Ramble No. 2

On the 24th of September (1870) we continued our rambles, the day being splendidly fine, the very ideal of a beautiful early autumn day, when the air is fresh, not cool, the sun brilliant and warm, without the burning heat of summer and the country wearing the soft hues of the changing seasons and is still possessing much of its luxuriance and beauty.

Proceeding leisurely down Beck Lane, we passed Milton Row, so named from its being erected at the time of the great Yorkshire election in 1807, when one of the most severe and celebrated contests in electioneering history took place, and said to have cost the houses of Wentworth and Harewood £100,000 each, Mr Wilbeforce and Lord Milton being returned and Mr Lascelles defeated. The late Mr. James Firth, a staunch supporter of Milton, erected the row and mill adjoining, and in consequence named them after him. The row is sometimes spoken of by another name, but as it does not reflect much credit upon it, I shall forbear to mention it. The Row is well known even without an addition to it. The gardens in front are well cultivated and reflect much credit on the cottagers, some of whom are often successful exhibitors in our local horticultural shows and showed this day to great advantage, and in which also sported a considerable number of that well-known species of butterflies, the garden white.

Slowly ascending the hill towards Doghouse, we witnessed, and were very much interested in the method by which the numerous midges dancing over the footpath met an earlier doom than they are wont. Glistening in the sun, numberless delicate filaments of the webs of spiders floated over the pathway and in which the little innocents became entangled and were drawn to the walls and hedgerows in which lurked their enemies, and doubtless furnished a delicate meal to there useful specimens of natural history. Midges have been unusually prevalent and numerous this autumn and furnished food, not only for the spiders, but for conversation, and thus relieved the weather.

About half way up the hill we passed the ironworks, founded in the year 1856 by a company named the Liversedge Iron Company. Two large blasts were erected, and the remains of which present a very prominent object on the landscape. These blasts could be used either on the cold or hot system, but the latter was better adapted for the coal and ironstone of the district. The quantity and quality of the ironstone of Liversedge was not sufficient to keep them in work, and it was got from other neighbourhoods such as the spoil banks of Morley Tunnel and other places. The great expense of cartage, and mismanagement of the works, proved a loss to the company and they ceased their operations in 1859. Subsequently another effort was made by a new company, without success, and they have remained closed for several years and it is not likely they will be in operation again; they form an unsightly pile, towering like the Malakoff in the Crimea, and the sooner they are besieged, captured and removed, the better for the general appearance of this slope of Liversedge. They would then not be a standing monument to those who unfortunately lost their money in the scheme.

We now visited Southfield, a large English homestead, though much modernised a few years ago. It has a south aspect and overlooks a fine expanse of country, and near to which also we have the remains of Hullart Hyrst wood, significant of owls frequenting the locality. Southfield was formerly the property and residence of the late Rev. James Scott. He was the minister of the Upper Independent Chapel, Heckmondwike and tutor of the academy. Mr. Scott’s recognition as minister took place in June 1754 and in 1756 he entered upon his vocation as tutor to the academy, the number of students being three, though they afterwards ranged from eight to eleven. The study is in the garden in front of the house now occupied as a workshop. He educated about sixty ministers, many of whom held high and distinguished positions in the religious world. The annual lecture at Heckmondwike, was instituted during his ministry, soon after the commencement of the academy. Mr. Scott was a native of Berwickshire, and was born in the year 1710, and was educated in the University of Edinburgh; he died Jan 11th 1783 in the thirtieth year of his pastorate. His funeral sermon was preached by the Rev. Jonathan Toothill of Hopton, his pupil and friend, and was published. It is beyond the scope of these notes, or one might have touched upon the influence the academy had in the spread of evangelical truth, not only in Yorkshire, but in other parts of England, and in the raising up and forming new ministries when religion was almost a dead letter. Mr. Scott left no children, but Southfield is yet the property of a collateral branch of his family.

