Photograph - Mono (Document ID: 102003)

Exterior view of Smith House, Lightcliffe, West Yorkshire.

This photograph was amongst those published between June 1949 and July 1950 in 'Notable Houses of West Yorkshire', a
weekly series of articles in 'The Yorkshire Observer'. The photographs were taken by the author, John Y. Stapleton, during the above period.

Originally built as a timber frame house in the 15th century, Smith House was encased in stone in 1672. In 1699, the nonconformist Joseph Holmes bought the house. After meeting with the Moravian Brotherhood in London, he invited them to live at Smith House, which in 1727 became their headquarters. An adjacent house (the German House) was built in 1741 for the Brotherhood. Joseph Holmes died in 1742, and initially his wife Ann continued to support the Moravians, opening a school here in 1748. In 1753, the Brotherhood moved to Fulneck after increasing disagreements with Mrs Holmes. John Wesley, the Methodist preacher, is said to have visited and preached here in 1776, by which time Mrs Holmes had embraced his vision of Methodism.

The house is still standing, and is a Grade II listed building. The following is from Calderdale Council's listed buildings description:

House in 2 occupations formerly known as Smith House. Dated 1672 with remains of early C16 timber-framed house. Hammer-dressed stone, ashlar dressings, stone slate roof. Hall and cross-wings plan. 1 & half storeys hall with 2-storey wings. At the rear the central area has been built out to give a further 2-storey wing. 3 room front of 3 bays with projecting 2-storey gabled porch at junction of 2nd and 3rd bays forming a lobby entry. 1st bay has double chamfered mullioned windows with hoodmoulds of 6 lights to both floors. Lantern finial apex under which is blocked opening. Central hall bay has double chamfered mullioned and transomed window of 16 lights with king-mullion. 3-course ashlar parapet is surmounted by lantern finials. Over window is hoodmould which continues round porch which has semi-circular arched doorway with mould- ed imposts and surround. Over is early C20 cross-window breaking into hoodmould. Lantern finial to apex. Porch protects doorway with cyma recta-moulded surround, straight lintel with a step to centre of moulding over which is date carved in relief. 3rd bay is gabled and has early C20 cruciform window of 12 lights to ground floor with 2 cross-windows to 1st floor. Return wall is long range with a duality of 2 gables with 2-span roof under the junction of which is doorway with decorated lintel. Drip course continues over windows to both floors which retain double chamfered mullioned windows of 4 and 5 lights. Rear has broad central gable of early C18, with 3 bays of cross-windows the right hand of which is tall staircase window. Quoins to the angles. Attached to right hand end is a cross-wing which has a double chamfered mullioned window of 4- lights to 1st floor and an arched light (solid) to gable which has lantern finial. Interior: Fireplace to hall has elaborately inlaid oak overmantle of late C17 flanked by fluted pilasters of early C18 and pulvinated frieze probably dating from C18 refitting of the hall range with a new staircase to rear when the door through to the stair hall was given a wooden surround with a half-round head and fluted pilasters. The stair has turned balusters, a swept handrail and an open string set within a panelled hall. The east wing had originally 2 rooms, a parlour with its own external door and the north room was a kitchen. Its cyma moulded spine beams have scarf joints breaking on the line of an earlier firehood which was replaced by the present large kitchen fireplace. This has a shallow arched lintel inscribed 1726 (Joseph and Ann Holmes) carried on corbelled jambs with a chamfered surround. The kitchen stair of late C17 has open fretwork on splat balusters, a moulded handrail and a closed string, probably re-used. G. Hepworth, Brighouse, Its Scenery and Antiquities, (Halifax 1885), p.17. Turner, Transactions of Halifax Antiquarian Society, (1908) p.269. D. Nortcliffe, Buildings of Brighouse (Brighouse, 1978) p.22.

back to search results