Sowerby Bridge
Encyclopedia
Sowerby Bridge is a market town
that lies within the Upper Calder Valley
in the district of Calderdale
in the county
of West Yorkshire
, in northern England.
, about three miles from its centre. It is at the confluence of the River Calder
and River Ryburn
, and the name Sowerby Bridge references the area's use as a crossing point over the River Calder to the older settlement at Sowerby
.
The town had a population of 9,948 at the 2001 Census
.
, Lancashire
and India
.
The Wood Brothers an engineering and millwright company also produced engines from their Valley Iron Works. The Markfield Beam Engine
is an example for their work.
, which sees a regular service to Manchester, Bradford and Leeds on the Caldervale Line
.
The town is at the junction of the Calder and Hebble Navigation
and the Rochdale Canal
; Tuel Lane Lock
on the Rochdale Canal is also the deepest lock in the United Kingdom. The canal basin and associated warehouses where the two canals meet, known as Sowerby Bridge Wharf, are listed buildings and house The Moorings Bar and Restaurant, 12-04 Restaurant, and Temujin Mongolian Restaurant. The Basin is the HQ of The 12th Halifax Sea Scouts where HRH Prince of Wales
opened the William Andrew Memorial Room. Shire Cruisers run Holiday Canal Hire barges, build Narrow Boats and provide Mooring facilities.
, and the ITV drama Dead Clever
was set in the town.
, the annual ceremony of (now nominally) taking rushes to churches for covering the floors throughout winter, still takes place here over the first weekend of September.
Market town
Market town or market right is a legal term, originating in the medieval period, for a European settlement that has the right to host markets, distinguishing it from a village and city...
that lies within the Upper Calder Valley
Upper Calder Valley
The Upper Calder Valley lies in West Yorkshire in northern England, and covers the towns of Todmorden, Hebden Bridge, Mytholmroyd, Luddendenfoot, and Sowerby Bridge, as well as a number of smaller settlements such as Portsmouth, Cornholme, Walsden and Eastwood. The valley is named after the River...
in the district of Calderdale
Calderdale
The Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale is a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, England, through which the upper part of the River Calder flows, and from which it takes its name...
in the county
County
A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain modern nations. Historically in mainland Europe, the original French term, comté, and its equivalents in other languages denoted a jurisdiction under the sovereignty of a count A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain...
of West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
, in northern England.
Geography
Sowerby Bridge is situated on the edge of HalifaxHalifax, West Yorkshire
Halifax is a minster town, within the Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale in West Yorkshire, England. It has an urban area population of 82,056 in the 2001 Census. It is well-known as a centre of England's woollen manufacture from the 15th century onward, originally dealing through the Halifax Piece...
, about three miles from its centre. It is at the confluence of the River Calder
River Calder, West Yorkshire
The River Calder is a river in West Yorkshire, in Northern England.The Calder rises on the green eastern slopes of the Pennines flows through alternating green countryside, former woollen-mill villages, and large and small towns before joining the River Aire near Castleford.The river's valley is...
and River Ryburn
River Ryburn
The River Ryburn is river in West Yorkshire, England. It flows through the villages of Rishworth, Ripponden and Triangle before flowing into the River Calder at Sowerby Bridge.-Course:...
, and the name Sowerby Bridge references the area's use as a crossing point over the River Calder to the older settlement at Sowerby
Sowerby, West Yorkshire
Sowerby is a village within the Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale, in West Yorkshire, England. It lies amongst the Pennines, contiguous with Sowerby Bridge, west-southwest of Halifax and west-northwest of Huddersfield....
.
The town had a population of 9,948 at the 2001 Census
United Kingdom Census 2001
A nationwide census, known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday, 29 April 2001. This was the 20th UK Census and recorded a resident population of 58,789,194....
.
Industrial heritage
From 1892 to 1930 home of Pollit & Wigzell ltd a prominent manufacturer of quality stationary steam engines used in the cotton and woollen mills of YorkshireYorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
, Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
and India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
.
The Wood Brothers an engineering and millwright company also produced engines from their Valley Iron Works. The Markfield Beam Engine
Markfield Beam Engine
The Markfield Beam Engine is a 100 horsepower beam pumping engine, built in 1886 to transfer sewage from the Middlesex district of Tottenham into the London system for treatment at the Beckton works....
is an example for their work.
