The Height, Ripponden

This photograph was amongst those taken in 1937 by local photographer and antiquarian Hugh Percy Kendall, as part of a series capturing old halls and homesteads from across the Parish of Halifax.

The Height is a grade II listed building, which was built in the late sixteenth century. It has subsequently had a range of modifications made to both its interior and exterior. In his 1932 article John H. Priestly describes the house thus:

"The central house body was probably once open to the roof, a staircase at one side leading to the bedrooms, for the chimney stack, six to eight feet square, has the bedrooms built around it in very clumsy fashion, and the floor levels are different to those at each end of the building." (HAS Transactions 1932, P201).

According to local legend The Height was the ancestral home of the Briscoes, whose pedigree is believed to date back as far as 1292. However, this assumption is incorrect. This is a rumour that is especially surprising when one considers the fact that the Briscoes did not reside at the property for very long. Having purchased the house from Michael Firth on 18th May 1752, Mr Brisco would only remain in residence for fifteen years before moving to Wakefield.

Prior to the property being acquired by the Briscoes it was owned and occupied by the Firth family of Barkisland. Unfortunately, it is difficult to say when the Firths first came to occupy the house because the applicable court rolls cannot be found. However, we do know that the Firths were in possession of the Height in 1628 as the will of Mr John Firth (dated May 3rd 1628 and proved in 1632) refers to his brother, a Mr Richard Firth of "The Height."

For more information please see the article "Old Ripponden: The Height and The Chappel," published in the 1932 edition of the "Transactions of the Halifax Antiquarian Society." Please note that this item is available to view in the Local Studies department at the Central Library & Archives, Halifax.

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