The Railway Children Walk #3
The next stretch of the walk took us through Haworth village - which was quite busy with visitors - and down Mytholmes Lane towards Oakworth.
Along the way we passed this interesting little cottage, with a sign saying Toll Bar House. I have not been able to find much information online but the stone plaque on the wall says:
This is a private occupation (?) road to (?) Oakworth Hall and Ebor Lane Top and is the private freehold of John Craven of Berridge House in Bingley.
No person can lawfully pass here without his leave. Except persons going on ordinary business to and from the estate of the late Hiram Craven of Dockroyd, deceased and of the said John Craven. And persons going on like purposes between Oakworth Hall and Lower Laithe, the Lodge and Oakworth Corn Mill Farm the property of John Wright of Lower Laith and between Oakworth and the Lower Providence Mill the property of Caleb Leach of Halifax. All other persons passing here on after this NOTICE will be treated as Wilful Trespassers.
Borridge House Bingley
July 1843 John Craven.'
So it seems it marks the end of a private road associated with some mills.
The route turned off the road eventually and led us up leafy lanes, past old mills still tucked into the landscape.
Vale Mills was an early 19th century water-powered cotton spinning mill, apparently employing a lot of children sent up from London. It still houses various businesses (without the child labour!)
The chimney of Ebor Mills, a 19th century worsted spinning mill, still rises high above the trees. The mill complex suffered a major fire in 2010. What remains has been converted to residential dwellings with several new blocks also constructed on the site. I think the distinctively-shaped hill on the horizon is Pendle Hill.
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