The North Remembers
Images and Text by
Sam Denham
T
he north of england is a place of distinct
identities.
Travel
twenty
miles and the views differ and the accents change.
Calderdale within of
the
is
the
nestled foothills
pennines,
and
was a central hub of
Yorkshire industry. From
textile
farming
market
the
to
sheep
halls, relics of the past litter
the
landscape.
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o St
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T
k Pi
he grassroots of the textile industry are the farms and fields which are home to the farmers and that which they farm, the sheep.The hilly terrain of the region make most farming difficult. Dairy farming and crop farming is limited due to the unpredictable weather and lack of flat space, needing the pastures and fields of the valley bottoms. Opportunistic farmers saw the profits to be made by capitalizing upon the vast swathes of land unused by other farmers, and so started herding sheep upon the hilltops of West Yorkshire. Sheep are creatures that can live in wild and windy places, terms often used to describe the pennine areas of Yorkshire, there split hooves allow them to traverse rough terrain, and their thick woolen coats keep them warm when the weather turns. It would be folly to suggest such farming only came about when the demand for wool increased due to the increase in large textile mills sprouting up following the industrial revolution. People have been farming sheep for centuries, using the wool for their own use and selling it at markets.
These animals are also heavily farmed for their meat. Such farming is something places such as Wales and New Zealand are famous for, as the mountainous terrain of these countries is even less well suited for most forms of farming than the rolling hills ofYorkshire. But after the power of coal and steam was harnessed in the early nineteenth century, textile farming took on a new lease of life. Although sheep are well suited for this type of life, it’s a tougher prospect for their two legged herders. If walking on the heights of Stoodley Pike, overlooking the mill towns of Hebden Bridge and Todmorden, several abandoned farm buildings, including homes, can be spotted. The way the towns containing most of the mills were situated, down the hillside in the bottom of the valleys, mean the distance from sheep to mill were manageable for most farmers. The wild weather and terrain of the area may be foreboding to some, but the cloudy moors and misty valleys are something that many Yorkshire folk will say make the area so special. Creating an atmosphere distinct to the region, which has been described in many works of literature and arts, probably most famously, in Emily Brontë’s “Wuthering Heights”, set in the town of Haworth, just over the hill from Hebden Bridge.
T
he hills around Calderdale are an excellent spot for photographers looking for an area to capture some nice landscape images. The rolling hills may not be as dramatic as the peaks in some other parts of the world, or even the country, but the understated beauty of the area can be used to create some great images. When capturing the images around Stoodley Pike, the weather was a constant menace. Being so high and exposed meant that the winds came howling in, and the weather could turn almost instantly. This happened more than once, with the rain starting and stopping, and the sun peaking out every so often. This caused havoc with the various settings on the camera, as shutter speed and aperture had to be changed often to be suitable for the desired images. But the temperamental nature of the conditions added to the visuals of the photographs, the mist blown over the crests of the valleys created an atmosphere which exemplified the desired effect, with elements pictured which show how the things people often use as an example of the dingy weather of the north, can be used to create an atmospheric, almost eerie visual. Opening the aperture measurement to around f stop 5 increases the depth of field, and catches the clouds and mist well. With such a large aperture size, the shutter speed and other setting will obviously need to be adjusted accordingly. The war monument at the top of Stoodley Pike, although not strictly related to the local industry, adds another effective visual element, dramatically standing above the farms and fields just below.The various farmsteads create a contrast to the stretches of farmland, and the various abandoned buildings highlight that living in the pennine hills can be quite tough at times.The walk up the hill is a fairly well known route, either up the hill behind Hebden Bridge train station, or a path on the other side of the town, either way they are signs to follow. This accessibility means the photographer shouldn’t have any problems regarding trespassing on land, unless you create these problems yourself by straying onto private land, whether accidentally or intentionally.
So w
er
by
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S
owerby Bridge is an old market town about 2 miles from Halifax town centre. built around the merging of the rivers Calder and Ryburn. These rivers were crucial to the woolen trades in the area, fuelling water mills and enabling transport. The two canals which also merge in the town, Calder and Hebble navigation and the Rochdale Canal, further enhanced these transport capabilities allowing goods from the town to be taken via canal boat to Manchester and Leeds, as well as increasing trade in the town due to the increased amount of goods passing through. The town also has the deepest lock in the United Kingdom, the Tuel Lane Lock. The town has an abundance of pubs and bars, with some excellent real ale pubs amongst these. This means the town has plenty going on at night for someone looking for a boozy night. The proximity of the town to Halifax town centre and its position on the route to Manchester means getting to the town to photograph is easy. Trains run to and from Manchester and Leeds regularly, and buses from Halifax are just as regular.The town is not massive, and the canal basin right in the centre of the town is a great example of a basin. The basin also offers several photographic opportunities, with brightly coloured barges all around and prominent surrounding hills. With regards to the weather, a photographer in the town would not face the same problems as if they were in the hills above. Just standard weather precautions need to be considered, so as to not potentially damage any equipment as well as ruin any photos through the low visibility during bad weather.
