Distance: 12.7 miles
Ascent: 1089 ft
Walking: Tim & Andrew
Weather: Cloudy, sunny spells, warm
OS Map: 288 Bradford & Huddersfield - East Calderdale
Parking: St Lukes Church, Moorbottom, Cleckheaton BD19 6AB
Pork pies: Metcalfe's butchers, Cleckheaton
Sausage rolls: B&M Collins & Sons butchers, Cleckheaton
Photography: Andrew using Nikon D610 / Nikon 24-70 mm f2.8
A bit of a departure from the usual scenic moorland walk this week. Although I've called this a circular walk, it was actually 2 circular walks stuck together to form a figure of 8. Tim, being from Cleckheaton, is steeped in the local tales of the Luddites' clandestine meetings and their ill-fated attempt to smash the new machinery at Rawfolds Mill in 1812, so we decided to follow the 2 Luddite Trails to explore their story. The walk also takes in some interesting parts of The Bronte Way and passes close to Robin Hood's grave, according to legend, at Kirklees Priory.
Starting from St Luke's Church, the gentle uphill Wellands Lane under the M62 motorway and on to Scholes Lane acted as a decent warm-up for the rest of the walk. At the end of Scholes Lane, we headed back over the motorway and past what used to be the Old and New Pack Horse pubs, the starting point of many a Westgate Wobble, although sadly, the 'Old Pack' was demolished recently.
A short distance along Windy Bank Lane, we turned off onto a narrow path, where I walked straight past Walton Cross, a large intricately carved stone which is thought to date back to the 9th century. The carvings are celtic in style and the stone originally formed the plinth for a large cross, long since lost. It's incredible that the carvings have survived so well in such an exposed position. They don't call it Windy Bank for nothing.
The path crossed a couple of fields before emerging on the outskirts of Hartshead village - more of that later. Just down Hare Park Lane at the tiny Hightown Quaker burial ground was the middle point of the figure 8 where the 2 trails crossed. Holding our breath, we took the righthand path across the field which had recently been spread with some extremely ripe liquid manure down to Clough Lane, where we passed the beautifully maintained Liversedge Cemetery. The cemetery chapel is a lovely building but it has been out of use and boarded up for many years.
Turning onto Bullace Trees Lane, we passed an attractive old brick-built farmhouse, which is quite unusual for this area, most of the old buildings being stone. We stopped for a while for an interesting chat with the owner about how they had rebuilt the place, having bought it as a derelict ruin, before continuing up into Roberttown. Here we ticked off the first Luddite-related location on the list, The Star Inn, where one of the men injured in the attack Rawfolds Mill, John Booth, died of his injuries.
Our route then took us back across fields to the opposite end of Hartshead village to where we had passed earlier, then downhill to the main A62, past the Miller And Carter pub, formerly known as The Three Nuns, and on to Cooper Bridge Roundabout where another Luddite site is located. The stone obelisk, known as Dumb Steeple, which I've driven past hundreds of times without noticing, was the point where a large group of Luddites congregated on 11th April 1812 before marching to Rawfolds Mill, approximately 3.5 miles away in Cleckheaton. At the time, it stood in a field but today it is right next to a very busy roundabout. A plaque on the wall close-by tells the story of what happened here over 200 years ago.
Next, we made our way back to The Miller And Carter for a short break, a pork pie and a sausage roll. Metcalfe's pies are legendary around Cleckheaton and a definite 4/5, maybe a little too salty but nice thin, crispy pastry - very good. The sausage roll was excellent - 5/5.
Walking back up the hill towards Hartshead, the views behind us, over recently harvested fields of stubble towards Castle Hill, were quite different to those we've become used to on our previous walks but still well worth stopping to take them in. At the top of the hill, we reached St Peter's Church, where Rev Patrick Bronte, father of the famous literary sisters, was curate from 1810 - 15. It was while he was here that the Luddite attacks took place and he is said to have turned a blind eye to the burial of some of the dead in the churchyard, despite not agreeing with their cause.
Continuing back down Hare Park Lane to Clough Lane, again passing the Quaker burial ground, we passed Rev Bronte's house, which has a stone plaque above the door so even I couldn't miss it. Next stop, The Shears Inn, another Luddite meeting place, then just down the road to Sparrow Park where there is a striking statue of a cloth shearer and a child which commemorates the Luddite uprising.
Our final Luddite location was the site of Rawfolds Mill. When the protesters arrived at the mill, intending to smash the new machinery, the owner was waiting for them with a group of soldiers and a number of them were killed or injured. The uprising failed and now the site of the mill is, ironically, a modern industrial estate.
The walk gave us a fascinating insight into the events of 12th April 1812 and there are plenty of related buildings and places still in existence and walking in the footsteps of the Luddites really brings their story to life.
You can find more information about the Luddites activities in the area HERE.
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