Cragg Vale History Group - About Us

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Written by Martyn
Last Updated: 22 September 2023
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The Cragg Vale Local History Group was formed in 2008 and we are still going strong. We are an informal, friendly and sociable group and we would love to welcome more people into the group, either as regular attendees or to drop in for individual sessions.

Meetings are at 7.30 pm, on 3rd Thursday each month from September to June. We take a summer break in July and August but try to arrange a visit to an interesting location during the break.

Venue: St John's Church, Cragg Vale. Refreshments are available at each meeting.

Membership: Just £15 for the year or £3 per meeting for visitors. Just turn up on the night.

If you are interested in joining, please just come along to one of our meetings.

For further information, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  or contact Jane Frechette on 07733 326866

2023/24 programme:

Date Speaker Subject
21st Sept 2023 Shirley Daniels, (dep for Ben Brundell) Withens Reservoir - Morley's need for Cragg Vale Water
19th October 2023 Steve Murty The Coiners - What do we really know ?
16th Nov 2023 Peter Thornborrow 17th Century Yeoman Farmhouses and Oak Furniture of the Upper Calder Valley
21st Dec  2023   Annual Review and Christmas Extravaganza
18th Jan 2024 John Billingsley The Corpseways to Heptonstall
15th Feb2024 Kym Pearson Calvert Mill in Wainstalls
21st March 2024  David Cant  Springtime Saunterings
18th April 2024  Anne Mealia  tba

16th May 2024

  Michael Peel  Hebden Bridge Victorian Quarter
20th June 2024    Visit - tba

 

Spaw Sunday

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Written by Historian
Last Updated: 30 May 2016
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Upper Calder Valley folk had no need to travel far afield to spa towns such as Harrogate, or Buxton to “take the waters”  -  their own local spa  was right here on their doorstep! Cragg Vale Spaw is reputed to be at least 300 years old and, with many nearby places bearing its name, has clearly been of historic importance - Spa Laithe Farm, Spa Terrace,  Spa Bridge etc.

 In medieval times and before, winter was a very difficult time.  The long season of cold and darkness, with limited food, caused hardship and ill health.  So with the coming of warmer weather in spring  people looked forward to gathering at the spa to celebrate the passing of winter and to drink the water, to cleanse themselves of winter ailments, and give them strength to face the coming year.  Whether the water had a medicinal effect is debatable, but there are anecdotes from a number of local octogenarians of the curative and restorative properties, attributing their long standing to regular  draughts of Spa water!  In the 19th century the gatherings were usually on the first Sunday in May  -  “Spaw Sunday”.

Children in their Sunday best 'taking the waters' in 1911.

It was said that on this day the water at Cragg Spa took on “an especial different taste”.  All you needed was a medicine bottle in which,  the spa water  and a stick of liquorice (to make it more palatable for drinking) were thoroughly shaken together and – if you didn’t want to look like a cissy! – swigged down in one.  The sulphurous water from the spa was deemed to be excellent for making tea, although some recommended a pinch of bicarbonate of soda to take the edge  off the “bad eggs smell”.

Over time Spaw Sunday became quite popular: in 1906,  one report  noted that only 500 people went afterwards, with the Hebden Bridge band, to the White House, Blackstone Edge !  And about this time, the Independent Labour Party saw an advantage in playing an important part in “spaw” celebrations, and early religious orators gave way to politicians.  The Second World War ended “Spaw Sunday “. The event was briefly revived in 1987,  but soon the Spa fell into disrepair, and its presence unknown to many Cragg Vale inhabitants – until 2009 when work was undertaken to restore it to its condition at the turn of the 19th Century,  with landscaping, and steps  for easier access.  In 2010 a simple Spaw Sunday celebration was revived,  and the hope to  re-establish  old traditions continues!

TAKE A SMELL of the sulphourous  water;  taste if you wish – but at your own risk!