Healds Hall

Healds Hall is an eighteenth-century country house in Liversedge, within the Kirklees district of West Yorkshire, England. Built in 1764 by Joseph Bilton, a member of a prosperous local family, the house began as a private residence and later became associated with education, local industry, civic culture and hospitality. It is listed at Grade II on the National Heritage List for England, reflecting its architectural and historical significance. The building's early history is linked to Joseph Bilton and his wife, Tamar Wood. Bilton constructed the house in the same year as their marriage, and the couple raised six children there. Their eldest son, also named Joseph, inherited the property on reaching adulthood. A late-eighteenth-century rental notice provides evidence of the house's scale and accommodation during this period. In 1795 Healds Hall was acquired by the Reverend Hammond Roberson, a clergyman and educationalist. Roberson had served as curate of Dewsbury and was acquainted with Patrick Brontë. He moved his school from Squirril Hall to Healds Hall and developed it into a successful educational establishment. The income from the school helped fund the construction of Christ Church in Liversedge in memory of his wife, Phoebe. After Roberson's death in 1841, his nephew Henry Roberson inherited the property and continued the school until 1857, when the institution was relocated to Tadcaster. The next major phase began when Samuel Cooke purchased Healds Hall in 1857. Cooke was a leading local carpet manufacturer whose family business had roots in Heckmondwike. His enterprise, Cooke, Son and Co., expanded substantially during the nineteenth century, producing and selling Brussels carpets and related products. The Cooke family's ownership connected the house with the industrial prosperity of the Spen Valley and the wider West Yorkshire textile economy. Samuel Cooke lived at Healds Hall until his death in 1893, and his widow Rhoda remained there until 1900. Following the Cooke family's occupation, the house was rented for a period. In 1926 the Cooke family presented Healds Hall for use by the Spen Valley Literary and Scientific Society. For approximately four decades it served as the society's headquarters and museum, giving the building a public cultural role and preserving local historical and scientific materials. Healds Hall is now a hospitality venue comprising a hotel, restaurant and facilities for weddings, meetings and other functions. Since 1979 it has been owned by the Harrington family, who expanded the original property with additional bedrooms, a restaurant and a function room. The modern operation combines heritage accommodation and dining with events business, while retaining the identity and architectural importance of the historic hall.

Healds Hall was built in 1764 by Joseph Bilton, a wealthy local landowner. Bilton and his wife, Tamar Wood, lived at the house with their six children. When Bilton died in 1781, Tamar continued to occupy the property for some years before moving to Leeds. Their eldest son inherited Healds Hall as an adult, and a newspaper rental notice from 1791 records the character and facilities of the house at that time. In 1795 the property was purchased by Hammond Roberson, a Norfolk-born clergyman who had been educated at Cambridge and had served as curate of Dewsbury. Roberson was known as a forceful preacher and educationalist, and he had a connection with Patrick Brontë. He transferred his school from Squirril Hall on Dewsbury Moor to Healds Hall, where it operated for many years. The school became sufficiently successful to finance Roberson's construction of Christ Church in Liversedge, erected in memory of his wife, Phoebe, who died in 1810. Roberson died in 1841 and left the house to his nephew Henry Roberson. Henry continued to operate the school until 1857, when he sold Healds Hall and moved the school to The Grange in Tadcaster. The end of the school's tenure marked a transition from the building's educational role to ownership by one of the region's industrial families. Samuel Cooke acquired Healds Hall in 1857. He was born in Sheffield and was part of a family involved in the manufacture of carpets and rugs. His father, William Peabody Cooke, had established a carpet business in Heckmondwike in 1795. The enterprise was later divided between Brussels carpet production under Samuel and Kidderminster rug and carpet production under William. Samuel moved his operation to Liversedge and traded as Cooke, Son and Co. The business expanded rapidly, opening a large warehouse and sales office in the nineteenth century. Cooke's industrial success reflected the growth of carpet manufacturing in the Spen Valley. He and his wife, Rhoda Hinscliffe, had fifteen children, several of whom became involved in the family business. Samuel remained associated with Healds Hall until his death in 1893. Rhoda continued to live there until 1900, after which the house was rented for a period. In 1926 the Cooke family gave Healds Hall to the Spen Valley Literary and Scientific Society. The society used it as a museum and headquarters for roughly forty years, making the building an important local centre for education, collecting and civic activity. This period also reinforced the property's connection with the preservation of regional history. The building later returned to private hospitality use. It is now a hotel, restaurant and function venue. The Harrington family has owned Healds Hall since 1979 and has extended the original house with hotel bedrooms, a restaurant and a function room. The property remains a Grade II listed building and operates by adapting its historic setting for accommodation, dining, weddings, meetings and other events.

• 1979

  Harrington family ownership begins

  [1]Healds Hallen.wikipedia.org

  The Harrington family acquired the property and subsequently developed its hospitality facilities.

• 1926

  Conversion to a museum and society headquarters

  [1]Healds Hallen.wikipedia.org

  The Cooke family presented Healds Hall to the Spen Valley Literary and Scientific Society for use as a museum and headquarters.

• 1857

  Samuel Cooke becomes owner

  [1]Healds Hallen.wikipedia.org

  Samuel Cooke bought Healds Hall after the school was moved to Tadcaster.

• 1841

  Inheritance by Henry Roberson

  [1]Healds Hallen.wikipedia.org

  After Hammond Roberson's death, his nephew Henry inherited the property and continued the school.

• 1795

  Hammond Roberson acquires the house

  [1]Healds Hallen.wikipedia.org

  The Reverend Hammond Roberson purchased Healds Hall and transferred his school there.

• 1764

  Construction of Healds Hall

  [1]Healds Hallen.wikipedia.org

  Joseph Bilton built Healds Hall as a private residence in Liversedge.

A heritage hospitality venue that combines a Grade II listed eighteenth-century house with hotel accommodation, restaurant service and event facilities in West Yorkshire.

• Hotel accommodation

  Healds Hall Hotel

  Accommodation provided within and around the historic hall, forming the core of Healds Hall's contemporary hospitality operation. The hotel extends the use of the former private residence beyond heritage visits and events, offering a base for guests in Liversedge and the wider West Yorkshire area.

• Restaurant

  Healds Hall Restaurant

  An on-site dining operation developed as part of the property's conversion into a hospitality venue. The restaurant complements the hotel and provides food service for residents, local customers and guests attending functions at the hall.

• Events and venue hire

  Healds Hall Functions and Events

  Function facilities support weddings, private celebrations, meetings and other hosted events. The addition of a dedicated function room allows the listed historic building to operate as a broader venue rather than solely as accommodation or a restaurant.

1. 1Healds Hallen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Healds Hall official websitehealdshall.co.uk