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The wider Kirklees area has over 3,000 Listed assets
Huddersfield boasts a long and varied collection of listed buildings but some could quite easily go unnoticed.
The town has a long and interesting history, and as such has a large number of listed buildings in the centre alone. In fact, at over 3,000, the wider Kirklees area has one of the highest concentrations of listed buildings nationwide.
While many of the assets making the register may be expected, like the iconic George Hotel, railway station and town hall, some perhaps more surprising items have also made the list. Many of us will walk past these on a regular basis, unaware of the fascinating stories they hide.
Here are ten of the more quirky finds from in and around Huddersfield which feature on the Historic England register:
Electricity Box
Consumer electricity arrived in Huddersfield in 1892, and boxes like this one on John William Street distributed electricity to the nearby consumers. The iron box was produced by the foundry of GW Tomlinson.
Former County Police Station, Princess Street
Currently in use as the Stay Hotel, this building has served many purposes since being built in 1846, most notably as a county police station, a juvenile court, and more recently a Kirklees Council building.
Remains of Roman Hypocaust
Originally located at Slack Roman Fort in Outlane, the stone pillars from Roman baths are now on display at the entrance of the Tolson Museum. They are believed to date from 79-130 CE.
Cloth Hall Tower
Also relocated to the Tolson Museum, the Cloth Hall once stood in the town centre, giving its name to Cloth Hall Street. The clock tower was originally constructed in 1766 and reconstructed on the grounds of the Tolson, following the Cloth Hall’s demolition in 1930.
Telephone Kiosks
These four kiosks, located outside the Royal Mail building on Northumberland Street, are of the K6 design, and erected in 1935.
Princess Cinema, Northumberland Street
Originally a warehouse built in the mid-19th Century, this currently-unoccupied building was converted into a popular cinema during the 1920s, and closed in 1982. The impressive building opposite the Royal Mail has been a restaurant, nightclub, and casino over the years.
Goods Yard Tower
This unassuming industrial brick tower is a hydraulic accumulator, and helped to supply power to the goods warehouse behind the railway station.
Edgerton Tram Shelter
From 1883 to 1940, a network of trams served Huddersfield and the surrounding areas. The striking shelter on Halifax Road, done up in the Huddersfield Corporation colours of vermillion and cream, was built in 1896, and still serves as a bus shelter to this day. The landmark was refurbished in 2014, to look its best for the passing cyclists on the British stretch of the Tour de France.
Temperance Hall
During the mid-19th Century, the idea of total abstinence from alcohol became popular, and the Temperance movement took root in the newly-industrialised towns across the north. Temperance halls and bars began to crop up, as meeting places for followers of the movement. There were a number of these establishments in Huddersfield town centre, and this one on New North Road dates back to the mid-19th Century.
St Paul’s District School, Princess Street
This building, most recently part of Wilko’s, was built in 1847 as a school for boys and girls. It closed in 1907 when it was replaced by a larger school on St Paul’s Street, now within the University Campus. The name inscription can be seen at the top of the building.
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