Mytholmroyd is a town within the
Metropolitan Borough of CalderdaleThe Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale is a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, England, through which the upper part of the River Calder flows, and from which it takes its name...
, in
West YorkshireWest Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
, England. It lies 1.5 miles (2.4 km) east of
Hebden BridgeHebden Bridge is a market town within the Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale, in West Yorkshire, England. It forms part of the Upper Calder Valley and lies 8 miles west of Halifax and 14 miles north east of Rochdale, at the confluence of the River Calder and the River Hebden .A 2004 profile of...
and 6.7 miles (10.8 km) west of
HalifaxHalifax is a minster town, within the Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale in West Yorkshire, England. It has an urban area population of 82,056 in the 2001 Census. It is well-known as a centre of England's woollen manufacture from the 15th century onward, originally dealing through the Halifax Piece...
.
Mytholmroyd is the birthplace of the English
poetA poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
Ted HughesEdward James Hughes OM , more commonly known as Ted Hughes, was an English poet and children's writer. Critics routinely rank him as one of the best poets of his generation. Hughes was British Poet Laureate from 1984 until his death.Hughes was married to American poet Sylvia Plath, from 1956 until...
. He became the
Poet LaureateA poet laureate is a poet officially appointed by a government and is often expected to compose poems for state occasions and other government events...
and married the American poet
Sylvia PlathSylvia Plath was an American poet, novelist and short story writer. Born in Massachusetts, she studied at Smith College and Newnham College, Cambridge before receiving acclaim as a professional poet and writer...
who is buried at nearby
HeptonstallHeptonstall is a small village and civil parish within the Calderdale borough of West Yorkshire, England. The population of Heptonstall, including the hamlets of Colden and Slack, is 1,448. The town of Hebden Bridge lies directly to the southeast...
. Its population is roughly 4,200.
Mytholmroyd is the home of
Calder High SchoolThe Calder High School is a comprehensive school, with an associated sixth form. It is located in the village of Mytholmroyd, in the metropolitan district of Calderdale, in northern England.-Admissions:As of the academic year 2006-7 it had 1,294 pupils...
, the largest Comprehensive School in the
Upper Calder ValleyThe Upper Calder Valley lies in West Yorkshire in northern England, and covers the towns of Todmorden, Hebden Bridge, Mytholmroyd, Luddendenfoot, and Sowerby Bridge, as well as a number of smaller settlements such as Portsmouth, Cornholme, Walsden and Eastwood. The valley is named after the River...
. Mytholmroyd Community Centre hosts the annual
Dock PuddingDock Pudding is a delicacy produced in the north of England, now chiefly in the Calder Valley area of West Yorkshire. Its main ingredients are the leaves of bistort , together with oatmeal, nettles, onion, and seasoning to taste...
Championships in April, attended in 2007 by
Robbie ColtraneRobbie Coltrane, OBE is a Scottish actor, comedian and author. He is known both for his role as Dr...
who entered the competition and came second, and the Mytholmroyd Gala takes place every July.
The town is served by
Mytholmroyd railway stationMytholmroyd railway station serves the town of Mytholmroyd in West Yorkshire, England. It lies on the Caldervale Line operated by Northern Rail and is situated west of Halifax and west of Leeds...
.
During the late 18th century, the valley to the south, known as
Cragg ValeCragg Vale is a village in Calderdale, West Yorkshire, England, located south of Mytholmroyd on the B6138 road which joins the A58 and the A646.-Early Days:There is evidence of human activity on the Yorkshire moors around Cragg from c. 10,000 BC...
, was home to a gang of
counterfeitTo counterfeit means to illegally imitate something. Counterfeit products are often produced with the intent to take advantage of the superior value of the imitated product...
ers known as the
Cragg Coiners. The gang's leader, David Hartley, or King David as he was known, was found guilty of the 1769 murder of excise official William Dighton and was hanged at the
YorkYork is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
TyburnThe Knavesmire is one of a number of large, marshy undeveloped areas within the city of York in North Yorkshire, England which are collectively known as Strays...
on 28 April 1770. Two other gang members were also executed for their part in the murder.
Governance
At a district level Mytholmroyd Urban District Council was set up in 1894. In 1937 it merged with Hebden Bridge Urban District Council to become
Hebden RoydHebden Royd is a civil parish with a town council in the Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale in West Yorkshire, England. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 9,092...
Urban District Council. At a county level Mytholmroyd was administered by the
West RidingThe West Riding of Yorkshire is one of the three historic subdivisions of Yorkshire, England. From 1889 to 1974 the administrative county, County of York, West Riding , was based closely on the historic boundaries...
County Council. Both of these were abolished as part of the reforms introduced in the Local Government Act 1972. They were replaced with West Yorkshire Metropolitan County Council,
Calderdale Metropolitan Borough CouncilThe Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale is a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, England, through which the upper part of the River Calder flows, and from which it takes its name...
, and Hebden Royd Town Council. The Town Council area forms a civil parish. West Yorkshire County Council was abolished in 1986, leaving Mytholmroyd with a borough and town council.
Sport
Mytholmroyd F.C., where
Eric HarrisonEric Harrison is an English former football player and coach. He is probably best known for being the man behind the Manchester United youth setup that produced the group of players known as "Fergie's Fledglings", including David Beckham, Ryan Giggs, Gary Neville and Paul Scholes.Harrison began...
began his career, were based in the town.
External links