A Little History In Heptonstall

Introduction

Last week I holidayed in Hebden Bridge in Yorkshire and discovered a couple of things that I didn't know before getting there. One thing I did know is that several BBC series have been filmed there, "Happy Valley" and the current "Riot Women":

On The Way To Heptonstall

I found out that Sylvia Plath was buried near where I was staying, and I thought the graveyard was close to where I was staying. I walked up this steep leaf-covered path (it was far steeper than this looks)

And found this

But this was the wrong graveyard. I then used Google Maps and it told me Sylvia's Grave was fifteen minutes away, but it then took me on a bus route towards Burnley (I realised later this was because of the Hebden Bridge Turning Circle so that buses could then take the steep road to Heptonstall). I gave up and then found that there was a bus that ran to Heptonstall and took ten minutes.

While I was in Rebel Rebel. Donna Preece told me about "King" David Hartley, also buried in Heptonstall.

So I had two graves to visit, I took the bus and found a one lane village with two churches, St Thomas à Becket's Church, which is now an impressive stone shell and St Thomas the Apostle, which is the current parish church and where the graves of Sylvia and David are.

While I could have walked here, I did find it much simpler coming by bus. There is a museum but it was shut, and Heptonstall is home to th eoldest Methodist Chapel in the world, which now is only open at weekends.

Sylvia Plath

Sylvia's grave is always covered with flowers. She was married to the poet Ted Hughes, and her gravestone has her name as Sylvia Plath Hughes but, her fans are obviously not enamoured with Ted and try to block his name on the stone.

"King" David Hartley

David's grave is always covered with coins. A mark of respect because though he broke the law, it was to help the people of Heptonstall.

The Cross Inn is where the Cragg Vale Coiners planned their counterfeiting, and the original fireplace that they sat around is still there, but the pub was not open while I was there.

If you have access to the BBC's iPlayer, "The Gallows Pole" is a dramatisation of the events.

Conclusion

I was impressed with what I found. I love when you discover things unexpectedly and these were great finds on my Hebden Bridge holiday.

Thank you so much for reading, and I hope you enjoyed this.