Information on Hebden, Yorkshire
Hebden is a small village on the B6265 road between Grassington and Pateley Bridge. In 2001 it had a population of 216 and 133 dwellings. Hebden has a church, a chapel, a hotel and a pub- The Clarendon Hotel, a tea room, a community hall, a post-office and general store. The main road crosses a stone bridge over Hebden Gill, built in 1827. Main Street, forming the high street for the village, continues south as Mill Lane, towards the bank of the River Wharfe .The road to the north runs to the small hamlet of Hole Bottom, location of some stone holiday cottages situated in an idyllic location. From there the route continues as a track onto Grassington Moor, with the remains of an old lead smelting works still visible high on the moor and affording great views over the surrounding countryside. Lead mining and Cotton milling were important industries for the village and from the early 19th century Hebden served as a dormitory village for the miners, helping the population rise to over 500 in the 1830s. As a result of the success of the mines a number of the mine owners were involved in the promotion of the Grassington to Pateley Bridge turnpike road, which was begun in 1760 and was to provide an all-weather route across the moors for wagons. Green Terrace, which includes the Post Office, was built in the 1870s, and Main Street was transformed from a humble back lane into the high street. The village school, with working clock and bell tower, was built by the community in 1874,and the community hall, was completed in 1903.The accessible ore was largely exhausted by the late 1800s, and the population steadily declined and has now reverted to its sleepy roots, with many visitors whizzing through on the main road, therefore missing the gold post box outside the post office, installed to commemorate the 2012 Olympic Games rowing gold medal won by Andrew Triggs Hodge, who grew up in the village.
A circular walk passing through Hebden
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