Passing downwards towards Liversedge Hall, we found this portion of the township becoming much built upon, and may remark, if the authorities were to widen the narrow lanes, they would add materially to the comfort and prosperity of the district, for on account of the elevation of the country here, and its tolerable freeness from smoke, building ground seems much sought after; in fact, at present there is the nucleus of what will soon be a considerable village.

Arriving at Liversedge Hall, we examined with much interest a rustic homestead occupied by Mr. John Joy, a most peculiar structure and carrying us back at least three hundred years. The building has, no doubt, from it’s first erection, undergone several changes, but sufficient is left of the original, that it may be described as when first erected thus – The exterior would be a strong wooden framework filled up with grey millstone from the adjoining waste, and the upper storey constructed of oak planks about twelve inches apart, the intervening spaces being filled up with strong stone slabs covered with plaster. Remain of these can still be seen. The upper rooms are divided by planks and slate similar to the exterior. Standing, as it does, at the head of a small ravine, and which is still well timbered, it would form a very picturesque object in the olden time. Additions have been subsequently made to the house, though not very much altering its ancient appearance. These are the chimneys outside the house, and a parlour and bedroom. The bedroom has the raised stone hearth common to the period and over the fireplace some fine plasterwork consisting of a vase and flowers, ornamented round the edges with vine leaves and fruit and beneath a date of 1682 – Charles the Second’s reign. It is underdrawn and moulded round, and most of the rooms have panelled doors and partitions.

There is outside a skittle stone, and upon which many a merry game of skittles was played by the rustics of former times, and a mount or horseing steps used when pillions were more in fashion than in the present day; indeed, it would create quite a sensation were a lady seen seated behind her lord, as she was wont, when railways and even stage coaches were not thought of. This house would be built by the owner of the hall, for one of his dependants, the present possessor is John Wormald, Esq., of the banking house of Child and Co., London.

Now for a few remarks about the “Hall.” The original Liversedge Hall was a fine old baronial mansion of the Neviles of Liversedge and was erected in the fifteenth century and consisted of a centre and two wings. The Hall had a large deep embattled window, divided by mullions, and the roof supported by light-flying principals, and the panelled wall plate surmounted by embattled carving. In the west wing was the chapel, where there was recently to be seen a curious window formed by four uniting circular compartments, and surrounded by a ring on the wall. We may still see an ornamented two lighted window, and on the upper portion of the mullions, the carved figure of a Tudor rose and a plain six-lighted mullioned one. In the coppy were the outer conveniences of the mansion, for baking, cooking, etc.

In 1850 the hall underwent great changes, and its antique appearance mostly destroyed. It has now a square front and gabled ends and sides. There is, as usual in old mansions, stone gargoyles to convey the water from the roof with curiously carved faces of a very fishy appearance. The stone used in the building is a millstone grit nature, quarried in the neighbourhood or from rocks found in the woods or upon the waste land, very durable and likely to last for ages to come. Upon one of the stones in front of the house is a raised carved cross, or in heraldry, a cross moline, distinctive of an eighth son, and possibly the hall may have been erected by an eighth son of one of the Neviles; or it may have reference to the arms of the Neviles, upon which a cross is represented. It would be interesting to trace more fully the history of this ancient family, and of their park, manor and mansion. I may have said sufficient, perhaps, to excite the curiosity of those who have more time on their hands than myself at present.

The situation of the hall is well chosen, and would be a beautiful, quiet, secluded spot when surrounded by trees, with the water rushing down the small valley at its foot. The fields surrounding it possess names of some significance such as The Croft, The Lumb, The Leys, The Lathe Law, The Hanging Law, The Swan Garth, The Swine Park, etc. Since the time of the Neviles the property has frequently changed hands, but at present it belongs to John Wormald, Esq., of London and is in the tenancy of Mr. George Mitchell. The farm in connection with the hall, and which is well cultivated and productive, amounts to about sixty acres, In a future paper the Neviles will necessarily be again alluded to.