Education
There are two high schools in Sowerby Bridge.- Ryburn Valley High SchoolRyburn Valley High SchoolRyburn Valley High School is a secondary school, and is a specialist Media Arts College, located in the town of Sowerby Bridge, West Yorkshire, England. Originally built in the 1950s in 2005 it moved into a bigger building.- New building :...
on St Peter's Avenue Sowerby - Sowerby Bridge High School on Albert Road.
Transport
The town is served by Sowerby Bridge railway stationSowerby Bridge railway station
Sowerby Bridge railway station serves the town of Sowerby Bridge in West Yorkshire, England. It lies on the Caldervale Line west of and west of Leeds.- History :...
, which sees a regular service to Manchester, Bradford and Leeds on the Caldervale Line
Caldervale Line
The Caldervale Line is a railway route in Northern England between the cities of Leeds and Manchester as well as the seaside resort of Blackpool...
.
The town is at the junction of the Calder and Hebble Navigation
Calder and Hebble Navigation
The Calder and Hebble Navigation is a Broad inland waterway in West Yorkshire, England, which has remained navigable since it was opened.-History:...
and the Rochdale Canal
Rochdale Canal
The Rochdale Canal is a navigable "broad" canal in northern England, part of the connected system of the canals of Great Britain. The "Rochdale" in its name refers to the town of Rochdale, Greater Manchester, through which the canal passes....
; Tuel Lane Lock
Tuel Lane Lock
Tuel Lane Lock is a canal lock, situated on the Rochdale Canal in Sowerby Bridge. With a fall of , it is the deepest lock in the United Kingdom.-History:...
on the Rochdale Canal is also the deepest lock in the United Kingdom. The canal basin and associated warehouses where the two canals meet, known as Sowerby Bridge Wharf, are listed buildings and house The Moorings Bar and Restaurant, 12-04 Restaurant, and Temujin Mongolian Restaurant. The Basin is the HQ of The 12th Halifax Sea Scouts where HRH Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales is a title traditionally granted to the heir apparent to the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the 15 other independent Commonwealth realms...
opened the William Andrew Memorial Room. Shire Cruisers run Holiday Canal Hire barges, build Narrow Boats and provide Mooring facilities.
In popular culture
The canal basin was formerly used as a filming location for the ITV comedy-drama Stay LuckyStay Lucky
Stay Lucky is a 1989–1993 British television comedy-drama series. Made by Yorkshire Television and screened on the ITV network, it starred Dennis Waterman and Jan Francis.-Plot:...
, and the ITV drama Dead Clever
Dead Clever
Dead Clever is a British black comedy film, first screened on ITV on New Year's Day, 2007. Written by Sally Wainwright, it stars Suranne Jones, Helen Baxendale and Dean Lennox Kelly. Although officially titled Dead Clever it was subtitled The Life and Crimes of Julie Bottomley...
was set in the town.
Notable residents
- Joe RileyJoe Riley (rugby league)Joseph "Joe" G. Riley was an English professional rugby league footballer of the 1900s and 1910s who at representative level played for Great Britain, England, and Yorkshire, and at club level for Halifax, playing at , i.e. number 3 or 4...
- former professional rugby league player for England - John TillotsonJohn TillotsonJohn Tillotson was an Archbishop of Canterbury .-Curate and rector:Tillotson was the son of a Puritan clothier at Haughend, Sowerby, Yorkshire. He entered as a pensioner of Clare Hall, Cambridge, in 1647, graduated in 1650 and was made fellow of his college in 1651...
- former Archbishop of Canterbury - Walter LeesWalter LeesWalter Scott Lees was a Surrey and English cricketer who played in 5 Tests against South Africa in 1906....
- former professional cricketer for England - Danny SmithDanny SmithDanny Smith may refer to:*Danny Smith , American football coach for the Washington Redskins*Danny Smith , Canadian-born actor and musician...
- television personality Tool Academy UKTool Academy UKTool Academy is a competitive British reality television show featuring twelve "unsuspecting bad boys" who have been sent to "relationship boot camp". The twelve men, all of whom have been nominated by their respective girlfriends, fiancées or wives, initially think they are taking part in a... - Ross Kenyon - singer ex-(PenKnifeLoveLife and Confide)
Traditions
RushbearingRushbearing
Rushbearing is an old English ecclesiastical festival in which rushes are collected and carried to be strewn on the floor of the parish church. The tradition dates back to the time when most buildings had earthen floors and rushes were used as a form of renewable floor covering for cleanliness and...
, the annual ceremony of (now nominally) taking rushes to churches for covering the floors throughout winter, still takes place here over the first weekend of September.