• We have updated the guidelines regarding posting political content: please see the stickied thread on Website Issues.

West Yorkshire Weirdness Search

Mr_Seaweedski

Gone But Not Forgotten
(ACCOUNT RETIRED)
Joined
Aug 25, 2002
Messages
171
Just a quick request for anything interesting and Fortean in the Huddersfield area and West Yorkshire in general. The sun doth shine, and I wish to plan a few visits/ excursions before the snow (well, drizzle) returns.
Any info would be graetfully received. Cheers.
 
I went to university at Bretton Hall, just outside of Wakefield, and that was a pretty weird place. Although a lot of the stories being told were certainly caused by bunging a load of students on ‘arty’ courses together in a big mansion in the arse end of nowhere, surrounded by spooky woods, but it definitely had an odd vibe to it. There were reports of, IIRC, phantom hounds, incubi & succubi and demonic possession affecting students, while the history of the mansion itself featured many gruesome deaths, a tale of vampirism, and a child killing priest whose hanging body could apparently be seen on certain nights swinging from the roof of the abandoned chaple…. Woooooo…..

Ahem. I always found it rather interesting , anyway. It’s very easy for the sceptic to deem all of it a student fantasy, which it probably was, but the stories were all very accurate, and many very in-keeping with Fortean ‘tradition’.

They do ghost walks for students there, but I’m sure you could tag along! Also, in Hull, there’s a lovely old pub called Ye Olde White Hart, which is supposed to be haunted and is definitely rather creepy, and has a human skull behind the bar.
 
I live in east Lancashire very close to the West Yorkshire border and often travell into it on many weekends. I find the whole of the West Yorks area wierd especially the folk :lol: Their are many rumours of half human half sheep creatures lurking in the area :lol:
 
Sthenno said:
I went to university at Bretton Hall, just outside of Wakefield, and that was a pretty weird place. Although a lot of the stories being told were certainly caused by bunging a load of students on ‘arty’ courses together in a big mansion in the arse end of nowhere, surrounded by spooky woods, but it definitely had an odd vibe to it.

I went to stay with a mate who was studying there several times in the late '80's. The weirdest thing I noticed was the students! (Artists eh? :roll: :D )


What sort of West Yorkshire weirdness would you like Mr. Seaweedski?
 
Breton Hall, thats just by the West Yorkshire Sculpture park is it not? Lots of Henry Moore, Barbara Hepworth, Eduoardo Paoulotzzi etc, lovely place.

I shall peruse (sp?) the web links given and see what I can find.

Really, I would love to have a Fortean experience of my own (story to tell the kids if/when I spawn), or at least scare myself silly in a spooky place.

Closest I've got to that is going camping at a friends farm near Masham (North Yorkshire). There were some woods next to the farm with a Victorian stone circle folly type thing that psuedo wiccans and the local yoofs would visit for moonlit shenanigans. In amongst the trees I found old remains of a rabbit strung up in a tree with a pentagram type formation of twigs holding it up, v odd indeed. My friend and I went up the road intending to visit the folly at night, but pitch black country lane and two scaredy cats with one torch caused us to panic and scamper to the relative safety of the canvas and sleeping bags (of course knowing that duvets are the ONLY known protection against monsters).
 
Mr_Seaweedski said:
Closest I've got to that is going camping at a friends farm near Masham (North Yorkshire). There were some woods next to the farm with a Victorian stone circle folly type thing that psuedo wiccans and the local yoofs would visit for moonlit shenanigans...

That'd be the Druid's Temple? There's a bit of info and some pics about it on my (desperate-for-updating) website HERE, halfway down the page...

You might fancy joing the Northern Earth Walks group if you wanna get out exploring weird places (most of which have been in West Yorkshire so far) with a bunch of like-minded folks?
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NEWalks/
 
Wow! That place looks cool, we only drove by Masham the other week going up to York on the backroads cos the A1 was blocked. If I'd known that place was there, I'd have got my bro' to take a detour.
 
This may not be weird enough but I reckon some blue rinses* are on the loose.

What's the male equivalent of "a blue rinse"?

A small village became the unlikely centre of attention after a resident apparently took offence at erotic fiction in its mini-library.

An angry message railing against "pornographic" titles was stuck to the book-swap box in Cornholme, West Yorkshire. It urged people to take their filth to nearby Hedben Bridge, describing the liberal mill town as a "cesspit". Locals there thanked the anonymous author for the free publicity.

