Marsden is a large village in the Colne Valley, in the metropolitan borough of Kirklees, West Yorkshire, England. It is in the South Pennines close to the Peak District which lies to the south. The village is west of Huddersfield at the confluence of the River Colne and Wessenden Brook. It was an important centre for the production of woollen cloth. In 2020, the village had an estimated population of 3,768.
History
Marsden grew wealthy in the 19th century from the production of woollen cloth. It is still home to Bank Bottom Mill, later known as Marsden Mill, and to John Edward Crowther Ltd, formerly one of the largest mills in Yorkshire. The Crowthers moved to Marsden in 1876, beginning a long and profitable association with cloth manufacturing in the town.
During the 1930s, Bank Bottom Mill covered an area of 14 acres, employed 680 looms and provided employment for 1,900 workers.
The Church of St Bartholomew was completed in 1899, although the nave and aisle had been in use from 1895, when the previous chapel was demolished. The tower was built in 1911 and the Parochial Hall in 1924 (with an extension in 1978). The church has a peal of 10 bells.
Production of woollen cloth at Bank Bottom Mill ceased in 2003, with the loss of 244 jobs.
Governance
Marsden was formerly a township and chapelry in the parishes of Almondbury and Huddersfield. On 26 March 1898 Marsden became a civil parish formed from "Marsden in Almondbury" and "Marsden in Huddersfield", on 1 April 1937 the parish was abolished to form Colne Valley Urban District. In 1931 the parish had a population of 5723.
Geography
Marsden is the last significant settlement on the West Yorkshire side of the Standedge Pennine crossing into Greater Manchester. The village is in the southern edge of the South Pennines, with the boundary of the Peak District National Park to the south. It is surrounded on three sides by the moorland of Marsden and Meltham Moors with Saddleworth Moor nearby. Marsden has low level access only from the east along the Colne Valley.
The Marsden Moor Estate, which surrounds Marsden to the west and south, includes several reservoirs; it is in the care of the National Trust, which is developing techniques to rehabilitate the moor. Butterley Reservoir with its distinctive spillway is near Marsden inside the Peak District National Park. The Peak District Boundary Walk runs across the moors and into Marsden.
In chronostratigraphy, the British sub-stage of the Carboniferous period, the Marsdenian derives its name from Marsden.
Transport
Road
Several generations of tracks and roads have crossed the moors near Marsden. Mellor Bridge and Close Gate Bridge are both packhorse bridges.
The A62 road between Huddersfield and Oldham passes through the village and the Standedge cutting some 2.5 miles (4 km) to the west. The road between Oldham and Huddersfield, especially the stretch between Marsden and Diggle, was named the fourth most dangerous road in Britain in 2003-2005.
Railway
Marsden railway station is sited on the Huddersfield line. Services are operated by TransPennine Express to locations including Huddersfield, Manchester Piccadilly, Leeds and Hull.
Buses
Local bus services are operated primarily by First West Yorkshire. Routes run to Huddersfield, Honley, Slaithwaite, Saddleworth and Oldham.
There was a tram service from Huddersfield to Marsden between 1914 and 1938 and a trolley bus service from 1938 to 1963. After the Second World War, extremely cheap fares (1d. return) allowed school children from Huddersfield access to the moors around Marsden during summer holidays.
Canal
The Huddersfield Narrow Canal and the Huddersfield-Manchester railway enter the parallel rail and canal Standedge Tunnels about half a mile (0.8 km) to the west of the village centre.
Mountain rescue
The Holme Valley Mountain Rescue Team has its headquarters at Marsden Fire Station from where the volunteer team provides rescue cover for surrounding moorland areas and assists West Yorkshire Police with searches for missing people. The team was founded in 1965 and was based in Meltham before relocating in 2005.
Sport
Marsden football club, Marsden AFC, play their home matches at the Fall Lane ground. In its centenary year the 1st team were promoted from the West Riding County Amateur League Division 1, and played in the West Riding County Amateur Premier Division for the 2008–09 season.