Golcar
Encyclopedia
Golcar is a village
located on a hillside crest above the Colne Valley
in West Yorkshire
, England, 2.5 miles (4 km) west of Huddersfield
, and just north of the River Colne
and the Huddersfield Narrow Canal
. The main access route is from the A62
(Manchester Road), through Milnsbridge
in the bottom of the valley or via Scapegoat Hill
from the A640
(New Hey Road) at the top of the hill.
When it was a Township
, Golcar consisted of Bolster Moor, Golcar, Leymoor, Pole Moor, Scapegoat Hill
and Town End.
as Goullakarres. During the Industrial Revolution
Golcar became an important centre for weaving
.
s were converted, in 1970, into the Colne Valley Museum
. The museum features several restored period rooms which are used to show temporary exhibitions. The museum was further extended in 2008 following the purchase of the adjoining former fish and chip shop.
Exhibits include a handloom and a spinning jenny
, invented by James Hargreaves
. In the loom chamber, spinning room, weavers sitting room and 'gas-lit' cloggers shop, the volunteer helpers give regular demonstrations of the type of crafts that would have existed during the nineteenth century.
The museum is run entirely by voluntary members and is open at weekends and on bank holidays. Various craft and working weekends are held through the year.
:- the 4th Golcar Scout Group, which was founded in 1951 and the 39th Parkwood Scout Group, founded in 1908.
The village has several sporting teams including the village football and cricket teams.
There are several churches including the Anglican Parish Church of St John the Evangelist. St John's which opened in 1829 is a good example of a Waterloo church and Golcar Baptist Church (http://www.golcarbc.co.uk/), founded in 1835.
Each year in early May the village hosts the Golcar Lily Day.
Golcar Brass Band (http://www.golcarband.co.uk/) was reformed in 1977 and Currently practises at the Baptist Church on a Monday Night.
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
located on a hillside crest above the Colne Valley
Colne Valley
The Colne Valley is a steep sided valley on the east flank of the Pennine Hills in the English county of West Yorkshire. It takes its name from the River Colne which rises above the town of Marsden and flows eastward along the floor of the valley....
in West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire
West 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, 2.5 miles (4 km) west of Huddersfield
Huddersfield
Huddersfield is a large market town within the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees, in West Yorkshire, England, situated halfway between Leeds and Manchester. It lies north of London, and south of Bradford, the nearest city....
, and just north of the River Colne
River Colne, West Yorkshire
The River Colne is a river in West Yorkshire formed by a confluence at the foot of the Pennines close to the village of Marsden.-Course:Numerous brooks formed by rainwater high in the Pennines of West Yorkshire, flow down the hillsides through the small valleys to feed two Yorkshire Water...
and the Huddersfield Narrow Canal
Huddersfield Narrow Canal
The Huddersfield Narrow Canal is an inland waterway in northern England. It runs just under from Lock 1E at the rear of the University of Huddersfield campus, near Aspley Basin at Huddersfield to the junction with the Ashton Canal at Whitelands Basin in Ashton-under-Lyne...
. The main access route is from the A62
A62 road
The A62 is a major road in Northern England that runs between the two major cities of Manchester and Leeds.The road is approximately 40 miles long. It runs north east from Manchester through Failsworth and Oldham then Saddleworth before crossing the Pennines at Standedge into West Yorkshire...
(Manchester Road), through Milnsbridge
Milnsbridge
Milnsbridge is a district of Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, England 2.5 miles west of the town centre, situated in the Colne Valley. The name is said to have derived from the water-powered mill and the bridge that stood alongside it in the 13th century.The Huddersfield Narrow Canal runs...
in the bottom of the valley or via Scapegoat Hill
Scapegoat Hill
Scapegoat Hill is a small village 5 miles west of Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, England. It is near to the villages of Slaithwaite and Golcar. The village together with nearby Bolster Moor has a population of 1,246....
from the A640
A640 road
The A640 is a road in England which runs between Rochdale in Greater Manchester and Huddersfield in West Yorkshire.The Rochdale terminus is the junction of Drake Street and Manchester Road...
(New Hey Road) at the top of the hill.
When it was a Township
Township (England)
In England, a township is a local division or district of a large parish containing a village or small town usually having its own church...
