This village was like walking through a movie set. (Image: Liv Clarke)
The sidewalk that leads to the quaint village of Heptonstall is often overlooked. The steep cobblestone trails are not for the faint of heart as they are marked with discreet signs to read “Sidewalk from Heptonstall to Heptonstall.”
The second sign warning “not suitable for Motors” serves as a prelude to climbing that takes away waiting calves. However, during my recent visit to so many Hebden Bridges in Hebden Bridge, I chose to venture along this path. Luckily, my curiosity and my calves were rewarded beautifully.
The road has announced a village that is deeply ingrained in history. Its beauty was not apparently touched by the passage of time that evoked the feeling of stepping into a film set.
Heptonstall, older than his valley's Yorkshire neighbor, traced its roots to the Saxon Times, and was even mentioned in a 1068 Domes Day Book Survey. It played the host of battles in the early stages of the British civil war in 1643, and later emerged as a hub excluding the palms. A very impressive resume for a village of about 1,340 people.
This beautiful village looked like a world away from modern life (Image: Liv Clarke)
While Hebden Bridge may be in the spotlight, Hepton Stall retains its own unique charm and boasts a wealth of interesting features. After a hard climb, I arrived at the village and felt like I had stepped into a movie set where cars and people were barely visible.
After consulting on the map in the greenery of a small village, I set out on foot to explore the village. As I climbed up the steep slope of the town gates, I took a stroll past Gritstone Cottage and the quaint village post office line. Two pubs in the village, White Lion and Cross Inn, are also located on this road, but unfortunately both were closed during my visit.
Quaint village post office, wooden frames of empty milk bottles bathed in the late night sunlight (Image: Liv Clarke)
Leaded by a village museum sign, I headed left down a narrow alley between the two terraces. The museum is located in a Grade II List building originally built as a warehouse in 1600. It transformed into a grammar school in 1771, and after closing the door in 1889, it served as the Yorkshire Penny Bank until 1954.
In 1972 it was reused as a museum. Unfortunately, when I arrived it was closed. Open Thursday through Sunday from 11am to 4:30pm, so you'd probably have been optimistic to visit the small village museum on Tuesday morning.
Ruins of Beckett Church in St. Thomas (Image: Liv Clarke)
However, this only added to the sense of tranquility in this place. However, the village's true treasure was round the corner. One is two churches of abandoned, the other is still very active, both standing side by side.
St. Thomas the Apostle Church resembles a typical British village church, but the remains of St. Thomas a Beckett Church lies.
This structure was destroyed by a storm in 1847, urging villagers to build a new church. Today, its walls, pillars, towers and porches stand as wreckages of the past, open for visitors to explore.
A breathtaking view of the valley below (Image: Liv Clarke)
Literary enthusiasts may be keen to find the final resting place for American poet Sylvia Plath, located in an extension of the cemetery near the church. She was the wife of Poet Award winner Ted Hughes. Ted Hughes was welcomed from the nearby town of Mitlmroyd.
Starting from the church, I walked to Church Street, passing a charming cottage featuring large windows, a design element intended to promote the unique feature of Heptonstall architecture.
One of the advantages of Heptonstall's positioning is its proximity to the vast countryside. On an adventure through Northgate, I came across the public sidewalk that led me to the Methodist Chapel of Heptonstall. Founded in 1764, it is ranked one of the oldest chapels in the world and continues to operate to this day.
Pinfold Picnic Area (Image: Liv Clarke)
As I descended along the road, the village structure gradually gave way to the stunning panorama of the forested valley below. After navigating the narrow lanes of Heptonstall, finding yourself again in the vast countryside was somewhat unexpected.
I followed the steps through the sidewalk towards Heptonstall, passing through the pinfold picnic area along the way. Following a dirt trail with a lively flock of chickens, I discovered another gem before returning to the main boulevard: the village lockup.
Now reduced to a small wooden door with a few forbidden windows, the above plaque declares “dungeons or lock-ups. It was used in the early 19th century.” With a glance at the window, I left half an expexpecting to find a village chained to the wall, but today it clearly serves as storage space. Probably because it's the best.
I spent the entire visit feeling like I was in a movie. Certainly, you may recognize Heptonstall from the television screens featured in the BBC's highly acclaimed series Happy Valley and The Gallows Pole. One thing is for sure, you are destined to revisit Heptonstall.
