GENUKI: Birstall

The Ancient Parish of BIRSTALL

[Transcribed information mainly from the early 1820s]
"BIRSTALL, a parish-town, in the township of Gomersal, Morley-division of Agbrigg and Morley, liberty of Pontefract; 7 miles SW. of Leeds and Bradford, 7½ from Halifax, 8½ from Huddersfield, 31 from York. The Church is a vicarage, dedicated, to St. Peter, in the deanry of Pontefract, value, ~£23. 19s. 2d. Patron, the Archbishop of York.

This place is not mentioned in Domesday, but Gomersall is described as containing two manors: it seems therefore probable that Birstall was one of them, and being then an inconsiderable place, was passed over without further notice. --Whitaker's Loidis and Elmete. This parish, though extensive, does not furnish a township of Birstall, the village being in that of Gomersall. Here was born, 1579, Henry Burton, a puritan divine, who was educated at St. Johns College, Cambridge, but took his degree of B.D. at Oxford. He was afterwards clerk of the closet to Prince Henry, and next to Prince Charles; but was turned out for a libel against the Bishops. In 1636, he was persecuted in the high commission court for two seditious sermons, sentenced to the pillory, fined £5,000. and ordered to he imprisoned for life. In 1640, he was set at liberty, and was restored to his living. He died in 1648. He wrote many pamphlets, chiefly controversial and abusive. --Biog. Dict."

Information on the following places in this Parish is contained on a supplementary page.

Adwalton
Birkenshaw
Brecks
Cleckheaton
Drighlington
East Bierley
Eddercliffe
Field Head
Gomersal

Heckmondwike
High Fearnley
Hightown
Hunsworth
Little Town
Liversedge
Lower Wyke
Mill Bridge
Oakenshaw

Oakwell Hall
Roberttown
Scholes
Spen
Tong
Tong Lane End
Weskett Hill
Wyke

Cemeteries

Here are photographs of Cemeteries in the parish:
- The old Cemetery, Whitecliffe Road, Cleckheaton.
- The new Cemetery, Whitechapel Road, Cleckheaton.
- The Whitechapel Church yard, Cleckheaton.
- Clough Lane Cemetery, Liversedge.
- St. Mary's Churchyard, Wyke.
See also under Monumental Inscriptions.

Census

The South Bradford Local History Alliance (SBLHA) has indexed the 1841 census for the township of Wyke HO 107/1291/11 Enumeration Districts 9-11.

Churches

Here are photographs of Churches in the ancient parish of Birstall:
- The churches in the town of Birstall.
- The churches in the town of Cleckheaton.
- The churches in the town of Heckmondwike.
- Other churches in the ancient parish of Birstall.

Church History

A transcription of the Birstall Congregational Church History
A transcription of the Cleckheaton Congregational Church History
A transcription of the Drighlington Congregational Church History
A transcription of the Gomersal Congregational Church History
A transcription of the Heckmondwike-Upper Chapel Congregational Church History
A transcription of the Heckmondwike-Lower Chapel Now Westgate Congregational Church History
A transcription of the Heckmondwike-George Street Congregational Church History
A transcription of the Wyke Congregational Church History
Transcript of the entry for Birstall in the "Collections relative to Churches and Chapels".
Transcript of the entry for Birkinshaw in the "Collections relative to Churches and Chapels".
Transcript of the entry for Cleckheaton in the "Collections relative to Churches and Chapels".
Transcript of the entry for Drighlington in the "Collections relative to Churches and Chapels".
Transcript of the entry for Heckmondwick in the "Collections relative to Churches and Chapels".
Transcript of the entry for Liversedge in the "Collections relative to Churches and Chapels".
Transcript of the entry for Tong in the "Collections relative to Churches and Chapels".

Church Records

A transcription of the Banns for St. Andrew's, Oakenshaw 1890-1920 is available on the South Bradford Local History Alliance website.
Transcriptions by Jack Parry of:
- The Marriage Registers at Tong for: 1782-1801, 1754-1781, 1782-1801, 1802-1821.
Transcriptions by Tana Willis Johnson of:
- The Baptism Registers at Birstall for:
  - 1687-1689, 1690-1693, 1694-1696.
- The Marriage Registers at Birstall for:
  - 1687-1701, 1702-1709.
The whereabouts and dates of the Registers etc. for the Parish of Birstall.
The whereabouts and dates of the Registers etc. for the Chapelry of Bierley.
The whereabouts and dates of the Registers etc. for the Chapelry of Birkenshaw.
The whereabouts and dates of the Registers etc. for the Chapelry of Cleckheaton.
The whereabouts and dates of the Registers etc. for the Chapelry of Drighlington.
The whereabouts and dates of the Registers etc. for the Chapelry of Heckmondwike.
The whereabouts and dates of the Registers etc. for the Chapelry of Liversedge.
The whereabouts and dates of the Registers etc. for the Chapelry of Tong.

