Todmorden Town Hall (2013)

Todmorden Town Hall is a neo-classical Grade I listed building. Building work commenced in 1860 and the hall went through many changes with architect James Green being the original designer, work stopped in the 1860's due to legal and financial problems, before the Fielden family purchased the land and hall in January 1866 at auction. John Gibson of Westminster was then appointed to redesign the building which was completed and opened on 3rd April 1875 at a cost of £54,000.

The building was built across the Lancashire - Yorkshire county boundary to help unite the rivalries, although this boundary was moved on the 1st January 1888, bringing the hall and the town of Todmorden within the Yorkshire county fully.

The pictures below were taken on the 28th November 2013 with a Samsung Galaxy Tablet.

This was taken from the grounds of St Mary's Church, the A646 Halifax Road heading off and the A646 Burnley Road going off towards the left of the picture.

The Yorkshire Bank Branch pictured here was closed in 2017, plans to convert the building to a branch of McDonalds were ongoing in 2019 prior to the Covid 19 Pandemic, these seem to have been abandoned and the building remains unused as of September 2023.

The front of the town hall, St Mary's Church is pictured to the left of the hall.

The rear of the building, again St Mary's Church is visible this time to the right of the hall.

The waterway that once separated the counties of Lancashire and Yorkshire ran underneath the hall, people dancing in the halls ballroom could start a dance in one county and finish in the other.

Clicking any image should open a link in another window to the higher resolution, un-watermarked version on Clickasnap.

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All the pictures remain the copyright of Colin Green.

Luddenden Village in Art Images

 Luddenden Village art is a collection of 18 images created by me based on photographs I took around the village in November 2013. They can be seen in the YouTube slideshow or below and feature many scenes that will be familiar to people who know the village well.

Luddenden village grew up around the Luddenden Brook that flows through the centre, it was first mentioned in 1274 with reference to a corn mill that was powered by the brook. Over the next few centuries a number of mills were built alongside the brook and the area became more known for textiles than corn. Old lane was once the main route through the valley as people journeyed to and from Halifax, but this was replaced by the main turnpike road 1/2 a mile to the south which was constructed in the mid 18th century and the similarly named Luddenden Foot grew up around.

The village has a war memorial dedicated to Luddenden and Midgley, St Mary's Church and the Lord Nelson Inn, which was a frequent haunt of Bramwell Bronte, brother of the famous sisters when he worked on the nearby railway. Sadly since the 1980's a number of small shops and businesses that served the local community have closed, leaving a village of houses to remain.

The pictures below feature in the video above.

Old Lane was once part of the main packhorse route towards
Halifax, the M62 motorway of it's day until replaced by the turnpike
in the mid 18th century.

St Mary's Church.

The Luddenden Brook, this once helped to power of a dozen mills
for the textiles and corn (Flour) industries.

In the basement of the former St Mary's School, there were 3 holding cells,
although one has long since been removed. The 2 remaining have the townships
of Midgley and Warley inscribed in the lintel. The nearby Luddenden Brook
was the boundary between the 2, the removed cell is said to have had
Luddenden inscribed above it, no evidence remains. The cells were built
along with the school in 1825 and are not thought to have held occupants
since the 19th century.

The steps disused since the late 80's early 90's once provided
access to the offices of a mill that once occupied the site. Much
of the mill was demolished and replaced by housing.

Luddenden Brook and High Street Bridge.

Luddenden & Midgley War Memorial, unviled 1923.

Lord Nelson Inn from the churchyard of St Mary's.

High Street, Luddenden, the building towards the bottom was
the offices for the steps pictured earlier.

Inside St Mary's Church.

Luddenden Brook.

A closed off stone doorway alongside Luddenden Brook.

A memorial wheel to represent the ones that the corn mill that
once occupied the valley would have used.

Former Water Horse Trough at the bottom of Stocks Lane.

This cobbled yard is actually a bridge over Luddenden Brook, providing
access from High Street to High Street Court.

Lord Nelson Inn.

St Mary's Church clock tower.

Luddenden brook flows over the weir viewed from the churchyard
of St Mary's.

Thanks for looking and please take a moment to share, all the pictures can also be seen on my Clickasnap account full size, resolution and un-watermarked.

All the images remain the copyright of Colin Green.