A photo of the sign, which defended the "good, God-fearing" folk of Cornholme, was widely shared on Twitter and liked more than 13,000 times. Liz Thorpe, 57, decorated the book box with a stencilled butterfly and flowers design after it was installed about six weeks ago. She found out about the sticker, which has since been removed, when she saw a photo of it on social media.

"I thought it was quite offensive," she said. "I think people's perception of what is pornographic can vary enormously. I don't know why, if they found something they deemed inappropriate, they didn't just take it away. There's no need to put that notice on there."

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-leeds-56948184
 
This may not be weird enough but I reckon some blue rinses* are on the loose.

What's the male equivalent of "a blue rinse"?

A small village became the unlikely centre of attention after a resident apparently took offence at erotic fiction in its mini-library.

An angry message railing against "pornographic" titles was stuck to the book-swap box in Cornholme, West Yorkshire. It urged people to take their filth to nearby Hedben Bridge, describing the liberal mill town as a "cesspit". Locals there thanked the anonymous author for the free publicity.

A photo of the sign, which defended the "good, God-fearing" folk of Cornholme, was widely shared on Twitter and liked more than 13,000 times. Liz Thorpe, 57, decorated the book box with a stencilled butterfly and flowers design after it was installed about six weeks ago. She found out about the sticker, which has since been removed, when she saw a photo of it on social media.

"I thought it was quite offensive," she said. "I think people's perception of what is pornographic can vary enormously. I don't know why, if they found something they deemed inappropriate, they didn't just take it away. There's no need to put that notice on there."

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-leeds-56948184
And they clearly weren't very literate critics anyway. 'Copys' - sheesh.
 
To be fair to the residents of Cornholme, they are not alone - the whole of that area , Bacup, Todmorden et al is very weird indeed. Like a trip back in time. I can well imagine strangers visiting that whole area reporting that they had suffered some form of time slip and being freaked out.
 
To be fair to the residents of Cornholme, they are not alone - the whole of that area , Bacup, Todmorden et al is very weird indeed. Like a trip back in time. I can well imagine strangers visiting that whole area reporting that they had suffered some form of time slip and being freaked out.
Hmm weird locals

images (1).jpeg
 
I’ve lived in Hebden Bridge (not born there) and Mrs Girth has lived in Todmorden (Also not born there) and one thing I recall her saying to me is that “They look with their hands in Bacup” whatever the chuffin’ heck that means!
 
I’ve lived in Hebden Bridge (not born there) and Mrs Girth has lived in Todmorden (Also not born there) and one thing I recall her saying to me is that “They look with their hands in Bacup” whatever the chuffin’ heck that means!
I bet they're always being told to 'back up' when they get too close for comfort.
 
I’ve lived in Hebden Bridge (not born there) and Mrs Girth has lived in Todmorden (Also not born there) and one thing I recall her saying to me is that “They look with their hands in Bacup” whatever the chuffin’ heck that means!
When were you living there? I was in that odd little enclave of terraced dead-ends off Stubbing Holme Road between 2006 and 2015. Crikey, I can't believe we spent nearly a decade there...

Bacup is a grim place - it's where that poor goth girl got kicked to death simply for being a goth. I've always been struck by the apparently arbitrary way in which Hebden got settled by alternative types in the 1970s, but Bacup did not. It's only in the next valley over, but it might as well be a world away.

I should add that Hebden is a problematic place itself - way up its own backside - but in a different way. Although, maybe not so much: my other half had rocks chucked at her in Calder Holmes park, just like she did in one of the rougher parts of Leeds, so, you know...
 
It’s been decades since I actually lived In Hebden Bridge, up in Fairfield. It was quite an enjoyable period in my young adulthood living there before I joined the forces. Being a Lancastrian and a Gary Numan fan, moving to a Yorkshire, biker village was a rather daunting prospect and I was expecting to have the living daylights beaten out of me on a regular basis but fortunately I fell in with a good bunch...... I don’t think they quite knew what the heck I was supposed to be! Gary Norman? Who the bloody ‘ell is Gary Norman when ee’s at ‘ome?
 
It’s been decades since I actually lived In Hebden Bridge, up in Fairfield. It was quite an enjoyable period in my young adulthood living there before I joined the forces. Being a Lancastrian and a Gary Numan fan, moving to a Yorkshire, biker village was a rather daunting prospect and I was expecting to have the living daylights beaten out of me on a regular basis but fortunately I fell in with a good bunch...... I don’t think they quite knew what the heck I was supposed to be! Gary Norman? Who the bloody ‘ell is Gary Norman when ee’s at ‘ome?
I've been a Lancastrian/Yorkshireman/Lancastrian too.
 
