BIRTH OF A VILLAGE

A Day In Scissett – Part 1
By Matt Ottey

On Wednesday 19th of March I decided to retrace the footsteps of Nortonthorpe’s favourite sons, George and Joseph Norton. I got out of bed early…ish, and saw that the sun was beaming down through my window. Not fancying another day sat in front of a computer, working hard in the university library (honest), I jumped on the first bus to Scissett.

My intention was to start at Bagden Hall, the original home of George Norton, then walk down to what was formerly the Norton brothers’ weaving mills, before finally making my way up to Nortonthorpe School, the past home of George’s brother Joseph Norton.

Bagden Hall

As I said, the sun was shining over the hills and valleys of the Yorkshire countryside, illuminating the distant farm houses and the unmistakable figure of Emley mast. My journey started at Bagden Hall; as I wandered up the winding driveway and across the bridge, I peered down at the stream trickling its way into the heart of Scissett 30 feet below. The valley in which the stream ran was carpeted with trees, which were themselves dotted with birds’ nests, accounting for the subtle birdsong that followed me throughout the day.

Bagden Hall itself is not visible from the main road, preserving its delicate sense of serenity and solace, a perfect setting it seems for the gentlemen’s sport of golf. When originally built, Bagden Hall was the residence of Benjamin Norton, brother of Charles Norton and co-owner of Nortonthorpe’s weaving mills. The reason for such an elevated residence, perched high on the side of the valley, was to enable Ben to look over his land and, undoubtedly, his business.

I spent around an hour at Bagden Hall, which is now a hotel and golf course, looking at the old building and discovering that there are still remaining elements of the original décor within the property. I initially noticed the large fireplace inside and although it has been touched up over the years the aesthetic charm of an aged feature was still present.

During my relatively aimless wanderings, I also picked up on the paintings hanging in various rooms throughout the building. As I found out from the hotel staff, these paintings are the originals that Ben Norton bought and hung.

Much like the fireplace inside, the exterior of the building has undergone some modifications, with extensions being built to cater for a restaurant and additional accommodation. Also, the building witnessed some necessary renovation work between October 1989 and March 1992.

Running parallel to the golf course is a little path, leading down through the valley basin and into what was formerly Norton Mill and is currently an industrial park. Accompanied by the constant, comforting hum of the thriving wildlife, I made my way down the track, passing a beautifully quaint little cottage, with a garden that rose and fell into a large pond of water, sitting silently still at the foot of the grass.

Nortonthorpe Mill

As I approached what was the Norton Weaving Mills from the path, the first thing that I saw was the building housing ‘Violet’, the Victorian steam engine that still functions to this day – however, only on a exhibition basis.

A testament to the age of the building are the plaques that sit either side of the door commemorating the mill workers who died in the First World War. It reads: ‘In proud and lasting memory of the men of this mill who gave their lives for their country…lest we forget.’ It seems fitting that in what was then such a tight-knit community, the men would have lived, worked and died together, demonstrating the closeness of a village in which the majority of people were mill workers.

One of the aspects of the Norton legacy that I find most interesting is that, essentially, the Norton mill became the basis from which a village sprouted. What is now Scissett was once just a mill in the valley. However, the Norton brothers saw that to streamline their business the workers needed to be closer, and subsequently the houses that now form part of Scissett, were originally built to accommodate the mill workforce.

Nowadays the mill accommodates businesses of all descriptions, including the Irish Linen Bed Company, Scissett Ceramics and Hair & Hounds, which I think needs no explanation. The transformation from historical weaving mill to thriving industrial estate is a drastic one, yet the property still manages to retain and the sense of belonging that once made it the heart of the community.

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