Holmfirth

Vorlage:Infobox England place Holmfirth is a picturesque small, rural, town located in the Holme Valley in the Kirklees district of West Yorkshire, England. The Peak District National Park around Holme Moss borders the south of the town. The town centre sits at the confluence of the River Holme and the smaller River Ribble, which feeds from the Holmestyles Reservoir at Cartworth Moor, just off the road to Dunford Bridge.

The Village

Holmfirth is known around the world as the setting for the BBC's long-running comedy Last of The Summer Wine. Thousands of tourists flock to the area each year to enjoy scenery and locations familiar from the series. More recently filming of the TV Slaithwaite-based drama, Where the Heart Is, has also taken place in and around the area.

The former Lodge's supermarket building had been sitting empty in the heart of the town since the Co-op moved to new premises in Crown Bottom. Lodge's was built in the 1970s by the prominent local grocery company. It was opened by Radio 1 DJ Tony Blackburn and occupied an unusual location over the River Holme, beside the town's small bus station. Lodge's was bought in the 1990s by Co-operative Retail Services who eventually closed the store down in 1997, after investing in a brand new £2m supermarket for the town. Local residents, led by the Holme Valley Business Association, campaigned for its demolition. Their campaign was featured in the 2005 Channel 4 documentary, Demolition. The building is now undergoing extensive modernisation into several smaller shops, with some planned accommodation on the top floor.

History

Holmfirth was the home of Bamforths cheeky sea-side postcards for many years - although around the time of the Great War of 1914-18 they did produce postcards of a more sober nature. The printing works, on Station Road, has now been converted into residential apartments.

During the early 1900s Holmfirth was well known for film making. Interestingly ancient documents have the town's name spelt 'Holm Frith' which translates as Holly Wood. This is similar to the original spelling of the US film centre 'Holly Woodland' now known as Hollywood.

Flooding

Holmfirth has suffered two severe floods when the Bilberry reservoir, further up the valley, at Digley, burst. The first occasion was on the 5 February 1852. The second came on the night of 29 May 1944, which was not nationally reported and then overshadowed by the invasion of Normandy a week later. German prisoners of war, housed in the area, assisted with the rescue of local residents and property.

Since then a further reservoir, The Digley, was constructed and the buildings around were demolished and the valley flooded. A textile mill in the valley, Digley Mills, was also lost to the waters. The last man to leave the mill was the Donkey Engine operator, Jimmy Armitage, who was still bringing out equipment through the roof into a rowing boat, as the waters rose around him. Jimmy Armitage was also a member of the Holmfirth Harriers and played Cricket for Holmfirth.

Holmfirth from above Cliff Road

Bilberry & Digley reservoirs

Transport

Rail

Holmfirth used to have its very own railway branch line off the Huddersfield to Sheffield line (commonly referred to as the Penistone Line). This short, two-mile line branched from the mainline just south of the village Brockholes. A viaduct took the line across the valley and into Thongsbridge where a station was sited. The line then went along the side of the valley coming to a halt just outside the town centre on Station Road. Plans did exist for the line to be extended up the valley and then tunnel under Black Hill to join the Sheffield to Manchester line near Woodhead. The line closed to passengers in 1959, with goods traffic lasting until 1965. The station building and platform still remain as a private house. Other sections of the line further down the valley have been sold off for private housing and the viaduct, crossing the valley between Woodlands and Brockholes has been demolished, though the small section spanning the A616 road, at Scar End, still remains.

Buses

First buses run regularly from and to Huddersfield and other places in West Yorkshire from the center of Holmfirth. The main bus line from Holmfirth to Huddersfield are the buses 309-316 which take varying routes to get to their location.

Arts

The Holmfirth Artweek is popular annual event which showcases the talents of local artists, while also raising money for the Macmillan Cancer Support.

Holmfirth is home to the galleries of two prominent artists:

• Ashley Jackson [1] and
• Trevor Stubley [2].

The Holmfirth Festival of Folk takes place in late spring.

The Holmfirth Choral Society hold classical choral music concerts, on a regular basis, in Holmfirth Civic Hall.

Surrounding villages

While Holmfirth itself is rather small, it is surrounded by many hamlets and villages. Those close by are often referred to as "Holmfirth" and include:- Austonley, Burnlee, Cartworth, Cinderhills, Cliff, Deanhouse, Gully, Flushhouse, Hade Edge, Thongsbridge and Upperthong.

Other villages and hamlets within the postcode district include:- Brockholes, Fulstone, Jackson Bridge, Hepworth, Holme, Holmbridge, Honley, Meltham, Netherthong, New Mill, Scholes, Totties, Underbank and Wooldale.

External links

• An aerial photo of the town centre
• Vorlage:Oscoor gbx
• Tourism in Holmfirth
• Holfirth Choral Society Website