Visit Cleckheaton Places

Welcome to Visit Cleckheaton Places
The Walkfo guide to things to do & explore in Cleckheaton

  

Cleckheaton Places Overview: History, Culture & Facts about Cleckheaton

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Cleckheaton history

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Early history

Cleckheaton was in the ancient parish of Birstall in the Spen Valley. Roman remains have been found in the valley and it is thought that roads from York to Chester passed through the valley. A chapel of ease, known as the White Chapel, was established.

Textile working

Only the richest four of the 227 families living in the Spen Valley were made to pay more than the 4d (approx. 2p) minimum tax. These tax returns also show the recent deviation from the traditional sources of wealth in the area (i.e. farming and allied trades) These were centred on textiles and included dyeing, weaving and fulling.

Nonconformity

A fifth of the population of the Birstall Parish was estimated to be nonconformist. Quakers were widespread, and even now a number of 17th and 18th century Quaker burial grounds remain in the area. Methodism also flourished from the 1740s after visits from John Wesley and Charles Wesley.

Industrial Revolution

After the discovery of good quality coal in the north of the valley, industry spread quickly. In 1804 the Reverend Hammond Roberson promoted a system of reform (the select vestry) which quickly spread to Cleckheaton and Heckmondwike.

Spen Valley

In 1800 children were paid starvation wages for putting staples into leather for carding wool. By 1838 there were eleven carding factories in Cleckheaton and by 1893 the town was recognised as the carding capital of the world.

20th century

Around 1900, many large and expensive buildings were erected and became symbols of the area’s wealth. In 1903, Lion Confectionery began making “Midget Gems” in Cleckheaton. 1904 saw the opening of the Phelon & Moore (Panther) motorcycle factory in the town. From the 1920s, Spenborough’s fortunes began to decline and trade waned. In the 1960s and 1970s, many new houses were built as the town attracted commuters to Leeds and Bradford.

Cleckheaton geography / climate

Cleckheaton is at the centre of a number of villages which together form the Spen Valley. The town is made up of areas such as Moorend, Whitechapel, Whitcliffe, Moorbottom, Moorside, the Marsh and Rawfolds.

You can visit Cleckheaton places with Walkfo Cleckheaton to hear history at Cleckheaton’s places whilst walking around using the free digital tour app. Walkfo Cleckheaton has 37 places to visit in our interactive Cleckheaton map, with amazing history, culture & travel facts you can explore the same way you would at a museum or art gallery with information audio headset. With Walkfo, you can travel by foot, bike or bus throughout Cleckheaton, being in the moment, without digital distraction or limits to a specific walking route. Our historic audio walks, National Trust interactive audio experiences, digital tour guides for English Heritage locations are available at Cleckheaton places, with a AI tour guide to help you get the best from a visit to Cleckheaton & the surrounding areas.

“Curated content for millions of locations across the UK, with 37 audio facts unique to Cleckheaton places in an interactive Cleckheaton map you can explore.”

Walkfo: Visit Cleckheaton Places Map
37 tourist, history, culture & geography spots

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Cleckheaton historic spots	Cleckheaton tourist destinations	Cleckheaton plaques	Cleckheaton geographic features
Walkfo Cleckheaton tourism map key: places to see & visit like National Trust sites, Blue Plaques, English Heritage locations & top tourist destinations in Cleckheaton

  

Best Cleckheaton places to visit

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Cleckheaton has places to explore by foot, bike or bus. Below are a selection of the varied Cleckheaton’s destinations you can visit with additional content available at the Walkfo Cleckheaton’s information audio spots:

Healds Hall Healds Hall was built in 1764 and was a private residence for several notable people. In 1926 it became the headquarters and museum for the Spen Valley Literary and Scientific Society. It is now a hotel, restaurant and function venue.

St Peter’s Church, Birstall St. Peter’s Church in Birstall, West Yorkshire, is an active Anglican parish church. It is in the archdeaconry of Leeds and the Diocese of Leeds.

Roberttown Roberttown is a village in the township of Liversedge in Kirklees, West Yorkshire. It is historically, part of the West Riding of Yorkshire.

Red House Museum Red House Museum was a historic house museum, built in 1660 and renovated in the Georgian era. It closed to the public at the end of 2016 but remains as a Grade II* listed building.

Birstall, West Yorkshire Birstall is a large village in the metropolitan borough of Kirklees, West Yorkshire. It is situated between Leeds, Bradford, Huddersfield and Wakefield. The town is approximately 6 miles (10 km) south-west of Leeds and situated close to M62 motorway.

Gomersal Gomersal is a town in Kirklees in the metropolitan county of West Yorkshire. It is south of Bradford, east of Cleckheaton, north of Heckmondwike and close to the River Spen.

Cleckheaton Cleckheaton is situated south of Bradford, east of Brighouse, west of Batley and south-west of Leeds. It is at the centre of the Spen Valley and was the major town in the former borough of Spenborough.

Oakwell Hall Oakwell Hall is an Elizabethan manor house in Birstall, West Yorkshire. The Grade I listed hall is set in period gardens surrounded by 110 acres of country park. It was immortalised in literature as “Fieldhead” by Charlotte Brontë, in her novel Shirley.

Visit Cleckheaton plaques