Hebden Bridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Hebden Bridge |
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 Hebden Bridge |
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 Hebden Bridge
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| Population | 4,500 |
| OS grid reference | SD993273 |
| • London | 170 mi (270 km) SSE |
| Civil parish | |
| Metropolitan borough |
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| Metropolitan county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | HEBDEN BRIDGE |
| Postcode district | HX7 |
| Dialling code | 01422 |
| Police | West Yorkshire |
| Fire | West Yorkshire |
| Ambulance | Yorkshire |
| EU Parliament | Yorkshire and the Humber |
| UK Parliament |
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Hebden Bridge is a lively market town in West Yorkshire, England. It is located in the Upper Calder Valley, about 8 miles (13 km) west of Halifax. The town sits where the River Calder meets the Hebden Water. It is the biggest town in the Hebden Royd area.
In 2015, the Calder ward, which includes Hebden Bridge, had about 12,167 people living there. The town itself had a population of around 4,500.
Contents
- What is the History of Hebden Bridge?
- How is Hebden Bridge Governed?
- What is the Geography of Hebden Bridge?
- What is it Like to Live in Hebden Bridge?
- What is the Economy of Hebden Bridge?
- What is the Culture of Hebden Bridge?
- How to Get Around Hebden Bridge?
- Who are Some Famous People from Hebden Bridge?
- See also
What is the History of Hebden Bridge?
The first settlement in this area was a village called Heptonstall, high up on a hill. Hebden Bridge started as a place where an old trading route crossed the River Hebden. The town gets its name from the old bridge there. The name "Hebden" comes from an old Anglo-Saxon word meaning "Bramble Valley" or "Wild Rose Valley."
How Did Hebden Bridge Grow?
Hebden Bridge was a perfect spot for weaving mills. It had steep hills with fast-flowing streams for power. It was also close to major wool markets. Because of this, the town grew a lot in the 1800s and 1900s. People even called Hebden "Trouser Town" because so much clothing was made there. An artist named Thomas Frederick Worrall painted pictures of the mills around 1900.
Before roads were built in the valley, people traveled on ancient paths over the hills. The Rochdale Canal and the Manchester & Leeds Railway helped the wool trade. These links connected Hebden Bridge to big cities like Manchester and Leeds.
Hebden Bridge also got a Picture House (cinema) that could seat 500 people. It is still open today! The town used to have its own cooperative society, which was a business owned by its members. It went out of business in the 1960s but a new Co-op supermarket opened later.
During World War II, Hebden Bridge was a "reception area." This meant it took in children and families who were evacuated from big industrial cities to keep them safe.
Modern Changes in Hebden Bridge
In the 1970s and 1980s, many artists, writers, and musicians moved to Hebden Bridge. This made the town a popular place for tourism. In the 1990s, it became a "commuter town." This means people lived in Hebden Bridge but traveled to nearby cities like Manchester, Bradford, and Leeds for work. This was easy because of the great train links.
On July 6, 2003, Hebden Bridge became a Fairtrade Zone. This means it supports fair prices and good working conditions for producers in developing countries. On July 6, 2014, the famous Tour de France bicycle race passed through the town.
How is Hebden Bridge Governed?
Hebden Bridge was once a small part of the Halifax parish. In 1894, it became its own civil parish. Later, in 1937, it joined with Mytholmroyd to form the Hebden Royd Urban District.
Today, Hebden Bridge is part of Calderdale in West Yorkshire. It has a local town council, which is a type of parish council. This council is known for its eco-friendly policies. For example, it encouraged shops to stop using plastic bags, making it a leader in Europe for this effort. This ban is voluntary, meaning shops and people agree to it, rather than it being a strict law.
Hebden Bridge Town Hall
The Hebden Bridge Town Hall is a very old building, built in 1898. It is a Grade II listed building, which means it is historically important. In 2010, the Town Hall was taken over by the Hebden Bridge Community Association. Many volunteers helped to fix it up and raise money. Over 450 local people became "Friends of the Town Hall" to support its future. They raised £3.7 million to create new community spaces and a small business center next door.
What is the Geography of Hebden Bridge?
Hebden Bridge is a great place for outdoor activities. It is close to the Pennine Way and Hardcastle Crags, which are popular for walking, climbing, and cycling. The town is also on the Rochdale Canal, a waterway that crosses the Pennines.
The town is on the route of the Calderdale Way, a 50-mile (80 km) circular walk around the local hills and valleys. It also connects to the Pennine Way through the "Hebden Bridge Loop."
Why Does Hebden Bridge Flood?
Because Hebden Bridge is in a valley, it sometimes has problems with flooding. This happens especially between the Hebden Water and the cinema. Flooding is also common further up the valley at Callis Bridge. To help with this, the River Calder's level has been lowered in some places.
Hebden Bridge had serious floods in the summer of 2012 and again on Boxing Day in 2015. Other nearby towns like Todmorden and Mytholmroyd were also affected. Houses, shops, and community centers were damaged. Drone videos showed how bad the flooding was in the town center.
What is it Like to Live in Hebden Bridge?
Hebden Bridge is a popular place to live. However, there isn't much flat land because of the steep valleys. In the past, this led to special "upstairs-downstairs" houses. These were tall houses built in rows, with 4 or 5 floors. The top floors faced uphill, and the bottom ones faced downhill. Often, the bottom two floors were one house, and the top floors were another.
