about cleckheaton

"So what exactly is Cleckheckmondsedge"

Cleckheaton is situated in the metropolitan borough of Kirklees which was created in 1973 by the Heath government. It was previously in Spenborough and had its own Town Hall. Situated on the Spen "river" its main industries have been involved in textiles and in textile support e.g. card clothing manufacture and other machinery.
Cleckheaton, known affectionately by outsiders as Cleckhuddersfax or Cleckheckmondsedge and by locals as "Cleck", has a rich seam of local history. For example the corruption of the name is due to J.B.Priestley (1894-1984) and his writings, Cleckywyke being the setting for "When we are married". The other Priestley, Joseph, discoverer of Oxygen and many other gases and author of over 150 books, was born just over the hill in Birstall and lived for a number of years in Heckmondwike which is just down the road.
The Spen Valley has also been the inspiration of other famous writers particularly the Brontes who lived on Halifax Road, Hightown before moving to Haworth. Indeed the house is still standing in which the family lived while their father was curate at the nearby Hartshead Church. The Red House (Museum) and Kirklees Hall are both mentioned in the writings of Charlotte Bronte, the Red House being 'Briarmains' and Kirklees Hall being 'Nunnwood' in her book 'Shirley'. The Red House was also visited many times by John Wesley, the father of Wesleyanism. Kirklees Park in which Kirklees Hall is situated, just over the hill in Clifton, is reputedly the place where Robin Hood is buried.
We have also had a number of exceptional people who have lived here besides the Brontes. One was Nanny Wood, who was a dwarf with no forearms who taught local children in her cottage cum school on Ladywell Road just behind Hartshead Church in the late 1800s.
Cleckheaton is also famous for its involvement in the 1812 Luddite disturbances at Rawfolds Mill. Large scale violence was also evident during the 1842 Plug Riots at Anderton's Mills. Cleck is also famous for being the home of the world famous Panther motorcycle, immortalised by the fact that it "fired every other lamp-post". Panther enthusiasts still journey to Cleckheaton to meet, usually at the Commercial pub, every 1st Sunday in the month. Talking about lamp-posts, the late (great) Les Dawson described the fictitious Cleckheaton Carnival as being the time that both street lights were turned on. Talking about street lights, for those of you who have been before you may have noticed our new street lighting outside the town hall.
Cleckheaton is also famous for hosting a naturalist convention, at Spenborough baths, which was opened by the Mayor of Spenborough wearing nothing but his chain of office. Spenborough baths, a Poulson pool, is next to the Princess Mary Sports stadium with the third tartan running track to be built in the UK, the other two being at Crystal Palace and Meadowbank (Edinburgh). The sports facilities for many years hosted the Glen MacYorkshire Highland Games gathering.
Cleckheaton has had a number of exceptional MPs, until 1997 Elizabeth Peacock, who was exceptional for her views. Another exceptional MP being Sir John, later Viscount, Simon ex home secretary (twice), ex chancellor of the exchequer, ex foreign secretary and ex lord chancellor - exceptional for his ability?
Cleckheaton was well-known for its involvement in the card clothing industry. Essentially this is the equipment used to straighten the wool before spinning and weaving. Indeed it was the world center for the industry during the 19th century. This involvement in the wire industry is still to be seen today with many local companies producing wire and wire related products. Indeed during the second world war a great deal of the barbed wire used by the government to protect the country was made in Cleckheaton.
We are also the unfortunate place where a mill chimney fell down in 1892 killing 15 people. The site, just down Bradford Road as you near the Marsh pub, has recently had a memorial placed there to commemorate the people killed.
The Spen valley had two railway lines and Cleckheaton had two railway stations. One where TESCO is now and the other which is reached by a "listed" viaduct. The first of these railway lines was built by the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway and keen eyed individuals can still spot the LYR boundary stones and other artifacts from this line. It is currently being converted into a dedicated cycle track from Dewsbury to Low Moor with many ramped access points. The second line was the London and North Western Railway which was the last major railway built in West Yorkshire being completed in 1899. Both lines are now closed and the LYR station was stolen, yes stolen, a few years ago. We still have a railway in the district, though, at Royds Park. This miniature railway is built on the LNWR trackbed and runs "real" steam trains once a month on a Sunday.
Cleckheaton has also supported many churches and chapels. The "Provi" as it is known to the locals, which is situated on Bradford Road about 200 yards from the Town Hall, is soon to be the largest curry restaurant in the UK - as a chapel it had sittings for about 1500 people. Several other chapels and churches have been demolished or converted but we still have eight places of worship within a one mile radius of the town hall. The best one though, in terms of size and splendor was the Central Methodist Church next to the Memorial Park, this splendid building which has been partly demolished had "sittings" for 1,764 people and was designed by Reuben Castle of, yes you're guessed it, Cleckheaton. So impressive was this building that it was known as "The Cathedral of Free Methodism".
Other interesting facts about the district are
* A concrete boat was constructed at Littletown and when completed it was moved by crane and low-loader and its builder promptly set sail around the world in it.
* John Curwen the inventor of the Do Ray Me scale of musical notes was born in Heckmondwike, which is just down the road a couple of miles.
* Eli from "The Last of the Summer Wine" is a regular customer at Walter Kipling's cafe in what is euphemistically known as the "rubber tunnel". See if you can spot him by calling in at the cafe.
* A number of second world war explosive devices were found in the car park next to the Town Hall recently whilst it was being improved causing the town centre to be evacuated.
* Noddy Holder last year was singing the praises of "fish and chips in Cleckheaton" on a TV advertisement.
* The parliamentary seat of Batley and Spen of which Cleckheaton forms approximately 1/5th is considered to be a "barometer" seat as far as the government of the country is concerned, put bluntly whoever wins Batley and Spen will be in power.
* The fire station, where our parade on Saturday finishes, was recently featured on "DIY SOS" on television.

The above extract has been provided by www.cleckheatonfolkfestival.org