Halifax outside York - worth a look?
 

Visiting York area in June as part of a long driving adventure from Glasgow to Kent. My immigrant ancestor came from a parish called Shelf in Halifax to Massachusetts in 1635 and my husband thinks we should see it. I have no illusions about even finding old gravestones, but other than that is it worth a drive-by? Appreciate a bit of local advice - thanks!

Shelf is between Halifax and Huddersfield in West Yorkshire, both places generally off the usual tourist trail.
I'm not sure I could comment on whether it is worth a trip, as that's up to you but maybe you are looking for a certain address? Should be easy to see if it still exists.
If you do go then allow yourselves around 50 mins to an hour (depending on time of day) to get there from York. It's a fair run out.
You could incorporate a trip to 'Bronte country' (Haworth) if this appealed and/or Saltaire.

It is quite unusual to find gravestones of that age. Many religious buildings were damaged during the reformation or were built as the population increased post the agrarian revolution. However, depending on how much time you have it may be worth investigating further, you could use Internet resources prior to visiting.

Much of the development in West Yorkshire dates at around 1800 until the industrial revolution. Having relatives from this area dating back such a long period may turf up some interesting facts. Some of areas of Britain still show many buildings from this period and were clearly well developed during the 1600s, Shelf isn't one of them. Bearing in mind that the initial settlements of MA only settled down around 1630 it may well be that local museums in Halifax have details of your relatives as early settlers.

The David Hockney inspired Salts Mill is well worth a visit with his photography, other exhibits and many good shops/cafes.

Other than that Halifax is not England's most inspiring town.

There'll be nothing from your ancestor's time. Shelf was a "chapelry" in the 17th century, not a parish, so all the churches postdate his travel to America.

Practically everything was demolished from the late 18th century, being replaced by a lot of imposing early Industrial Revolution buildings, rather more of which survive here than elsewhere in Northern England. Though most of Halifax's manufacturing economy was destroyed at the same time as the rest of the country's. it was the centre in the late 20th century of what was then the world's biggest Building Society, and had substantial biscuit production

A fair amount of conscience money from the (once paternalistic, though now vulture capitalisted) biscuit company and from trusts associated with the building soc has gone into a number of restoration/regeneration projects in and around Halifax, and the area's prettier than most post-industrial towns in Lancashire and Yorkshire. It's also nicely situated (local code for being on steep hills) with some lovely views. Under most circs, not a must-see - but a good excuse for seeing a different side of England.

I agree with your husband. As you will be so close it seems a shame not to at least see Shelf, although its not clear how much remains from the 17th century, not much from a look at google maps. Secondly though I think its excellent to not just visit the touristy stuff and this will certainly be a contrast to York.

You should go - if only to see where your ancestor came from. You'll always wonder what it's like if you don't.

And Haworth for the Brontes is close by, as is Hedben Bridge another interesting market town www.yorkshire.com/places/halifax/hebden-bridge

This still stands and dates back to at least 1600.

Map http://maps.google.com/?ll=53.750690,-1.770515
Shared via Maps+ http://j.mp/mapsplus

This may be useful

http://www.bradfordhistorical.org.uk...l02/shelf.html

<i>Halifax outside York</i>

An hour by car, 90 minutes by train.

Currently there's a series on PBS called "Last Tango in Halifax" starring Derek Jacoby.
Don't know if it was actually shot in Halifax... but the scenery is interesting.... and sort of
depressing.... looks like it's always gray or raining -:)

Halifax is lovely, Shelf, on the other hand is lacking in charm but nothing nasty. Halifax has a wonderful Piece (sic) Hall and some golden stone based buildings.

Bilbo.

We are talking about West Yorks not Nova Scotia.

Are you on the right continent?

Dickie,

Bilbo lives in Yorkshire, he's a local.

Oliverandharry. Shelf is actually between Halifax and Bradford (my sister lives in Shelf) but used to be a part of Northowram so I did a little research for you and came up with this link.

freepages.history.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~calderdalecompanion/b139_n.html#97

Check out the Northowram Noncomformist Register for births deaths and marriages in the area - you may find your ancestors name in there. Most records are from the 18thC but some as early as the 12thC. Happy hunting.

If you do visit Shelf? I can certainly recommend the Bottomley Arms for lunch or dinner.

Oh and Saltaire is certainly worth a look if you are in the area it's a Unesco World Heritage site.

Agreed Saltaire is a great visit, both Saltaire and Halifax had the world's biggest factory in it at various times.

Nova Scotia Halifax had a big bomb :-)

"Halifax is lovely"

......sounds very much like Sir Geoffrey.

Originally I was a southerner who saw the north of England as some sort of dark satanic mill, black with grim faced people.

Due to an accident of employment I was posted up here 30 years ago and discovered that after the clean air act the place began to sparkle, the grim faced northeners is their reaction to idiot southeners and they are, in fact, pretty friendly to sensible people.

Meanwhile Halifax is made of Yorkshire stone, it sits on the side of a hill and has some fine architectural objects (even the tatty market has a beautiful roof), and of course it is not like the monstrous Huddersfield which has been destroyed by urban planning or the terrbile Wakefield. Still Wakefield has two of the country's finest modern museums in or close to the city.

Halifax Piece Hall is an absolute gem of Georgian Mercantile architecture - a market place for woollen cloth produced locally. It wouldn't be out of place in Bath, Oxford or London.

Shibden Hall hust outside of town is also worth a look and just up the road is Haworth for the Brontes, Heptonstall for Sylvia Plath and Hebden Bridge for vegetarians, crusties and all things deemed "alternative".

Really some of those dismissing Halifax above must surely be speaking out of ignorance.

Saltaire in Bradford and the Hockney Gallery in Titus Salt's Mill is a great idea, truly inspiring places to visit.

Dr D.

Granted if you were born and brought up in Huddersfield, only ever having been to Leeds/Bradford airport to place spot, then yes Halifax is a nice day out. Other than that it is what it is ....a nice day out from Huddersfield.

Keighley is a nice day out from Huddersfield :-)

Saltaire was a huge disappointment for me, being interested in history rather than art. The huge mill was built as part of a model village in the great industrial age, but now, hidden in amongst the galleries, shops and cafes, the only link to its history is one bare room with a few story boards and a video. Surely other visitors are interested in the history of the mill and village rather than Hockney? Plus it was bin day in the village and the bright blue wheely bins littering every pavement added nothing to the experience.