I should add that Hebden is a problematic place itself - way up its own backside - but in a different way.
It is strange how places very close to each other have very different populations. There are 2 villages in my area where the people are as you describe. At the Millenium the closest village decided to hold a celebration on the village green. I applied for a ticket but was told that entry was by invitation only (no I wasn't invited). In the summer of that year they were trying to raise interest in the village fete, and approached me to use a car I have to lead the procession. My response was that they had to be invited to use my car and they had no such invitation. Revenge sometimes is a bit sweet. The people in that village are appalling.
 
Ah Hebden, yes I grew up near there. LudendenFoot to be exact.
Todmorden and surrounding areas are just grim.
It can be sunny in Hebden, start climbing the hill (burnley road) into Tod... Grey and damp. Awful place.
 
I’ve lived in Hebden Bridge (not born there) and Mrs Girth has lived in Todmorden (Also not born there) and one thing I recall her saying to me is that “They look with their hands in Bacup” whatever the chuffin’ heck that means!
'They look with their hands' means 'they touch goods before buying.'
 
When were you living there? I was in that odd little enclave of terraced dead-ends off Stubbing Holme Road between 2006 and 2015. Crikey, I can't believe we spent nearly a decade there...

Bacup is a grim place - it's where that poor goth girl got kicked to death simply for being a goth. I've always been struck by the apparently arbitrary way in which Hebden got settled by alternative types in the 1970s, but Bacup did not. It's only in the next valley over, but it might as well be a world away.

I should add that Hebden is a problematic place itself - way up its own backside - but in a different way. Although, maybe not so much: my other half had rocks chucked at her in Calder Holmes park, just like she did in one of the rougher parts of Leeds, so, you know...

I lived in Hebden Bridge for two years, for a town allegedly full of "free thinkers" it's remarkably puritan in many ways, it also has a dark underbelly as the children of the "free thinking" hippies run amok having never had any kind of discipline in their lives.

I left there with all the regret of a man wiping dogshit off his shoe
 
Mouldy 13 - I know what you mean.

Most of the children of hippies grew up around drugs at home , then started going to the raves in the 90s , then ended up on herion. Very bad for it down there, loads I went to school with are dead now. They made a film about Hebdens dark side , I recognise many of the people in it from my school days. The film is called " cry your tears and walk away" . On YouTube.

It's a shame. As before all this herroin nonsense came to town and wrecked the place (which is everywhere now) , I had some great times in Hedben as a teen in the mid 90s. Remember some great party's , held in the hippie parents houses. And bonfire night was always a good one. One of the hippie parents owned a barn on the canal and they had a massive rave - cum- barn dance , with bales of hay for seating n all, and a little makeshift bar selling cans of lager and ice pops. Good times

Then the hard drugs came .... No more party's. Bad times. Not good,


The "old" Hebden was wicked though if you grew up there.

I could tell many stories about various party's down there, but I'd be here all day

I lived in a strict religious , non hippie parent house, and couldn't believe how free and easy some of these other folks parents were. Letting them smoke weed at home, no curfew , mates can have a party in the house ect. one lads hippie mother used to make mushroom wine out of magic mushrooms she was a character , we went to the house one time and she was dancing round the living room E'd up (exstacy pills). My God it was crazy seeing a "parent" carrying on like that. Mad.

I was quite jealous at the time of what I perceived as "cool" parents , instead of my old fashioned strict ones , but my life's turned out better in the long run than those kids of the hippies ... So, yeah. Kids need boundaries and rules!! The son of the Ecstacy n magic musgroom lady is full blown mentally ill these days and always begging in centre of Hebden or Halifax. It's sad because he used to be a good looking popular lad, absolute tramp now , very sad.

So right what you said about the dark side of Hebden n hippie parents.
 
Last edited:
One of the main reasons I live in Huddersfield now was to get away from all that. It is depressing as fuck going into town and every other beggar is someone you went to school with ! ....

I mean there's drugs in Hudds , and everywhere, but I go into Hudds and I don't KNOW the beggars /junkies. I literally had no mates left in Hx as EVERYBODY , and I mean ALL the friends i went to school with are full blown herion addicts.

I ended up losing my own house through money probs 5 yr ago (in Hx) , and had to be homeless for a short while ( sofa surfing n staying in BnBs so not sleeping rough but still horrible and an experience I would not want to repeat).

So when it came to looking for a rented place , I'd had enough of bloody Halifax , depressing place . So started afresh here in Hudds and love it so far. Hudds has its bad parts , but lucky we are in a nice posh part. No crime or dealers hanging about . Nice area. Safe. And if I go into town here , I don't know the beggars so I get left alone, .

