Eastwood, West Yorkshire

infobox UK place
country = England
official_name= Eastwood
latitude= 53.727915
longitude= -2.052297
population =
metropolitan_borough= Calderdale
metropolitan_county= West Yorkshire
region= Yorkshire and the Humber
constituency_westminster= Calder Valley
post_town= TODMORDEN
postcode_district = OL14
postcode_area= OL
dial_code= 01706
os_grid_reference= SD965257
civil_parish=Todmorden
london_distance=
static_

static_image_caption=Cottages by the Rochdale Canal, in Eastwood

Eastwood is a small, settled locality within the civil parish of Todmorden and Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale, in West Yorkshire, England. It lies convert|8|mi|km|1 west from Halifax, roughly equidistant from Todmorden's town centre, which is convert|2|mi|km|1 to the southwest, and Hebden Bridge, which is 2 miles to the northeast, along the course of the River Calder.

Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, sources suggest that Eastwood's name was almost certainly taken from the Eastwoode family, who were local landowners active from the 13th to 17th centuries. Eastwood Hall is the former seat of this family, and remains as a landmark and manorhouse within the locality

History

The earliest reference for Eastwood is in 1286 when it was called "Estwoode".cite web |url=http://www.charlestownhistory.org.uk/eastwood/ |title=Eastwood Home Page |author=Charlestown and Eastwood History Group |accessdate=2007-06-10] The name was almost certainly taken from the Eastwoode family who were local landowners acitive from the 13th to 17th centuries, and who owned a large manorhouse (Eastwood Hall) within the locality.

In the 19th century, Eastwood was an important (and relatively wealthy) habitation with a considerable amount of industry, supported by its own railway station, which was used to support local mill workers and industrialists travel to towns as far as Rochdale and Manchester.cite web |url=http://www.charlestownhistory.org.uk/eastwood/station.html |title=Eastwood Station and Eastwood School |author=Charlestown and Eastwood History Group |accessdate=2007-06-10]

Though today a small hamlet, Eastwood once contained its own school, chapel and cricket team.

Eastwood family

The family of Eastwood is thought to have given its name to the locality. Eastwood continues to be a common name in and around this part of northern England. Some members of this lineage included John Eastwood who fabricated Todmorden Mills in Toronto Canada.

Governance

From a very early time, Eastwood formed part of the ancient ecclesiastical parish of Halifax. [cite web |url=http://www.genuki.org.uk:8080/big/eng/YKS/WRY/Halifax/ |title=The Ancient Parish of Halifax |author=GENUKI |accessdate=2007-06-10]

From 1894 until 1939, Eastwood, together with Heptonstall and parts of the south Pennines formed part of the Todmorden Rural District, in the West Riding of Yorkshire, [cite web |url=http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/unit_page.jsp?u_id=10026489 |title=A vision of Todmorden RD |author=A Vision of Britain through time |accessdate=2007-06-10] and from 1939 until 1974, lay within Hepton Rural District, also from the West Riding. [cite web |url=http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/unit_page.jsp?u_id=10002308 |title=A vision of Hepton RD |author=A Vision of Britain through time |accessdate=2007-06-10]

Under the Local Government Act 1972, the West Riding of Yorkshire was abolished [cite web |url=http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/unit_page.jsp?u_id=10200120 |title=A vision of West Riding |author=A Vision of Britain through time |accessdate=2007-06-10] and Eastwood has since formed part of the metropolitan borough of Calderdale, in West Yorkshire.

Eastwood forms part of the civil parish of Todmorden.

Geography

Eastwood, set amongst the easterly portion of two wooded areas, lies along the course of the River Calder, parallel to Halifax Road and a section of the Caldervale railway line, on the west side of Jumble Hole Clough.

The Rochdale Canal passes through the settlement.

References

External links

* [http://www.charlestownhistory.org.uk/ www.charlestownhistory.org.uk] , featuring a large section on the history of Eastwood.