Heptonstall is a Village in the county of West Yorkshire.
Perched on a steep moorland ridge with Hebden Bridge and the Rochdale Canal below, Heptonstall is a captivating old village best explored and enjoyed on foot.
Towngate and Top o’th’ Town forming the main street, are laced with blind corners and are no more than three metres wide in some parts. Packhorses clattered along the streets of Heptonstall after struggling up from the Calder Valley, before the Industrial Revolution cost Heptonstall its prominence as a centre of the handloom weaving trade.
A museum recalling the long history of the village is housed in a former grammar school in Churchyard Bottom. The old school at Heptonstall gave free education to fifty children at a time and was founded by a wealthy clergyman in 1642, rebuilt in the 1720s and closed in 1889. Some of the original school furniture is still in-situ.
One of Yorkshire’s oldest Cloth Halls, now a private house stands near by. Dating from the 16th century it is built of paler masonry than the usual dark stone of other Heptonstall buildings.
Visitors can rest their feet in cobbled Weavers Square where seats overlook the yard of the two churches of St Thomas one in ruins, but with some parts intact that date to the 13th century. The old church suffered heavy storm damage in 1847. The upstanding church a prosperous-looking replacement built in the 1850s. A cockpit, which was still used for cock-fighting during the Napoleonic Wars is said to have been on the site of the vicarage.
Heptonstall’s parish register records the names of Royalist troops who died in a Civil War skirmish in 1643. Oliver Cromwell’s Roundheads occupied the village and inflicted heavy casualties on the Royalist forces who battled up the hill from Hebden Bridge to try to dislodge them. The next Royalist assault - massively reinforced found the Roundheads gone
Steps lead down from Northgate to an unusual octagonal church that is said to be the oldest Methodist church in the world still in regular use. Its foundation stone was laid by John Wesley the founder of Methodism in 1764.
Heptonstall postcode: HX7 7
There are great places to visit near Heptonstall including some great cities, villages, woodlands, parks, historic buildings, museums, gardens, country parks, hiking areas, towns, lakes, historic monuments, hills, ancient sites, nature reserves, shopping centres, airports, bluebell woods, ruins, rivers and streams, castles, waterfalls and boroughs.
Cities to visit near Heptonstall include Bradford, Leeds, and Wakefield.
Don't miss Wyke, Haworth, Oxenhope, Thornton, Manningham, Saltaire, and Ripponden's villages if visiting the area around Heptonstall.
The area around Heptonstall features a number of interesting woodlands including Judy Woods, Chevin Forest Park, Calverley Wood, Middleton Park, and Hardcastle Crags.
The area around Heptonstall boasts some of the best parks including Lister Park, Cartwright Hall Gardens, Peel Park, Shibden Park, Roundhay Park, Middleton Park, and Park Square.
There are a number of historic buildings near Heptonstall including Cartwright Hall, Ilkley Manor House, Hewenden Viaduct, Halifax Town Hall, North Bridge - Halifax, Halifax Minister, and Wainhouse Tower.
Heptonstall has some unmissable museums nearby like Cartwright Hall, and Yorkshire Sculpture Park.
Places near Heptonstall feature a number of interesting gardens including Cartwright Hall Gardens.
Heptonstall's best nearby country parks can be found at Penistone Hill Country Park, Ogden Water Country Park, Shibden Country Park, Chevin Forest Park, Golden Acre Park, Bretton Country Park, and Yorkshire Sculpture Park.
Don't miss Penistone Hill Country Park, Colden, The Chevin, Hardcastle Crags, and Withens Clough's hiking areas if visiting the area around Heptonstall.
Ilkley, Sowerby Bridge, Halifax, Todmorden, Huddersfield, Bradley, and Otley are great places to visit near Heptonstall if you like towns.
There are a several good lakes in the Heptonstall area like Chellow Dean Reservoirs, Boothwood Reservoir, Ogden Water Country Park, Ogden Water, Shibden Park, Light Hazzles Reservoir, and Warland Reservoir.
Don't miss Wainhouse Tower, and Centre Hill Beacon Site's historic monuments if visiting the area around Heptonstall.
Hills to visit near Heptonstall include Centre Hill, Stoodley Pike, and The Chevin.
Heptonstall has some unmissable ancient sites nearby like Stones Lane Standing Stones, and Centre Hill Beacon Site.
Nature Reserves to visit near Heptonstall include Rodley Nature Reserve, RSPB St Aidan's, RSPB St Aidan's, RSPB Fairburn Ings, and Yorkshire Sculpture Park.
Trinity Leeds, White Rose Shopping Centre, The Merrion Centre, County Arcade, and Leeds Kirkgate Market are some of Heptonstall best shopping centres to visit near Heptonstall.
Heptonstall is near some unmissable airports like Leeds Bradford Airport,
Middleton Park is a great place to visit close to Heptonstall if you like bluebell woods.
Heptonstall has some unmissable ruins nearby like Kirkstall Abbey, and Sandal Castle.
The area around Heptonstall features a number of interesting rivers and streams including River Dearne at Bretton, Hebden Water, and Hebden Beck.
Sandal Castle is a great place to visit close to Heptonstall if you like castles.
The area around Heptonstall boasts some of the best waterfalls including Greenwood Lee Clough Waterfall, and Lumb Falls.
There are a several good boroughs in the area around Heptonstall like Kirklees.
Heptonstall History
There are some historic monuments around Heptonstall:
