From Hebden Bridge there is lovely walk to the village of Heptonstall just about 1 mile away, the only thing is, it is up a very steep hill, climbing the side of the Calder valley.
The beginning of the walk follows along The Buttress, an old track from the stone pack-horse bridge across the Hebble Beck in the centre of the town.
The steep track is cobbled as many of the streets around here are.
Crossing the road which winds its way up the hill, the track is narrower and stepped.
Into the village, where all the streets are cobbled and steep. I guess it keeps the residents here fit!
Heptonstall was a weaving village, and the rows of windows along the upper storeys show where the weavers would have worked at their looms. I guess little has changed in the village except for the cars making their way through the streets.
A flat area about halfway up the main street is Weaver’s Square, I suppose the equivalent of the village green.
The village has two churches side by side, the original St Thomas a Beckett church is a ruin with the Victorian St Thomas the Apostle church beside it. Inside the ‘new’ church has been fitted with modern seating and lighting making a light open space.
Then there is the Methodist Chapel, built as an octagonal church, as was fashionable in 1764. It was stretched in the early 1800’s to accommodate the large congregation, there were 337 members at that time.
The Sunday School building once had 1,000 attendees, children and adults where they were not only taught from the Bible but the 3 R’s too.
The Good Samaritan window and a Preacher’s eye view.
And of course from this high vantage point the views were spectacular.
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