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Does anyone have good knowledge of Heptonstall? I have a Sutcliffe branch that comes from Heptonstall pre-1800. After a fair bit of digging last night I have managed to finally get somewhere with this branch.
On account of the popularity of the name Sutcliffe in Heptonstall (the 2nd most common name after Greenwood), I am wary of assuming, but, looking at the big picture and names of children, I am now 90% sure that I am barking up the correct tree.

It starts with a will that I have a will which mentions property at 'Hightown in the township of Heptonstall'. Last night I found Parish records that refer to 'Top o' th' Town' and Newbridge. I'm wondering if its the same place.

Does anyone know where in Heptonstall this Newbridge and/or Top o' th Town is/was? I assume it would be the highest part of the town?

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Mel

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Mel,
I Googled < "top o'th'town" Heptonstall > and got a fair crop of matches, including one that might interest you, about Sutcliffe Architects. Postcode of houses for sale in Top o'th Town is HX7 7NU so you can look on Multimap.

Charon

I saw that Charon. It is interesting.
This branch has been bugging me for quite some time. Last night everything seemed to slot into place....assuming this Top o' th' Town and Hightown are the same place. Mind you, even if they are not, the evidence is stacking up that I am in the right territory. I think I need to give my co-researcher a call and run my findings by him. See what he makes of it all.

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Mel

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What are you people like - It's Christmas Eve!

Anyway, I don't know Heptonstall well, but I do know it's on a very steep hill so names like top o'th'town and hightown sound like they should be close. Have you seen this Mel - I followed a link from Heptonstall (Top oth hill).
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com ... shire_(E-H).htm#Heptonstall
If you follow the Heptonstall links there seem to be any number of Sutcliffes amongst them.

Portia, I guess those who post on Christmas Eve are not much madder than those who read what's posted! But I'll have to stop soon or the domestic authority will be after me......

Mel, this link is a sort of by-the-way comment on Heptonstall/Hightown
http://nq.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/issue_ ... III/57.pdf

Signing off for a Merry Christmas!

Charon

In case anyone else is looking at the above link, you need to copy and paste the whole line. Clicking it doesn't work for some reason.

I saw this last night Portia. I spent ages trawling the net, went to bed quite late and then didn't sleep well because this was all floating around in my head!

What's wrong with a bit of tree on Christmas Eve? What better way to relax before the mania hits tomorrow? Apart from making custard and chucking the turkey in the overn, I'm ready.

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Mel

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Nothing wrong with it really - I have to confess to doing a bit of it myself. In fact I woke up half way through the night with a brainwave about why I can't find my 3x g'grandfather after the 1851 census - though I know he was still alive in 1874. I just need a quiet hour to put it to the test.
All that's left to do today is make a pavlova, the stuffing and the gravy, dig out the china, find his presents and wrap them, hoover the stairs, prep the veg - tart myself up for tonight and then ancestry here I come.

I have a Benjamin Stanworth from Extwistle, who married a Mally Stansfield in Heptonstall 21st June 1789. If you come across any Stansfields on your travels I would be interested.
I have just finished a mountain of ironing, tidied up and have sat down for "5" mins.

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Gloria

I'd be dangerous with a brain.

Gloria...I might be able to help you there. Will PM you.

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Mel

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Does anyone know how if there is anywhere online that I can view Heptonstall burials from 1810 onwards? I have a book that covers some surnames starting with 'S' but have just realised that form 1813 the book only lists Cross Stone records and not Heptonstall. I NEED to see some burials right now. Of course, if I have got to wait until next weeks trip to the archives then I will but it would be so much better to see some records NOW!

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Mel

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Have you tried this Mel
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com ... nstall.htm
Only just found it myself so not sure if it contains what you want, but it looks useful.

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Gloria

I'd be dangerous with a brain.

Thanks Gloria. I have seen the site before but not really gone into it previously. I spy the name Sutcliffe. Fingers crossed!

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Mel

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There are a couple of MI's in different places.

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Gloria

I'd be dangerous with a brain.

Not the people I'm looking for.
I'm 90% sure that they will be in St Thomas's Heptonstall. If they are not there then I suspect Colne/Barrowford and my Sutcliffe partner in crime is looking into that as I type. I think we will be eliminating Barrowford/Colne though rather than jumping for joy.

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Mel

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Ancient Monument, Reaps Cross
re-erected on Heptonstall Moor
Sunday, July 7, 2002


Saturday 6 July 2002 was a great day for all those interested in the restoration of Reap's Cross. A group of local people have joined together their skills and energies over the last 2 years to make sure that the ancient cross which has lain on the moor broken in two throughout living memory would be restored and re-erected to its former glory.

The cross, which is made out of the local gritstone, dates from the 1400s, and has marked the way for those 600 years from Heptonstall to Colne via Widdop. It marks an ancient pathway which crosses the Pennines. There was a botched attempt to put the Cross back together earlier this century but the iron pins did little for the Cross's features and have been removed in the present repair.

Jim Gault, who owns and runs Stonecraft quarry above the fell overlooking Eastwood, specialises in stonework sculpture and repair. When Patrick Savage of Edge Hey Green Colden came up with the idea of repairing the Cross, Jim jumped to the assistance of the community group.

The group removed the Cross from its position on Water Board land high up on the Heptonstall Moor on 29 July 2000. The Foot and Mouth epidemic prevented the Cross from being returned to the moor in 2001; so Saturday 6th July 2002 was a fantastic occasion when friends and supporters of Reap's Cross returned to the Moor to see Jim, Patrick and a team of skilled helpers led by Graham Walker re-erect the Cross.



While the Cross has been at the Stonecraft quarry, Jim has repaired it to the specifications agreed with English Heritage. Reap's Cross is an Ancient Monument and is also classed as grade 2 listed building. Patrick Savage gained consent for the repair from The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, providing that the repair was approved to the standard laid down by English Heritage. Jim used his specialist equipment at the quarry to cut the broken ends of the cross and to sculpture a new piece of stone to sit between the 2 broken ends, with the 2 parts of the cross joined by a stainless steel rod which was inserted into the holes specially drilled into the 2 broken parts and though the middle of the new piece of sculptured stone -a masterpiece of engineering and stonework design.

Graham Walker and his team of farmers used tractors and a sling and a specialised lifting device attached to one of the tractors to enable the top section of the cross to be raised 20 feet into the air so that the top part of the cross with the stainless steel rod could be lowered into the lower half of the cross which now stands in the rock on the moor - a brilliant piece of team work and skill which was captured on Yorkshire Television's Calendar programme.

The cross now stands magnificently 15 foot high in its original position on Heptonstall Moor - a splendid landmark for all to see.

The plaque on the cross reads 'Reaps Cross Re-erected July 2002 by the people of this hillside'

Thanks to Patrick Savage for this news item and Cyn Gault for the picture