Batley Trail

Batley is recorded in the Domesday Book as Bateleia and is an ancient settlement, although most of its many notable buildings date from the nineteenth century or later. Again located in the Heavy Woollen District, it flourished during the Industrial Revolution in the eighteenth century, when farming and weaving gave way to water powered mills for large-scale carding and spinning. By the end of the nineteenth century, it was the centre of the shoddy and mungo trade, and boasted at least thirty shoddy mills by 1861. The textile industry dwindling during the late twentieth century, but the town continues to thrive.

Batley Trail Google Map

Batley Railway Station was opened by the London and North Western Railway in 1848. At one time larger and boasting three more platforms than the two it has today, it has nevertheless retained its original station building. Leave the station and walk straight ahead along Station Road, following it downhill until it ends at Soothill Lane. Most of the buildings lining Station Road are former warehouses built in the nineteenth century, and the majority are Grade II-listed; one of them opposite the station, built in Italian Gothic style, is currently a bar. Turn left along Soothill Lane, which ends immediately at Rouse Mill Lane; turn right and follow this, again passing between handsome Grade II-listed nineteenth century former warehouses. Look right after passing these to see a huge former mill, now converted into a shopping centre.

When Rouse Mill Lane ends at an askew crossroads, continue straight ahead along Hick Lane, passing first a former Midland Bank and then a Grade II-listed Methodist Chapel and adjoining Sunday School dating from c.1870, both on the left. Directly opposite the chapel, on the right-hand side of the road, is a former Barclays Bank, also Grade II-listed and now a public house called the Union Rooms. Just past this on the right, along Commercial Street, is another public house, the Taproom. Follow the road as it bends left and becomes Wellington Street, then take the third right turn along Cambridge Street, passing between the former Technical School on the left and the former Public Baths, both again Grade II-listed buildings dating from the late nineteenth century.

Immediately after passing the baths, turn right and then left to walk through Batley Memorial Park, looking out for the War Memorial at its centre. Exit at the far end and continue straight ahead along Market Place, passing the impressive Batley Library on the left and the Town Hall opposite it on the left. Both Grade II-listed, the former is a Carnegie Library dating from 1906, whilst the Town Hall was built in 1905.

Batley Library.

At the bottom of Market Place, the Central Methodist Church – another Grade II-listed church, this one dating from 1869 – can be seen directly ahead.

Turn left and follow Commercial Street, which soon becomes first Upper Commercial Street and then Blakeridge Lane, as it passes the huge former Blakeridge Mill on the left, which is now converted (along with the adjacent Sugar Mill) into modern commercial premises. Continue past the mill, next passing the former Cross Bank Methodist Sunday School (also on the left), then turn left along Cemetery Road. On reaching the entrance to Batley Cemetery, enter this and walk straight ahead to the striking Cemetery Chapels (again, Grade II-listed), dating from 1865. Turn left in front of these and follow a path to edge of the cemetery, to exit on Arncliffe Road.

Turn right and follow Arncliffe Road until it ends, then continue straight ahead along a short path to reach Towngate Road, passing Healey House Hotel (a former mill owner’s house built in 1865) on the left. Turn right, walk to the end of Towngate Road, then continue straight ahead along a public footpath between fields to reach Coal Pit Lane. Cross this and walk straight ahead along Chaster Street until it ends at Carlinghow Lane, then turn right. When Carlinghow Lane bends right and becomes Cross Bank Road, turn left along Ealand Road, shortly passing the Grade II-listed Church of St. John on the right, which was built in 1879.Continue past this and stay on Ealand Road to the crossroads with Oakhill Road, then turn right and follow this until it ends at Bradford Road.

Turn left and then right to enter Wilton Park, passing the large boating lake on the right. The park was opened in 1909, and was originally the grounds of a mansion, which is now the Bagshaw Museum. Continue straight ahead past the lake, following a path under a railway bridge that once carried the former Batley to Birstall Lower (goods) line of the Leeds Dewsbury & Manchester Railway. Follow the path straight ahead as it winds uphill through woods, eventually reaching the aforementioned Bagshaw Museum. Built in 1875 as a house called The Woodlands, this Grade II-listed building was converted into a museum in 1911 by local businessman Walter Bagshaw; originally the Wilton Park Museum, it was renamed after him following his death in 1927. It is now owned by Kirklees Council and, amongst other displays, is home to exhibits on local history.

From the entrance to museum turn right to visit Batley Butterfly House, then head back down into the woods, bearing left at a fork and following the path downhill close to the edge of the woods until it reaches Wilton Park Greenway, which follows the line of the railway mentioned above. Whilst following this, look right through trees for a glimpse of the Grade II-listed Carlinghow Mill, a former eighteenth century corn mill. When this ends at Carlinghow Hill, turn right and follow this to Bradford Road. Look right to see another mill building – Docking Mills – then turn left and follow the road, passing between a former Tram Shed on the left and a former National School on the right, next to which is the Victoria public house. Continue along Bradford Road, shortly passing another former mill – the second called Carlinghow Mill – on the right, to a crossroads. Turn right here along Stocks Lane, and on reaching the Church of All Saints, turn left to enter the churchyard.

The Church of All Saints is Grade I listed and is the oldest building on the walk, dating from c.1485 and incorporating parts of a thirteenth century church.

The Church of All Saints.

Continue along the path through the churchyard to exit on Branch Road, then turn right. Take the next left turn along St James Street and follow this back to Bradford Road. Turn right and follow this, then just before reaching the Rose of York public house on the left, turn left and follow a signed public footpath along Bank Field Road, which soon becomes a track running between houses. Cross Stockwell drive and continue straight ahead along the path, which eventually ends at Grosvenor Road.

Turn right along Grosvenor Road, then left along Rutland Road, passing the Grade II-listed Church of St. Thomas on the corner, which dates from 1867-1868 and is built in the Gothic Revival style. Continue along Rutland Road, and when it bends left, turn right and cross a pedestrian footbridge over the railway track, turning left at the end to reach Howley Street. Follow this as it runs downhill, becomes a footpath, and crosses a wooden footbridge over Howley Beck, before climbing an incline and ending at Lady Ann Road. Turn right and follow this until it ends at Soothill Lane, then turn right and follow this over the railway track before bearing left along Upper Station Road to return to the railway station.

After Batley, the Huddersfield Line continues into the City of Leeds, which we have already explored. We now therefore head back down the line to Huddersfield and then further south, to another Kirklees town, Slaithwaite.