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Heritage Tour - Halifax & Hebden Bridge

8th September 2018

9.00am from Northwich Memorial Court - other pickups available.

Northwich Memorial Court
Chesterway
Northwich
Cheshire
CW9 5QJ

£20.00

Halifax is Calderdale's largest town, with stunning Victorian architecture and a strong industrial heritage. It is home to the unique Piece Hall and the Halifax Minster.

The unique Grade I listed Piece Hall is the only remaining cloth hall in Britain. The building has undergone a multi-million pound refurbishment and reopened to the public on Yorkshire Day, Tuesday August 1st 2017. The Piece Hall is home to a range of shops, bars and cafes. The Grade II* listed Town Hall is the work of Sir Charles Barry, designer of the Houses of Parliament and Halifax Minster is one of the finest buildings in Yorkshire and has been at the heart of the local community for over 900 years.

The Calderdale Industrial Museum houses a collection of industrial machinery and artifacts over four floors. Some of the machines are the only surviving examples in the country and have been placed in settings to give a close representation to the time when they were fully operational in the not too distant past. Down in the basement, the oil engine ‘Sadie’ provides motive power for part of an extensive collection of locally-manufactured machine tools, including lathes, drills and planers.

The Bankfield Museum tells the story of Halifax and Calderdale. Set in the attractive surroundings of Akroyd Park this Victorian mansion was the home of local mill owner, philanthropist and MP, Colonel Edward Akroyd. The Museum's displays cover local history, costume, art, toys, military history, jewellery and textiles from around the world.

Just outside the town centre is a 15 foot high replica of the fearsome Halifax Gibbet, where thieves were beheaded for their crimes! A short walk away, the People's Park offers fountains, serpentine pools, statues, balustrading, cast iron bridges and a terraced promenade.

After lunch we visit Hebden Bridge. Hebden Bridge with its steep wet hills and access to major wool markets was ideal for water powered weaving mills that powered along in the 19th and 20th centuries. The ancient packhorse bridge was built in 1510 to allow the Halifax to Burnley hilltop packhorse route to cross the River Hebden. At one time Hebden Bridge became so famous for its clothing manufacture that it became known as Trouser Town. Some creative thinking in the past led to ‘upstairs-downstairs’ houses known as over and under dwellings. These were houses built in terraces with four to five storeys. The upper storeys face uphill while the lower ones face downhill with their back wall against the hillside. The bottom two storeys would be one house while the upper two to three storeys would be another.

The Rochdale Canal, opened in 1804, passes through the town, where canal trips can be taken. The town is also known for its wide range of artisan, new-age and independent shops and cafes.

 

Coach leaves Winsford @ 8.30am through to Northwich Memorial Court @ 9.00am
Full list of pickup points and times here - schedule (c).
£20 (entry fees extra) - book online
or phone Carol on 07932927694 to reserve your ticket


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