A Spare Church in the Graveyard

St Thomas à Becket, originally a chapel of ease, was built in the 13th century. Until a church was built at Cross Stone near Todmorden in the 1500s, St. Thomas a Becket served all the upper Calder Valley. John Wesley preached there, describing it at the time as “the ugliest I know.” At one time, it held a congregation of up to a thousand. Diana Monahan explores its history and its survival.

ABOUT THE SPEAKER

Diana Monahan moved to Hebden Bridge in the early 1990s. Her curiosity about the houses in her area somehow led to her being on the committee of the Hebden Bridge Local History Society. In this role, she recalls organising heritage days at Heptonstall including tower tours, recording of monumental inscriptions, A-Z graveyard hunts, and, with the help of The Sealed Knot, The Battle of Heptonstall; she gave talks and walks for Heptonstall;  she was part of the Heptonstall Heritage Partnership whilst it existed creating many exhibitions in the Museum; and assisting the churches with events including for the 150th anniversary celebrations of the “new” church in the graveyard.