Hebden Bridge

Hope Baptist Chapel was built at a cost of £3,750 and opened in 1858 taking over from Ebenezer Chapel on Market Street, now the Arts Centre. It ws built on open land where Albert Street, Hope Street and Crown Street stand today known as the White Lion Croft. Above on the very steep Birchcliffe hillside is the old Birchcliffe General Baptist Chapel which had opened in 1764. The ‘cliff’ is clearly visible on this photo. The line just visible on the left hand side coming down from to Birchcliffe Chapel was the Halifax – Heptonstall pack horse road which dropped very sharply down to the Old Bridge then to continue up the Buttress. The lower part of the track seen here is now Bankside, behind Cliff Street, and still cobbled.