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.