Directories

Transcript of the entry of "professions and trades" in the Baines's Directory and Gazetteer, Vol I, West Riding.
Transcript of the entry of "professions and trades" in the Pigot's 1829 Directory, Yorkshire section.
Transcript of the entry of "professions and trades" in the Pigot's 1834 Directory, Yorkshire section.
Transcript of the entry of "professions and trades" in the White's 1837 Gazetteer, History and Directory, of the West Riding.

Gazetteers

There is further information about this parish from the Pigot's 1829 Directory, Yorkshire section.
There is further information about this parish from the Pigot's 1834 Directory, Yorkshire section.
There is further information about this parish from the White's 1837 Gazetteer, History and Directory, of the West Riding.
There is further information about this parish from the National Gazetteer 1868, Yorkshire extracts.
There is further information about this parish from the Lewis's Topographical Dictionary of England, Yorkshire extracts.

History

A transcription of the Birstall Congregational Church History
A transcription of the Cleckheaton Congregational Church History
A transcription of the Drighlington Congregational Church History
A transcription of the Gomersal Congregational Church History
A transcription of the Heckmondwike-Upper Chapel Congregational Church History
A transcription of the Heckmondwike-Lower Chapel Now Westgate Congregational Church History
A transcription of the Heckmondwike-George Street Congregational Church History
A transcription of the Wyke Congregational Church History

Manors

The South Bradford Local History Alliance (SBLHA) has transcribed the Manorial records for Royds Hall Manor consisting of the Call Book dating to 1835 and four lists of tenants.

Maps

For a detailed map of this parish see this parish boundaries map.
For a more detailed map of the parishes in the riding please see the Yorkshire parish maps page.
For a more detailed map of the county please see the Yorkshire map page.
Here is a map showing the wapentakes for the county.

Memorial Inscriptions

The War memorials at Low Moor and Bank Foot have been transcribed by the South Bradford History Alliance.
The War Memorial in front of the United Reformed Church, Heckmondwike.
The World War I Roll of Honour in Christ Church, Liversedge.
The World War I Memorial Plaque in the White Chapel porch, Cleckheaton.
The The War Memorial at Husnworth

Monumental Inscriptions

The South Bradford Local History Alliance (SBLHA) has the transcripts of the gravestones at Wyke St. Mary's up to 1930.
The SBLHA has also transcribed the 3264 entries in the Wyke St. Mary's Grave Book. Details are given in their introduction.

Names, Geographical

The following places are within the boundaries of this (ancient) parish, but I have no further information on them other than the Ordnance Survey Landranger Grid reference shown:
- (SE207277) Birkenshaw Bottoms
- (SE223259) Birstall Smithies
- (SE234299) Cockersdale
- (SE228265) Copley Hill
- (SE167253) Hartshead Moor Top
- (SE173247) Hartshead Moor Side
- (SE178244) Hightown Heights
- (SE233266) Howden Clough
- (SE204241) Littletown
- (SE192268) Merchant Fields
- (SE243298) Moor Head
- (SE225283) Moorside
- (SE205228) Norristhorpe
- (SE219272) Oakwell
- (SE205274) Swincliffe
- (SE213242) Westfield
- (SE202297) Westgate Hill

Societies

The South Bradford Local History Alliance has transcribed a lot of local information.
This parish is covered (or partly covered) by the following Societies:
- Bradford FHS
- Huddersfield and District FHS

Taxation

The Wyke Tithe award for 1848 has been transcribed by the South Bradford Local History Alliance. Stangely, this does not include the amount payable.
A list of those paying the 1379 Subsidy Rolls (Poll Tax) for this parish.

Town Records

The South Bradford Local History Alliance (SBLHA) has transcribed Township records for North Bierley, Wyke and Shelf.

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