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To w
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W
ainhouse tower is one of Calderdale’s most noticeable landmarks. Standing 275 feet high on the hillside above Sowerby Bridge, the structure towers above the nearby town. Built by JohnWainhouse between 1871 and 1875, it was originally designed as a chimney for Wainhouse’s dye works. Though the tower was never used as a chimney, when Wainhouse sold his dye works, the buyer refused to pay for the still ongoing construction.Wainhouse hence decided to keep the tower for his personal observatory making the tower the tallest folly in the world, a record which still stands to this day. A feud between Wainhouse and a nearby landowner, Sir Henry Edwards, is thought by some what lead to Wainhouse creating viewing platforms at the top of what was designed as a chimney. It is said the tower was built so tall to overlook Edwards’ land which he claimed to be the most private estate in Halifax. Although the likely reason is Wainhouse being keen on smoke prevention, with the height of the chimney enabling the smoke to flow out high above the valley and its residents below.The tower subsequently fell into the hands of the local council, who maintain the tower and take out restorations on the tower, which is at the mercy of the winds which howl down the Calder valley.The tower is still accessible to the public, albeit only on certain bank holidays. The general positioning of Wainhouse Tower gives the photographer an immediate vista to photograph. Standing over the valley below, overlooking the town of Sowerby Bridge, the height of the tower is accentuated. The wind which howls up the calder valley should not affect the photographer too much, although it must be mentioned that these winds can carry rain with them, the weather often turning suddenly. When trying to photograph the tower from up close, a wide angle lens is essential. The height of the tower, and the fact it is in a residential area, means a full length shot of the tower from up close is difficult to get. Again due to the position of the tower, the tower can be photographed from quite a distance, it’s an ever present site in Sowerby Bridge, and is visible from most parts of Halifax.
H
al
if ax
O
utside of Calderdale and West Yorkshire, the name Halifax probably means more as the name of the building society. The company is named after the town where it was founded. In the 1920’s it was the largest building society in the United Kingdom with assets close to £47 million. The bank building on Trinity Road in the town, built in the 1960’s, was once the headquarters of the building society, until the company was merged with the Royal Bank of Scotland. A grade 2 listed building it is one of Halifax’s modern landmarks.The building society is testimony of the industry which now dominates the area. The wool used in what is left of the textiles industry is mostly imported, and the Halifax bank is now the largest employer in the town.
T
he different style of architecture visible in the building make it attractive to the eye of
a photographer.The pointed, sharp lines and vast amount of glass on the outside of the building. These design features contrast with the older, more traditional style of buildings that surround it. The jagged shapes contrast especially with the rolling hills of the surrounding landscape. The photographing the building as a whole can prove difficult, due to the proximity of the surrounding buildings, but if you climb the ominous Beacon Hill overlooking the town, you can see everything, and the Halifax Building Society is one of the most striking sites.
T
he mill at Dean Clough in Halifax town centre, is one of the first things people will see when entering the town from Leeds or Bradford. The mill was at one point the largest carpet mill in the world. Unlike the fellow behemoth Halifax bank building on the other side of town, it is a relic of what once made Halifax a hub of industry. Although no longer a carpet mill, the complex is one of Halifax’s most visited. Reclaimed and restored, it is now the home to various businesses, including clothing shops, bars and restaurants. Similarly to Salt’s Mill in the nearby town of Saltaire, the mill is also home to various forms of the arts, with several art galleries, a theatre which is home to the Northern Broadsides theatre company and a studio, from where Halifax’s local radio station, Phoenix FM is broadcast. The Peace Hall in the town centre is Britain’s only remaining cloth hall. It was a crucial trade centre, and was instrumental in allowing the town to grow to the size it is today. Opened on January 1st 1779 it is one of the towns best known sites. The mills and structures in Halifax can be difficult to photograph in whole. The sheer size of Dean Clough, and the fact it is in the town centre mean the space required to fit the entire building into the frame can be hard to find. The Peace Hall is harder to photograph still from the outside, as buildings are built right up to its walls. But the size of the courtyard inside allow a photographer to photograph with relative ease. Although it must be noted that the hall was closed for renovations at the time of writing.