery shot imminently it will be a Wintery scene so we should all perhaps be doing the Jam Roly Poly , with lashings of Custard of course , by the bowl full [ Other suet based deserts are available ! I wanted to point this out in case some of the eagle eyed members noticed I only mentioned Jam Roly Poly , without doubt this apparent bias towards Jam Roly Poly would have been Spotted by Dick :08:]
 
Emma said:
There are several spots I would like to see, if I had the chance. One of them is no longer there. Another forum member posted photos of a dwelling that looked to have been dug into a wall. One episode that showed it was Who's That Dancing With Nora Batty. I was disappointed to see that it had been razed, and filled in with dirt. It's now just part of the hillside. I had always wondered about its historical significance.
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This from a story in the Huddersfield Examiner: "Interestingly, it incorporates the remains of Yateholme Farm. The structure dates to the 8th century and was removed to the park when a reservoir submerged its original site." http://www.examiner.co.uk/news/west-yorkshire-news/special-report-victoria-park-splendid-5017521

And this: "Holme village has had a succession of playgrounds and recreation areas. The date on the main or bottom entrance arch of the present playground is 1686. This stone came from an old local farmhouse.

However, the door arch at the other playground entrance up Meal Hill Road has had a more interesting history, for it came from a building in the Domesday-listed village of Yateholme, sacrificed for the construction of a reservoir.

This door arch, which stood in Victoria Park, Holmfirth for many years, was moved several years ago and in 2012 was placed at the second playground entrance with an explanatory plaque built into the wall alongside." http://www.examiner.co.uk/news/local-news/holme-villages-fascinating-history-7079658

While I was staying in Holmfirth in September, I had planned to take the bus to Holme and check out the new location, as well as the school that was used as background in so many episodes and the walk around Digley Reservoir, but I arrived in Holmfirth with what turned out to be the start of a lung infection that I am still fighting. I've rescheduled that day out for another visit, not next year, but possibly in 2019. I wish it weren't such a business to get there from the States!
 
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Emma said:
Another episode showed the path that led down a hill to the right of Hobbo's house. Where does it lead? It looked like a somewhat steep, grass covered hill.
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It leads to an open field behind Dobroyd Mills. From the Wikipedia entry for Jackson Bridge: "Dobroyd Mills, which dominates the village, was once a major contributor to the West Yorkshire textile industry, producing fine worsted cloth for export. The mill now houses a fine yarn spinners, John Woodheads (Dobroyd Mills) Ltd, plus other small businesses such as computer services and facilities, engineering, sheet metal works and motor vehicle services." The row of houses in which Hobbo, Clegg and the Sibshaws live was built as weavers' cottages. Your can tell by the many windows placed very close together to shed as much light as possible on the looms. It's quite likely that the yarn being woven came from the mill just down the hill.

Emma said:
There are steps that go down in front of the Sibshaw's and Clegg's second houses. Where do they lead? I think the places they lived in were used as housing for mill workers.
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Those steps lead down to very narrow gardens and at least one storage shed. There are a few photos somewhere on this site that show glimpses of that area.
 
captain clutterbuck said:
Thank you for posting Pete a lovely sunny summery shot imminently it will be a Wintery scene so we should all perhaps be doing the Jam Roly Poly , with lashings of Custard of course , by the bowl full [ Other suet based deserts are available ! I wanted to point this out in case some of the eagle eyed members noticed I only mentioned Jam Roly Poly , without doubt this apparent bias towards Jam Roly Poly would have been Spotted by Dick :08:]
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Haha Hi Cap ☺
Will be visiting again next week if there's a dry but cloudy day,the only trouble with taking photos at this time of year is the sun is always very low and if it's the direction you want to take the photo the sun ruins the pic,just have a few old photos of Holmfirth,will venture out into the hills some other time,loads and loads of scenes were filmed at that spot but every time I go by I always think of the Jam Roly Poly song.Take care.
 
Marianna said:
This from a story in the Huddersfield Examiner: "Interestingly, it incorporates the remains of Yateholme Farm. The structure dates to the 8th century and was removed to the park when a reservoir submerged its original site." http://www.examiner.co.uk/news/west-yorkshire-news/special-report-victoria-park-splendid-5017521

And this: "Holme village has had a succession of playgrounds and recreation areas. The date on the main or bottom entrance arch of the present playground is 1686. This stone came from an old local farmhouse.

However, the door arch at the other playground entrance up Meal Hill Road has had a more interesting history, for it came from a building in the Domesday-listed village of Yateholme, sacrificed for the construction of a reservoir.

