Square Independent Chapel and Congregational Church Spire, Halifax

Square Independent Chapel opened on the 24th May 1772 taking it's name from the area of Halifax it was built in. The chapel is constructed of red brick and is 60ft square and when opened was the largest independent place of worship in the country. The chapel cost a fortune for the time £2000 to build and the red brick is said to contain bulls blood to highlight the red. 

The chapel held it's last service on the 12th June 1857, when it became the Sunday School for the newly constructed Square Congregational Church, which had recently opened next door. In 1939 the Army took control of the building for the war effort and the Chapel was given Grade II listed status on the 3rd November 1954. The local Council purchased the building in 1969 with a plan to demolish it, the Victorian society getting the building on the listed for preservation register in 1970. In 1985 Calderdale Council once again had a plan to demolish the building, again this never came to fruition before the Square Chapel Building Trust bought the building for £25 in 1989 spending over £3million in the refurbishment of the building which was to become the Square Chapel Arts Centre in 1992.

Square Congregational Church opened on the 15th July 1857 as the replacement for Square Independent Chapel. When built the church had the second tallest spire in Yorkshire at 235ft until Edward Akroyd had the nearby All Souls Church built with a spire that was just 1ft taller. Local legend suggest this was deliberate as Akroyd had a rivalry with the Crossley Family who had contributed to the construction of Square Church. The church held services until 1970, a year after it had merged with the United Congregational Church. 

Square Congregational Church was granted Grade II listed status on the 2nd March 1950. The church became a target for vandals after closure and the main body of the church was devastated by a large fire on the 3rd January 1971, and a further fire and gale before 1973. In 1976 the church was demolished saving the spire and foundations and becoming a rest-garden area until it was closed off in 2005 after the spire had become unsafe. Around this time workmen who had checking the spire structurally became convinced there was a ghost inhabiting an inaccessible area near the top of the spire, this was after photo's they had taken showed a shape that they claimed could not be explained.

The spire remained closed off for a number of years with some members of Calderdale Council requesting its demolition, before the town decided a new library was needed and this was constructed including the spire as a and rose window as a central part of the new building which opened in 2017. The spire with the new library now forms a welcoming part of the new eastern entrance to the Piece Hall.

The Rose Window seen to the left of the spire is based on the east window at Selby Abbey.

The new Halifax Library Building can be seen built around the spire.

These pictures were taken on the 27th October 2019 with a Nikon d3300 SLR camera. They can be seen on Clickasnap full size, resolution and un-watermarked.

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All the pictures remain the copyright of Colin Green.

Artworks of Calderdale

 The following are a collection of digital artworks I created based on photograph's I took in 2013 of various well known places of interest in Calderdale. They can also be seen on Clickasnap, where copies can also be purchased or just view if you require.

Todmorden Town Hall.

Hebden Bridge Railway Station

Stoodley Pike Monument

Halifax Railway Station

St Mary's Church Clocktower, Luddenden.

Todmorden Unitarian Church

Ruins of the Church of Thomas a' Becket, Heptonstall

Copley Toll House

Brighouse Library and Smith Art Gallery

Piece Hall before refurbishment

Old Bridge Over Hebden Water, Hebden Bridge

All these pictures can also be seen full size, resolution and un-watermarked on Clickasnap.

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All the pictures remain the copyright of Colin Green.

Brighouse Library & The Smith Art Gallery.

Originally built as the Rydings in 1841 for miller John Brooke the buildings were bought by the town of Brighouse in 1897 and converted to the Brighouse Library. The grounds were converted in to a public park, indeed the first public park in Brighouse by Charles Kershaw in 1898.

The Smith Art Gallery was opened in May 1907, and named after William Smith a local mill owner who paid for the construction and much of the art featured in the gallery. It was opened by Princess Louise who was the first member of the royal family to visit Brighouse.

There are 2 galleries having originally had 4. The front gallery features an exhibition of oil paintings including works by John Atkinson Grimshaw, a Victorian era artist from Leeds, Marcus Stone an English painter from London and member of the Royal Academy, and Thomas Sydney Cooper, a landscape artist from Canterbury. 

The rear gallery host a constantly changing display, from local artists, touring exhibitions, photography and sculptures.

The pictures were taken on the 14 December 2013 using a Samsung Galaxy Tablet. Clicking any image should open a link in another window to the Clickasnap version of the image.

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All the pictures remain the copyright of Colin Green.

Lock 19 on the Rochdale Canal

Lock 19 on the Rochdale Canal, Known as Todmorden or sometimes Library Lock can be found adjacent to Golden Lion Bridge Bridge number 30, Near the centre of Todmorden. The lock is a guillotine lock having had the eastern gates replaced due to their close proximity to the bridge. The first 3 pictures were taken yesterday 11 July 2020, with an additional one showing the view eastwards towards the guillotine lock and bridge taken on November 9th 2013.

The following picture is the November 2013 image of the lock, it was taken using a Samsung Galaxy tablet,


Clicking any image should open a link in another window to my Rochdale Canal pictures album on Clickasnap.

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A Spire of History: The Haunting Beauty of Halifax's Square Church

Halifax, a town steeped in industrial history, holds a silent sentinel against its skyline: the Square Church Spire. A lone finger pointing towards the heavens, it's a striking reminder of a grander structure, a story etched in stone and fire.

Imagine, if you will, the bustling Square in 1857. Amidst the clatter of horse-drawn carriages and the rhythmic hum of nearby mills, a new beacon of faith rose. The Square Congregational Church, opened on July 15th, a testament to Victorian ambition and religious fervor. This magnificent edifice stood proudly beside the iconic Piece Hall, a symbol of Halifax's prosperity. It replaced the older Georgian Square Chapel, which, in a charming twist of fate, became the church's Sunday school, a passing of the torch from one generation to the next.

For over a century, the Square Church echoed with hymns, sermons, and the quiet prayers of its congregation. It was a place of community, of solace, and of spiritual guidance. But time, as it inevitably does, brought change. The church's doors closed in 1970, marking the end of an era.

Then, tragedy struck. In January 1971, a devastating fire ripped through the main building, leaving behind a charred skeleton. The once proud structure was reduced to rubble, and in 1976, the final act of demolition was carried out. All that remained was the magnificent, Grade II listed spire, soaring 235 feet into the sky.

This solitary spire, a relic of a lost grandeur, now stands as a poignant reminder of what once was. It's a striking juxtaposition against the modern architecture of the Halifax Central Library, into which it is now incorporated. Standing at its base, you can almost hear the echoes of the past, the faint strains of an organ, the murmur of prayers.

The Square Church Spire is more than just a historical landmark; it's a symbol of resilience, a testament to the enduring power of memory. It's a place where the past and present collide, where the echoes of a bygone era mingle with the everyday sounds of a bustling town.

Next time you find yourself in Halifax, take a moment to gaze upon this architectural marvel. Let its silent story resonate with you, and remember the grand church that once stood beside it, a testament to the enduring spirit of Halifax. It's a reminder that even in the face of destruction, something beautiful and enduring can remain, reaching towards the sky like a whispered prayer.

The pictures below were taken on the 27th May 2018 with a Nikon d3300, clicking any of them should open a link in another window to my Colin Green Photography store on Zazzle.

Thanks for looking, please take a moment to share and follow me on social media, and check out my portfolio's on Photo4Me and Clickasnap via the links below.

All the pictures remain the copyright of Colin Green.