Heptonstall Museum

About the museum

Heptonstall Museum occupies a Grade II listed building in the hilltop village of Heptonstall, near Hebden Bridge in the Calder Valley, on a cobbled lane beside the churchyard. The building dates from around 1600. It later served as a grammar school until 1889, and from 1898 to 1954 it housed a branch of the Yorkshire Penny Bank.

The museum opened in August 1972 and showed the history of the village and its surroundings. Calderdale Council closed it in 2019. The Friends of Heptonstall Museum, a volunteer charity, took over the building through a community asset transfer in 2023, with a long lease from the council, and now run it entirely with volunteers.

An earlier exhibition on the Cragg Vale Coiners, a gang of eighteenth-century counterfeiters whose leader “King” David Hartley is buried in the nearby churchyard, is linked to the village’s appearance as a filming location in the BBC series The Gallows Pole. After works over the winter of 2025 to 2026 the museum was refreshed with a new exhibition built from local objects and personal histories, and with favourite items such as the Schoolmasters’ Chair returning. The museum also holds poetry events and workshops.

Highlights

• Grade II listed building from around 1600
• Local history objects and personal stories of Heptonstall
• The Schoolmasters’ Chair
• Link to the Cragg Vale Coiners and the grave of “King” David Hartley nearby
• Poetry events and workshops

Permanent exhibition

• Heptonstall village history displays – Objects and personal histories of Heptonstall, shown in the former school and bank building, with the Schoolmasters’ Chair among the returning favourites.

Founded

1972

Operated by

Friends of Heptonstall Museum

Admission & discounts

Donations and Friends membership are welcome.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

Access is restricted. The building is a historic one on a cobbled lane, with steps to and from the entrance, so access is limited for people with walking difficulties.

Kids & families

No specific family offers are described; the museum offers resources for school groups.

Getting there & parking

The museum is in the centre of Heptonstall village beside St Thomas’ churchyard.

Amenities & dining

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent

The Old School Room and The Undercroft can be hired.

Plan your visit