Huddersfield, Yorkshire, England. Further historical information.

HUDDERSFIELD

HUDDERSFIELD, a parish-town, in Agbrigg-division of Agbrigg and Morley, liberty of Pontefract; 5 miles from Halifax and Dewsbury, 12¾ from Penistone, 13 from Wakefield, 14 from Bradford, 16 from Leeds, 18 from Barnsley, 24 from Manchester, (Lanc.) 39 from York, 189 from London. Market, Tuesday, for woollen cloth, provisions, &c. Fairs, May 14 and 15, and October 4, for pedlary ware, &c. Bankers, Old Bank, Messrs. Dobson and Sons, draw on Messrs. Masterman, Peters, and Co. 2, White Hart Court, Gracechurch Street; Messrs. Buckley, Roberts, and Co, draw on Messrs. Jones, Loyd, and Co. 43 Lothbury, Mr. Shakespear G. Sikes, draws on Messrs. Frys and Chapman, Mildred's Court, Poultry; Messrs. J.W. and C. Rawson, and Co. draw on Jones, Loyd, and Co. 43, Lothbury. Principal Inns, Rose and Crown, George Inn, Swan with two Necks, Pack Horse, and Ramsden Arms. Pop. 13,284. The Church is a Vicarage, dedicated to St. Peter, in the deanery of Pontefract, value, ~£7. 13s. 4d. Patron, Sir John Ramsden, Bart.

Huddersfield, derived from Hoder or Hudder, the first Saxon planter of the place, stands on the river Colne, which rising near the source of the Don, above Holme Frith, falls into the Calder, near Nunbrook. Of the valley immediately, formed by this stream, and of the small collateral gullies which fall into its course, with a very small quantity of level ground upon its banks, the parish of Huddersfield is formed. For the antiquary we are not aware that Huddersfield has any one thing of interest to offer. At the time Domesday Book was compiled, it had, either in consequence of the Danish ravages, or those of the conqueror, relapsed into a mere waste. It is now one of the most populous hives in all the manufacturing district. This parish was originally separated from that of Dewsbury, and the parish church erected and endowed under the influence of one of the earlier Lacies; and, that, by one of them it was given, and afterwards appropriated to the Priory of Nostel.

Sir John Ramsden, Bart. is now owner of the whole of Huddersfield, with the exception of two or three houses, who, some years past, granted building leases renewable every twenty years, on payment of two years ground rent. At what time the present family of Ramsden became seized of the Manor, we are not informed, but it is certain that John Ramsden, Esq. of Byrom, had a grant of a market at Huddersfield, by patent, dated Nov., 1, 23 Charles II. Sir John Ramsden, Bart. the Patron of the town, in 1765, built an excellent cloth hall for the accommodation of the manufacturers. It is divided into streets, the stalls and benches of which are generally filled with cloths. The doors are open early every Tuesday morning, the market day, and closed at half past twelve o'clock at noon and are again opened at three in the afternoon, for the removal of cloth, &c. Sir John Ramsden also added to the facility of Inland navigation, by cutting a Canal to Huddersfield, which bears his name: it branches from the Calder navigation at Cooper Bridge, is brought up to the King's Mills, at Huddersfield, where it joins the Huddersfield Canal on the South end of the town, thereby affording a direct communication both east and westward, and ultimately to any part of the kingdom, which is of the greatest importance to the town. The trade of Huddersfield comprises a large share of the clothing trade in this county, particularly of the finer articles. These consist of broad and narrow cloths, fancy cloths as elastics, beveretts, serges, karseymeres, and various other woollen articles.

The highest officer is a constable, who, with his deputy is yearly chosen at the court held at Michaelmas, at Almondbury, the Manor of which also belongs Sir John Ramsden. --Whitaker's Loidis and Elmete. --Aikin's Manchester.

The Church, dedicated to the Holy Trinity, was erected at a sum of not less than £12,000. by B. Haigh Allan, Esq. see Greenhead.

Huddersfield, amongst other charitable institutions, has a Dispensary, established in 1814, and a National School in 1819, both supported by subscriptions.