Hebden Bridge Baptist Heritage Trail

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This Trail covers three periods of Baptist expansion in the 17th and 18th centuries: 
1. The work of the Rossendale Confederacy of Particular Baptists (those believing in a "particular" redemption of the "elect" known as Calvinists) led by Mitchell and Crossley (Greenwood Lee and Robertshaw Farm). 
2. The ministry of John Fawcett at the end of the 18th century, who was also a Particular Baptist (Wainsgate, Ebenezer, Machpelah and Hope). 
3. The movement of General Baptists (those believing in a "general" redemption, open to all, known as Arminians) led by Dan Taylor (Higher Needless, Birchcliffe, Slack and Blake Dean).

Drive through Hebden Bridge on the A464, towards Todmorden. At the turning circle on the left, turn back and then fork left up the hill for Heptonstall. Continue on the main road for Blackshaw Head and Widdop, avoiding the village. At Slack Bottom, veer right, taking the right fork for Widdop, past the chapel and continuing a mile or so to the National Trust car park on the right. Walk back on the road to Greenwood Lee (1). Then, continue a couple of miles to Blake Dean (2) to view the unusual former Baptist Chapel. Return to Slack Bottom, parking up to view Robertshaw Farm (3) opposite the small garden centre and Slack Chapel (4). 

Return into Hebden Bridge via the turning circle and take the A6033 Keighley Road. At the entry to Peckett Well, take the sharp right turn, proceeding along the ridge, but not turning up Wainsgate (a private road). At the houses, either turn in sharp left on the track to park on the verge in front of the graveyard, with Wainsgate Chapel (5) ahead, or turn right and park on Old Town Mill Lane and walk back to the chapel.

Leaving Wainsgate, continue on the ridge road through Old Town. After about 3 miles, past the Golf Club and the Mount Skip B&B, take the sharp right down the hill. Proceed with care, noting Higher Needless (6) on the left. Continue down Wadsworth Lane until reaching Birchcliffe (7) on the right. Drop down back into Hebden Bridge.

Leaving the car in a safe parking place, start on foot in the centre of Hebden Bridge at the junction of New Road and Bridge Gate. Walk along West End, crossing Hebden Water and into Market Street. The former Ebenezer Chapel (8) is on the right. Retrace your steps, turning left along Old Gate to the riverside walk. Continue to the old pack horse bridge. Cross the bridge and turn left, past the White Swan pub, before walking round the square into Commercial Street. Proceed along here, passing the long flight of 106 steps which ends the descent via various streets from the Birchcliffe hillside.

At the end of Commercial Street, on the left, is Machpelah (9), John Fawcett’s house. Turn right at the main road, crossing Albert Street and Hope Street. Hope Chapel (10) is ahead. The main entrance is on New Road, with a rear entrance on Cheetham Street.

To download a copy of the Baptist Heritage Trail Click here (500KB)

For meditations for use in association with the trail, Click here