The Minor Family of Somerset

John became tenant of Lane House about the year 1755. Made his w
ill Feb. 1810is was proved on December 21 1810
Luddenden stands on the millstone grit flanks of the valley of t
he Luddenden Beck. The earliest settlement clustered about th
e ford in the valley bottom but later buildings were erected hig
her up the hillside. The tightly packed huddle of stone buildin
gs which characterise Luddenden, and many Pennine villages, ar
e man's historical hanswer to thegeological and climatic condit
ions of the area. The origin of the village was the growth o
f a settlement at the point the pack horse trail from Halifaxin
to Lancashire descended from the hills into the valley to cros
s LuddendenBrook. The fast flowing nature of the Beck was expl
oited from early times,and the Warley corn mills were establish
ed int he village by 1284. Before the 15th Century the area wa
s pastoral in nature, but was confined to a small cluster of hou
ses at the bridge and the Church. By 1820, four water mills wer
e established along the Dean, and terraces of workers' houses we
re constructed against the slopes of the hillside. The Parish C
hurch was rebuilt in 1820 in a larger form, this being a clear i
llustration of the prosperity and growth of the period. In 184
2 the first steam powered mill was established at Oats Royd. Th
e result of this expansion away from the valley bottom was tha
t further development took place on the upper slopes of the vall
ey above theold village, mainly for the Murgatroyd estate. Th
e construction of the New Road to take coal from the Calder Vall
ey at Luddenden Foot to Oats Royd Mill resulted in a ribbon of d
evelopment along its line on the upper slopes of thehillside
. Above the village a number of large houses, such as Carr Fiel
d,were built. The pattern of historical development has create
d a compact, enclosed valley bottom village which later develope
d in a more straggling form up the valley sides. Surrounding th
is core are a series of small settlementsbased around old farms
tead and the New Road. This is set against an undeveloped backd
rop of steep hillside fields, large copses of trees and scrub, b
ounded by dry stone walls. There is an exceptionally close rela
tionship between the tightly enclosed village and the surroundin
g and penetrating fields orwoods which has survived to the pres
ent Day.
Role
The historical decline has been checked in recent years as the v
illage has benn 'discovered' and has taken on a new role as a re
sidential satellite for the Halifax/Sowerby Bridgeconurbation
. Its picturesque character has also attracted a number of da
yvisitors to stop for a while whilst on their way to Luddende
n Dean. After along period of gradual decline which left an ag
eing population, there has been a recent rise due to an influx o
f young people who live in Luddenden but work in Halifax. The f
arming conists of cattle rearing on the lower slopes ofthe vall
ey, sheep rearing on the upper slopes and the flat moorland beyo
ndits rim. In recent years some farms have been combined, an
d the surplus farm-houses, together with their surrounding field
s, have been sold to commuters,in other parts of the valley thi
s has resulted in the fields being allowed to revert to unsightl
y scrub land, though this has not yet occurred in Luddenden. Fo
rtunatley there has been no removal of dry stone walls to accomm
odate modern agricultural methods or leisure pursuits.
Character
A major featureof the townscape is small enclosed spcares whic
h occur throughout the villagelinKing serially one to another
, and affording brief glimpses of the countryside beyond. The
y are the essence of the character of Luddenden and this would b
e lost if they were opened out. If the traditional townscape i
s to survive, it is important that the key physical features, to
gether with the mainvisual characteristics, are preserved and e
nhan