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History of Cleckheaton
Cleckheaton The town of Cleckheaton is an urban area that is larger than a village but smaller than a city. Unless Cleckheaton grows to a size where it is elevated to a higher administrative status it is effectively a parish but to differentiate between the two at the turn of the last century towns were granted the right to allow their elected representatives call themselves a "Town Council" and to, from their number, elect a Mayor. Other than that they have the same legal rights and responsibilities as a Parish Council.
The Red House Museum and Kirklees Hall are both mentioned in the writings of Charlotte Bronte, the Red House being 'Briarmains' and Kirklees Hall being 'Nunnwood' in her book 'Shirley'. The Red House was also visited many times by John Wesley, the Father of Wesleyanism. Kirklees Park in which Kirklees Hall is situated, just over the hill in Clifton, is reputedly the place where Robin Hood is buried.
We have also had a number of exceptional people who have lived here besides the Brontes. One was Nanny Wood, who was a dwarf with no forearms who taught local children in her cottage cum school on Ladywell Road just behind Hartshead Church in the late 1800s.
On a suber note Cleckheaton was also the unfortunate place where a mill chimney fell down in 1892 killing 15 people. The site, just down the Bradford Road as you head towards Heckmondwike, and near the Marsh pub, has recently had a memorial placed there to commemorate the people killed.