Grindlestone Bank:
Grindlestone Bank
Ovenden Wood.
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| Grindlestone Bank South |
In 1912, T W Hanson wrote of the buildings "There are two houses at Grindlestone
Bank, and both of them have been altered and rebuilt several times."
The northern one is, I think, the older, and on its face are several dated stones. At the
north east corner of the front is:- 1603, denoting some building during Abraham Brig's
reign. On the wall next to the mistal is the inscription : - 1647. I.B. H. B. (John Brigge
and his wife.) In the gable over the principal window is another stone A. B. W. 1698
(Abraham Brigg and his wife). The other house, the one nearer Halifax - was pulled
down and entirely rebuilt in 1853 - the date is over the front door. Some of the old
mullions and stones were used, and the Jacobean style of architecture was followed.
In one of the gables facing the farm yard is preserved the old dated stone: - B 1635 R.
It commemorates another Briggs, but I cannot say what R stands for. The stone has
weathered and so is difficult to decipher."
Grindlestone Bank - South House is a grade 2 listed building. Currently (2004) the
house is divided into three separate dwellings.
Grindlestone Bank is the edge from which the mill stones were quarried and houses
were built on the western slopes of the Ovenden Wood Valley. In 1912, tradition said
that "Grindlestone Bank, built by the Maudes, was the oldest house in the district."
In 1367 there is an account of William de Mirfield, proctor for the Prior and Monks of
Lewes for two millstones for the manorial corn mill at Halifax - cost 7s at Illingworth
and the carriage from Illingworth to the corn mill was 2s.
In 1532 a will of John Maude, of Southowram names as a supervisor John Mawde, of
Gryndilstonbanke. In 1536 John Maude, of Grindlestone Bank was involved with the
Composition for Great Tithes.
Richard Maude, of Gryndlestone Bank, younger son of John Mawde (dec. 1552)
granted to Henry Wadsworth, of Warley, a messuage and seven acres of meadow,
waste, and pasture in Ovenden. On October 10th 1552, Richard Mawde of Ovenden,
made his will leaving all his goods, chattels, and debts to Margaret, his wife. He was
buried on 18th October 1552.
On August 31st 1558, another Richard Mawde, of Ovenden, also with a wife called
Margaret, made his will and was buried October 5th. Among the witnesses to his will
were John Mawde and John Mawd, of Laughton. Laughton is next door to
Grindlestone Bank, and the Maudes of Laughton were related to the Maudes of
Grindlestonbank.
By 1566, Richard Brigg of Warley had moved to Grindlestone Bank, and was one of
the feoffees of the will of William Lister. In 1570, he made an agreement with William
Lister's widow, by which his eldest son, Abraham, married Grace Lister, sole daughter
and heiress. Richard Brigg then promised to his son all his land, commonly called
Grindlestone Bank Lands, except two cottages and three closes of land, after his
death, and also gave his son a house in the occupation of Henry Illingworth.
Richard Brigg had already made provision for his son and in his will, dated April 17th,
1584. He left To Martha Hallawes, my daughter 5 marks. Residue to Grace Brige and
Judithe Brige (his daughters) whom I make my Executors. The will was witnessed by
John Brige, John Bairstowe, th'elder, John Bairstowe, younger, George Brige, Myles
Brige, Edward Houlden, Abraham Brige, John Hemingwaye and probate was granted
1st October, 1584, to Judith Brigge, daughter, power being reserved for Grace,
daughter, co-executrix
In 1584, Abraham Brigge, moved to Grindlestone Bank. Abraham had the following
children baptised: 3 April 1575 - Brygit. 8 December 1577 - Isaac. 22 May 1580 -
John. 17 February 1582 - Abram. 1 November 1585 - Joshua. 20 October 1588 -
Martha. Abraham Brigge, Snr, lived at Grindlestone Bank for 40 years.
In 1698, another Abraham Briggs placed the initials of himself and his wife on the
gable. This was the last of the Briggs of Grindlestone Bank. They had lived there
about 150 years.
Part of the property passed into the hands of the Hirds and in 1732 Robert Ramsden
bought from William Hind of Rawdon, a messuage called Grindlestone Bank, Lane
Farm and Jumples Mill and in 1747 he also bought of Mr William Thornton, of
Bradford, one farm called Grindstone Bank and farm called Laughton.
18TH CENTURY TENANTS
1714 - James Deaden, of Grindlestone Bank, Ovenden
1733 - Joseph Mitchell was the tenant when Mr Hird sold the property.
1735 - 45 - John Garfitt
1748 - 57 John Hindle
1757 - 60 John Hindle, jun.
On June 11th, 1757, Robert Ramsden, of Grindlestone Bank, in Ovenden, let to John
Hindle, jun., of Ovenden, for one year, Grindlestone Bank, now or late in possession of
John Hindle, his father. He has to keep the house and barn in good and tenantable
repair with moss, lime and glass.
About 1743, Robert Ramsden moved from Jumples to one of the Grindlestone Bank
houses, allowing his son to live at Jumples. Robert died in 1760 and his son John
leased the messuage at Grindlestone Bank, late in the occupation of Robert Ramsden,
deceased, to Joshua Stansfield, late of Holdsworth, for 11 years from April 19th 1760.
(South Bank) The other half of Grindlestone Bank (North Bank) was leased to
Tempest Oddy on June 6th, 1761 for fourteen years.
In John Ramsden's Account Book is this note: Left at Bank as Heir Looms where
Joshua Stansfield Inhabits: In the House - one range and a grate, In the Parlour, one
range and a grate, In the New Room, one range and a grate. In 1791, when John
Ramsden made his will, he left "North Bank", then occupied by John Oddy for his
youngest son, Edward Ramsden. Forty years later the Rev. Edward Ramsden sold
North Grindlestone Bank to Mr Joseph Riley. The date stone at the back - S R 1843,
probably indicates that later Mr Riley altered the cottages. Sun Bank, or the southern
house at Grindlestone Bank was left to Mr Ramsden's son Joseph. It was then
tenanted by Samuel Alison 1791.
In the middle of the nineteenth century a Mr John Briggs obtained possession of
Grindlestone Bank but whether he is related to the earlier Briggs is not known. It is
believed that the mother of this John Briggs was a Miss Ramdsen of Jumples before
she married. Mr John Briggs, was a worsted spinner at Jumples Mill and he improved
the land and rebuilt the house (South Bank), placing the date 1853 over the door, and
the name on the arch that spans the entrance to the farm yard. When they were
pulling down the old barn a small circular oaken box was found which contained the
deeds relating to Illingworth Chapel of Henry VIII and of Elizabeth's reign. In 2004, the
arch over the entrance is no longer there but the side supports still exist.
In 1912 Mr Hanson says, "unfortunately Mr Brig's business came to grief. The pit he
made for his gasometer is used for the manure; the garden is neglected, and the seat
of the Briggs family is now a farm house."
Sometime in the sixties the Ramsdens again obtained Grindlestone Bank.
In 1881 Grindlestone Bank (North Bank) appears to have been divided into two and
was occupied by John Varley a farmer of 12 acres, and the other cottage was
uninhabited. Sun Bank (Sunny Bank, South Bank),was occupied by James Heap a
retired shoe maker, James Green a farmer of 18 acres, Thomas Bates a Milk dealer,
and James Butterworth a stone quarrier
Information from Halifax Antiquarian Society, T W Hanson, 1912, Grindlestone Bank,
1881 census.
Sue Johnson
Jan 2004
Around 1962, the house was bought by the Beaumonts who still live there today (2006) Terry Williams
This article by:
Sue Johnson ©2004
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