This door arch, which stood in Victoria Park, Holmfirth for many years, was moved several years ago and in 2012 was placed at the second playground entrance with an explanatory plaque built into the wall alongside." http://www.examiner.co.uk/news/local-news/holme-villages-fascinating-history-7079658

While I was staying in Holmfirth in September, I had planned to take the bus to Holme and check out the new location, as well as the school that was used as background in so many episodes and the walk around Digley Reservoir, but I arrived in Holmfirth with what turned out to be the start of a lung infection that I am still fighting. I've rescheduled that day out for another visit, not next year, but possibly in 2019. I wish it weren't such a business to get there from the States!
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Thanks for that Marianna ☺
Good on you for making that long journey,hope you are fully recovered soon.I am so lucky that I can decide to go visit and a half hour drive later be up in the hills or in Holmfirth.
 
Hello Marianna ,

Thank you so much for the historical notes they are extremely informative and interesting . I am so sorry to hear that your health was not great for your visit and that the issue with your lungs continues at present . I hope that your recovery is expedient and you are back to good health imminently , take care.
 
Marianna said:
This from a story in the Huddersfield Examiner: "Interestingly, it incorporates the remains of Yateholme Farm. The structure dates to the 8th century and was removed to the park when a reservoir submerged its original site." http://www.examiner.co.uk/news/west-yorkshire-news/special-report-victoria-park-splendid-5017521

And this: "Holme village has had a succession of playgrounds and recreation areas. The date on the main or bottom entrance arch of the present playground is 1686. This stone came from an old local farmhouse.

However, the door arch at the other playground entrance up Meal Hill Road has had a more interesting history, for it came from a building in the Domesday-listed village of Yateholme, sacrificed for the construction of a reservoir.

This door arch, which stood in Victoria Park, Holmfirth for many years, was moved several years ago and in 2012 was placed at the second playground entrance with an explanatory plaque built into the wall alongside." http://www.examiner.co.uk/news/local-news/holme-villages-fascinating-history-7079658

While I was staying in Holmfirth in September, I had planned to take the bus to Holme and check out the new location, as well as the school that was used as background in so many episodes and the walk around Digley Reservoir, but I arrived in Holmfirth with what turned out to be the start of a lung infection that I am still fighting. I've rescheduled that day out for another visit, not next year, but possibly in 2019. I wish it weren't such a business to get there from the States!
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I hope you are feeling better. Thanks for the reference material. I'm not sure why that particular structure fascinates me. It appeared in several episodes, and I always thought it was unique.
 
Marianna said:
It leads to an open field behind Dobroyd Mills. From the Wikipedia entry for Jackson Bridge: "Dobroyd Mills, which dominates the village, was once a major contributor to the West Yorkshire textile industry, producing fine worsted cloth for export. The mill now houses a fine yarn spinners, John Woodheads (Dobroyd Mills) Ltd, plus other small businesses such as computer services and facilities, engineering, sheet metal works and motor vehicle services." The row of houses in which Hobbo, Clegg and the Sibshaws live was built as weavers' cottages. Your can tell by the many windows placed very close together to shed as much light as possible on the looms. It's quite likely that the yarn being woven came from the mill just down the hill.



Those steps lead down to very narrow gardens and at least one storage shed. There are a few photos somewhere on this site that show glimpses of that area.
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Thanks for the clarification. I thought these buildings just housed the mill workers. I didn't know they were actually working looms on the premises. It would be great to visit this area. I tend to go a little crazy in yarn shops, and if locally produced yarn was available, I'd have to ship some back home.
 
20171117_145647-1-755x413.jpg Marianna/Emma is this the entrance you mean ?
I think this is the one that was in Victoria park but the article reads as if there is this,and another one dating from the 8th century,if so I don't know where that other one is.
 
Pete. said:
View attachment 1781 Marianna/Emma is this the entrance you mean ?
I think this is the one that was in Victoria park but the article reads as if there is this,and another one dating from the 8th century,if so I don't know where that other one is.
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The one from Victoria Park is supposedly at the other end of the playground from this entrance. This is the one where Foggy was so occupied with pointing out the features that made it ideal for a gun emplacement that he missed the bus.
 
Pete ,

Thank you for posting,the photo, the shape of the entrance and the sandstone brick looks similar to the one that Barry hides behind to escape from a dog and then Truly comes along and promises to make him more assertive , however the rest of the setting does not look right . I assume I am incorrect in my thoughts?
 
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Pete. said:
View attachment 1781 Marianna/Emma is this the entrance you mean ?
I think this is the one that was in Victoria park but the article reads as if there is this,and another one dating from the 8th century,if so I don't know where that other one is.
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I don't believe I ever saw an episode that showed the structure I'm referring to, from the front. The image with Compo standing by some columns, calling Gloria, and the interior scenes from this episode, seem to have been constructed for filming on a TV set. So I don't know if the actual structure had columns in the front. I have attached some photos to show what I'm talking about. One other member of this forum posted a before and after shot of the area where the structure had been located. Now, it's just a grassy slope.
 
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