, Golcar consisted of Bolster Moor, Golcar, Leymoor, Pole Moor, Scapegoat Hill
Scapegoat Hill
Scapegoat Hill is a small village 5 miles west of Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, England. It is near to the villages of Slaithwaite and Golcar. The village together with nearby Bolster Moor has a population of 1,246....
and Town End.
History
Golcar is a relatively small village, but it has a long history. Named after St Guthlac, who preached in the area during the 8th century, its name is recorded in the Domesday BookDomesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
as Goullakarres. During the Industrial Revolution
Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution was a period from the 18th to the 19th century where major changes in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, transportation, and technology had a profound effect on the social, economic and cultural conditions of the times...
Golcar became an important centre for weaving
Weaving
Weaving is a method of fabric production in which two distinct sets of yarns or threads are interlaced at right angles to form a fabric or cloth. The other methods are knitting, lace making and felting. The longitudinal threads are called the warp and the lateral threads are the weft or filling...
.
Colne Valley Museum
Three former 1840s weavers' cottageWeavers' cottage
A weavers' cottage was a type of house used by weavers for cloth production in the Domestic system.Weavers' cottages were common in Great Britain, particularly in Yorkshire, usually with dwelling quarters on the lower floors and loom-shops on the top floor...
s were converted, in 1970, into the Colne Valley Museum
Colne Valley Museum
The Colne Valley Museum is located within the Colne Valley at Golcar, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, England. The museum consists of three converted 19th century weaver's cottages. The museum provides an insight into what life was like for a weaver in the early 1850s. The museum includes a clog...
. The museum features several restored period rooms which are used to show temporary exhibitions. The museum was further extended in 2008 following the purchase of the adjoining former fish and chip shop.
Exhibits include a handloom and a spinning jenny
Spinning jenny
The spinning jenny is a multi-spool spinning frame. It was invented c. 1764 by James Hargreaves in Stanhill, Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire in England. The device reduced the amount of work needed to produce yarn, with a worker able to work eight or more spools at once. This grew to 120 as technology...
, invented by James Hargreaves
James Hargreaves
James Hargreaves was a weaver, carpenter and an inventor in Lancashire, England. He is credited with inventing the spinning Jenny in 1764....
. In the loom chamber, spinning room, weavers sitting room and 'gas-lit' cloggers shop, the volunteer helpers give regular demonstrations of the type of crafts that would have existed during the nineteenth century.
The museum is run entirely by voluntary members and is open at weekends and on bank holidays. Various craft and working weekends are held through the year.
Community facilities
Golcar supports two Scout GroupsThe Scout Association
The Scout Association is the World Organization of the Scout Movement recognised Scouting association in the United Kingdom. Scouting began in 1907 through the efforts of Robert Baden-Powell. The Scout Association was formed under its previous name, The Boy Scout Association, in 1910 by the grant...
:- the 4th Golcar Scout Group, which was founded in 1951 and the 39th Parkwood Scout Group, founded in 1908.
The village has several sporting teams including the village football and cricket teams.
There are several churches including the Anglican Parish Church of St John the Evangelist. St John's which opened in 1829 is a good example of a Waterloo church and Golcar Baptist Church (http://www.golcarbc.co.uk/), founded in 1835.
Each year in early May the village hosts the Golcar Lily Day.
Golcar Brass Band (http://www.golcarband.co.uk/) was reformed in 1977 and Currently practises at the Baptist Church on a Monday Night.
Schools
- Golcar Junior, Infant & Nursery School, Manor Rd, Golcar, Huddersfield, HD7 4QE.
- St. John's C of E Junior & Infant School, Leymoor Rd, Golcar, Huddersfield, HD7 4QQ.
- Beech Early Years Infant & Junior School, Beech Avenue, Golcar, Huddersfield, HD7 4BE.
- Wellhouse Junior & Infant School, Lower Wellhouse, Golcar, Huddersfield, HD7 4ES.
- Clough Head Junior & Infant School, Bolster Moor Rd, Golcar, Huddersfield, HD7 4JU.
- Scapegoat HillScapegoat HillScapegoat Hill is a small village 5 miles west of Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, England. It is near to the villages of Slaithwaite and Golcar. The village together with nearby Bolster Moor has a population of 1,246....
Junior & Infant School, School Rd, Scapegoat Hill, Golcar, Huddersfield, HD7 4NU.