In Hx , like I said all the beggars /junkies are all old schoolmates , who you don't have out to do with now , but my god if they see you next street they latch onto you and bug/hassle/nag you for money. " oh hiya MATE, I don't suppose you got a few quid have ya (que sob story - me dog ate me money - blah blah ) .

Super depressing !

Don't miss Hx at all. Bloody Shit'ole as we say round these parts.

Edit - thinking about it , there ARE a few girls from school hebden/halifax who are married with kids and "normal" /non-druggiefied. . . Went over on bus and visited pre-covid. So bit dramatic of me saying "EVERYONE from school is a heroin addict now". There's a small few of us who are not , but we are a small minority . Shows how big the problem is over there. Now we off lockdown ill have to go over and visit , and avoid the town center where i get bombarded !
 
Last edited:
One of the main reasons I live in Huddersfield now was to get away from all that. It is depressing as fuck going into town and every other beggar is someone you went to school with ! ....

I mean there's drugs in Hudds , and everywhere, but I go into Hudds and I don't KNOW the beggars /junkies. I literally had no mates left in Hx as EVERYBODY , and I mean ALL the friends i went to school with are full blown herion addicts.

I ended up losing my own house through money probs 5 yr ago (in Hx) , and had to be homeless for a short while ( sofa surfing n staying in BnBs so not sleeping rough but still horrible and an experience I would not want to repeat).

So when it came to looking for a rented place , I'd had enough of bloody Halifax , depressing place . So started afresh here in Hudds and love it so far. Hudds has its bad parts , but lucky we are in a nice posh part. No crime or dealers hanging about . Nice area. Safe. And if I go into town here , I don't know the beggars so I get left alone, .

In Hx , like I said all the beggars /junkies are all old schoolmates , who you don't have out to do with now , but my god if they see you next street they latch onto you and bug/hassle/nag you for money. " oh hiya MATE, I don't suppose you got a few quid have ya (que sob story - me dog ate me money - blah blah ) .

Super depressing !

Don't miss Hx at all. Bloody Shit'ole as we say round these parts.

Edit - thinking about it , there ARE a few girls from school hebden/halifax who are married with kids and "normal" /non-druggiefied. . . Went over on bus and visited pre-covid. So bit dramatic of me saying "EVERYONE from school is a heroin addict now". There's a small few of us who are not , but we are a small minority . Shows how big the problem is over there. Now we off lockdown ill have to go over and visit , and avoid the town center where i get bombarded !
Sad to read that. I have really great memories of Halifax and Huddersfield but I'm talking about 40 years ago. Halifax seems to have suffered the same fate as many towns in the North from what you say.
 
Mouldy 13 - I know what you mean.

Most of the children of hippies grew up around drugs at home , then started going to the raves in the 90s , then ended up on herion. Very bad for it down there, loads I went to school with are dead now. They made a film about Hebdens dark side , I recognise many of the people in it from my school days. The film is called " cry your tears and walk away" . On YouTube.

It's a shame. As before all this herroin nonsense came to town and wrecked the place (which is everywhere now) , I had some great times in Hedben as a teen in the mid 90s. Remember some great party's , held in the hippie parents houses. And bonfire night was always a good one. One of the hippie parents owned a barn on the canal and they had a massive rave - cum- barn dance , with bales of hay for seating n all, and a little makeshift bar selling cans of lager and ice pops. Good times

Then the hard drugs came .... No more party's. Bad times. Not good,


The "old" Hebden was wicked though if you grew up there.

I could tell many stories about various party's down there, but I'd be here all day

I lived in a strict religious , non hippie parent house, and couldn't believe how free and easy some of these other folks parents were. Letting them smoke weed at home, no curfew , mates can have a party in the house ect. one lads hippie mother used to make mushroom wine out of magic mushrooms she was a character , we went to the house one time and she was dancing round the living room E'd up (exstacy pills). My God it was crazy seeing a "parent" carrying on like that. Mad.

I was quite jealous at the time of what I perceived as "cool" parents , instead of my old fashioned strict ones , but my life's turned out better in the long run than those kids of the hippies ... So, yeah. Kids need boundaries and rules!! The son of the Ecstacy n magic musgroom lady is full blown mentally ill these days and always begging in centre of Hebden or Halifax. It's sad because he used to be a good looking popular lad, absolute tramp now , very sad.

So right what you said about the dark side of Hebden n hippie parents.

I know a couple of people in the film, so yes, I agree, letting your kids "run free" is fine as long as the parameters are set.
 
Back
Top