Huddersfield Trail

The market town of Huddersfield is the administrative centre of the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees and its largest settlement. It is mentioned in the Domesday Book as Oderesfelt, and has been a market town since Anglo-Saxon times. It thrived during the Industrial Revolution and subsequently gained numerous neoclassical Victorian buildings, many of which have survived into the twenty-first century. Today, it is home to the University of Huddersfield and also retains plenty of manufacturing, including two textile manufacturers.

Huddersfield Trail Google Map

The main building of Grade I-listed Huddersfield Railway Station is a massive neo-classical construction built from 1846-1850; the poet John Betjeman once described it as “the most splendid station façade in England” and it is easy to see why.

Huddersfield Railway Station.

From the station, we walk straight ahead across St George’s Square, passing a statue of former Prime Minister Harold Wilson, who was from Huddersfield. The three sides of the square not occupied by the station are lined by Grade II*-listed buildings, namely the George Hotel, the Lion Buildings, and the Britannia Buildings, all of which were built during the mid-nineteenth century. Continue past the George Hotel to John William Street, then turn left. Turn right along Brook Street, passing the former Empire Picture House on the corner. Continue along the street, shortly passing the Wholesale Market on the right. Also Grade II*-listed, this dates from 1887-1889 and is notable for its ironwork.

Turn right along Lord Street to reach Northumberland Street; to the right, the former Post Office building can be seen. Turn left and walk to Southgate, passing the Mechanics’ Institution on the left (Grade II-listed and built in 1859), then cross straight over and follow Leeds Road. At the junction with Gasworks Street on the right, take a detour to view an increasingly rare example of a surviving gasometer. Otherwise, continue along Leeds Road, and just after passing the junction with Grove Road on the right, cross over and walk down steps to reach the towpath of the Huddersfield Broad Canal. Also known as Sir John Ramsden’s Canal, this is 3.75 miles long and connects the Calder and Hebble Navigation at Cooper Bridge junction with the Huddersfield Narrow Canal. It was authorised by an Act of Parliament in 1774 and completed in 1776.

Turn left and follow the towpath, almost immediately passing under Bridge No. 13, which carries Leeds Road over the canal. The canal then passes under Bridge No. 14, which carries Gasworks Road, then after a while reaches Quay Street Bridge No. 17 (bridge numbers 16 and 15 no longer exist), a mechanically operated lift bridge. Proceed along the towpath to Aspley Wharf Marina, then turn left and follow the hotel drive to St. Andrew’s Road. Turn right along this, then right again along Wakefield Road, and then descend steps on the right to regain the towpath.

Follow the canal under Wakefield Road Bridge No. 20, soon followed by University Footbridge No. 20A linking the two halves of the University of Huddersfield campus. This is followed by another footbridge, then Firth Street Bridge. Shortly after this, the canal ends at its junction with the start of the Huddersfield Narrow Canal, indicated by Stanley Dawson Lock No. 1E. We have already walked along part of the towpath of this twenty-mile canal on the Lockwood walk.

Stanley Dawson Lock No. 1E, the start of the Huddersfield Narrow Canal.

Continue to follow the towpath, passing under another footbridge and then Commercial Street Bridge No. 21. Shortly after this, the canal passes through the chamber of the former Lock No. 2E, after which it passes under Queen Street South Bridge No. 22, immediately after which it enters Bates Tunnel. At this point, the towpath is interrupted; climb steps to reach Queen Street, then turn right. Turn left along Milford Street and follow it to Chapel Hill, then turn right and follow this to Queensgate. Cross straight ahead and follow New Street. Turn right, following Princess Street past Huddersfield Town Hall, another Grade II-listed building dating from the latter half of the nineteenth century. Stay on Princess Street as it bends right and becomes Alfred Street, and when this ends at Queensgate turn left. Look out for the Ramsden Building on the opposite side of the road, which dates from 1881-1884.

On reaching the next pedestrian crossing, cross over to visit St. Paul’s Hall, a Grade II-listed former church dating from 1829, now used by the University of Huddersfield. Walk through the grounds of the former church, then turn left to return to Queensgate; directly opposite are the former Hippodrome. Cross straight ahead and follow Zetland Street, staying on this as it bends left and becomes King Street. When this crosses Queen Street, take a detour to the left to visit the Lawrence Batley Theatre, a former Wesleyan Methodist Chapel built in 1819. Otherwise, continue straight ahead, then turn left along Victoria Lane, passing Huddersfield Library and Art Gallery on the left, a steel-framed building faced with sandstone that was built in 1937.

Turn right along Ramsden Street, passing the town hall again, then turn right along New Street and follow it to Market Place, looking out for the Market Cross, erected by Sir John Ramsden, 1st Baronet, in 1671. Turn right along Kirkgate, then left along Lord Street, passing the Parish Church of St. Peter, a Grade II*-listed church built from 1834-1836. Turn left along St Peter’s Street and follow this until it ends at Station Street. Turn left and walk to Westgate, then turn right. Turn right again along Railway Street, passing the Estate Buildings. Finally, continue straight ahead to St. George’s Square to return to the railway station.  

Huddersfield marks the terminus of the Penistone Line, but not the terminus of our exploration of Kirklees. We will next visit several stops in both directions on the Huddersfield Line, which links the cities of Leeds and Manchester. And we will begin by heading north, to the Huddersfield suburb of Deighton.