Scissett offers a timed walk and a rich church history. Walk 9 is listed as a 45-minute walk, while St Augustine’s Church brings together several historical milestones. The cultural and historical highlights also include Engine House Nortonthorpe Mills, with an original steam engine dating from 1885. For your planning, the route, architectural history and industrial heritage offer distinct areas of interest.
Walk 9: a walk with a set time frame
The official Kirklees walking guide, published in December 2008, lists Walk 9: Scissett as a 45-minute walk. It gives the public car park between St Augustine’s Church and Scissett First School as the starting point. The route described includes a footpath across the river. The 45 minutes refer to the walk and help you plan it as a separate block of time. As the route information comes from a 2008 leaflet, it is a good idea to check the directions are up to date before setting out.
St Augustine’s Church: community and architectural history
St Augustine’s Church has been part of the Scissett community since 1838. It was consecrated in 1840 by Bishop Longley of Ripon, who later became Archbishop of Canterbury. The chancel was added to the nave in 1880. The dates refer to different events: 1838 marks the church’s connection to the community, 1840 its consecration, and 1880 the building’s extension. The church’s history can therefore be read as a sequence of distinct milestones, rather than treating the consecration and later addition as the same event.
The church has a stained-glass window by Henry Payne. The first person baptised at St Augustine’s Church was Benjamin Norton. These two details add different perspectives to the architectural history: the window identifies a work of art with a specific artist, while the baptism record links an individual by name to the church’s history.
St Augustine’s Church is available to hire. If you are considering hiring it, you should confirm the arrangements directly.
Industrial history at Engine House Nortonthorpe Mills
Engine House Nortonthorpe Mills was built in 1885–1886 for Norton & Co Ltd. It retains its original steam engine, made by Pollitt & Wigzell in 1885. The two dates refer to different things: 1885–1886 is the period when the building was constructed, while 1885 is the year of the engine. The companies named also provide two specific points of reference: Norton & Co Ltd. is associated with the construction of the Engine House, and Pollitt & Wigzell with the surviving steam engine. The building and its technical equipment can therefore be considered as distinct aspects of the industrial heritage.
Another local club
The Scissett Youth Amateur Swimming Club is based at Scissett Swimming Baths and offers swimming lessons for children aged six and over.
Distinguishing between the themes can help with planning your stay: Walk 9 has a stated duration, the church history covers events spanning several decades, and the Engine House combines a construction period with a surviving machine. This lets you plan the walk as a separate activity and choose which historical themes to focus on according to your interests.
Discover more destinations: Holmfirth, Dewsbury, Gomersal, Batley, Huddersfield, Cleckheaton
Return to the main travel overview: Kirklees.