In the 1990s, more people wanted to live in Hebden Bridge. This caused house prices to go up a lot. For example, a house worth £54,000 in 1998 was worth almost £150,000 in 2004. Building new houses is also a big topic. Many people want to protect the fields and woodlands around the town.
Hebden Bridge has attracted many artists and creative people. In April 2005, High Life magazine called Hebden Bridge the fourth "quirkiest" place in the world. They described it as "modern and stylish in an unconventional way."
What is the Economy of Hebden Bridge?
As of 2017, the weekly market in Hebden Bridge has moved to Lees Yard. It now runs four full days a week, from Thursdays to Sundays.
Walkley's Clog Mill is one of the main makers of traditional English clogs in the country.
Acre Mill and Asbestos
Acre Mill was a factory in Old Town that made products from asbestos. It opened in 1939 to make filters for gas masks during World War II. After the war, it made other asbestos products like rope and textiles. The factory closed in 1970.
A TV show in 1971, called "The Dust at Acre Mill", showed that the factory broke laws about asbestos dust control. By 1979, 12% of the 2,200 former workers had illnesses related to asbestos. The mill was torn down in 1979.
Local Businesses and Awards
Hebden Bridge is known for its many "great little shops." It has a lot of independent shops for a town its size. There are more than 20 cafes and tea rooms, and about 20 pubs and restaurants. In 2010, a survey ranked Hebden Bridge sixth in the country for its diverse and unique shopping experience. The Fox and Goose is a special pub in Hebden Bridge. It is owned by 262 local residents, making it West Yorkshire's first Co-Operative pub.
In February 2016, Hebden Bridge won "Best Small Outdoor Market" in a national award. In December 2016, it won the "Great British High Street Award" for "Small Market Town." This was after most shops and businesses had recovered from the 2015 floods and were even stronger. Hebden Bridge also won the "People's Choice" award.
What is the Culture of Hebden Bridge?
The Stubbing Wharf is an old inn from the 1700s, located next to the Rochdale Canal. The famous poet Ted Hughes wrote a poem about it. Hughes was born nearby in Mytholmroyd. His old home, Lumb Bank, is now a creative writing center.
Many music videos have been filmed in Hebden Bridge. The band Talk Talk filmed "My Foolish Friend" here in 1983. The Dream Academy filmed "Life in a Northern Town" in 1984. The singer Haddaway also filmed a video in 1995.
The popular BBC One crime drama Happy Valley was filmed and set in and around Hebden Bridge. The show, which ran from 2014 to 2023, was very popular and brought more tourists to the area.
Music in Hebden Bridge
The Trades Club is a well-known music venue and club in Hebden Bridge. In the 1980s and 90s, it became famous for hosting World Music bands from Africa and other places. Many artists from Heavenly Recordings have also performed there.
Until 2014, the town hosted the Hebden Bridge Blues Festival. This festival was very popular and won awards in 2012 and 2013 for being the Best British Blues Festival.
The indie band Bogshed was formed in Hebden Bridge in 1984.
In 2017, the Hebden Bridge Community Association received The Queen's Award for Voluntary Service. This is a special award for volunteer groups.
Local Media
Local news and TV shows for Hebden Bridge come from BBC Yorkshire and ITV Yorkshire.
The town has several local radio stations, including BBC Radio Leeds and Calder Valley Radio. The local newspaper is the Hebden Bridge Times.
How to Get Around Hebden Bridge?
Hebden Bridge railway station is on the Calder Valley Line. This line connects Hebden Bridge to cities like Manchester and Leeds. Trains run often to towns and cities in Lancashire, Greater Manchester, and Yorkshire. The station still has its original look, with old signs and luggage trolleys.
Bus services in the town are run by three companies. First West Yorkshire has frequent buses between Halifax and Todmorden. The Keighley Bus Company connects Hebden Bridge to Haworth and Keighley. The "Hebden Bridger" is a local bus network that serves nearby towns and villages.
Leeds Bradford is the closest airport. You can get there by bus and train.
Who are Some Famous People from Hebden Bridge?
Many interesting people have connections to Hebden Bridge:
- Kirk Barker, an actor, grew up and went to school here.
- Richard Bedford, a Grammy-nominated singer and songwriter, lives in the town.
- Lynn Breeze, an illustrator and author of children's books, has written about Hebden Bridge.
- Horatio Clare, an author known for travel and nature books, lives in the town.
- Paula Lane, an actor famous for her role in Coronation Street, lives here and runs a drama school.
- Amy Liptrot, author of The Outrun, lives in Hebden Bridge.
- Benjamin Myers, an author and journalist, is a resident.
- Martin Parr, a photographer, lived in Hebden Bridge around 1975–1980.
- Jon Richardson, a comedian, lived near Hebden Bridge.
- Lavena Saltonstall (1881–1957), a suffragette and writer, was born and grew up here.
- Ed Sheeran, the famous singer and songwriter, spent his early childhood in Hebden Bridge.
- Adelle Stripe, an author and journalist, lives in Hebden Bridge.
- Thomas Frederick Worrall (1872–1957), a blacksmith and artist, lived nearby.
See also
In Spanish: Hebden Bridge para niños
