History of Farnley Tyas

Farnley Tyas is mentioned in 1086 in the Domesday Book.

It was then called Fereleia. Tyas is a family name from the le Tyeis who held land in the neighbourhood from the 13th century.

Originally dating back as a settlement to the eleventh century, for a long number of years the majority of the village was owned by the Kaye family, who built nearby Woodsome Hall, but it was acquired by the Earl of Dartmouth in 1732, whereafter it grew to be a thriving, mainly farming, community of some 700 people in 1820’s reducing to 404 by 1904.

William Fourth Earl of Dartmouth built St Lucius’ Church which was dedicated in 1840. The majority of the old buildings are built in the vernacular in local stone with traditional mullion windows

Manor Road has an eclectic mix of over 30 residences, some converted from farm buildings and cottages with a few more recently built modern properties. The Village is a mix of old cottages and farmsteads with a couple of converted farm barns. Church Terrace was built at a much later date, and between the wars Dartmouth Terrace was added by the local Council, followed by the ‘old peoples' ‘ bungalows in the 1970’s. St Lucius’ Close was built by private builders in the 1990’s and currently new houses are being built on the old Beech Farm site in the village centre.

In 1966 the Dartmouths sold the land and property not already in private hands to a local family and it has been known since then as Farnley Estates Limited. Nowadays more of the houses are privately owned There are some twenty residential properties which are rented out by the Estate. The Estate consists of some seven hundred acres of farm and woodland.

In 1990 there were six farms remaining in the village, five were working farms and three of them were tenanted, Beech, Yew Tree and Park Farms. Today only Yew Tree is still farmed by a tenant. Ivy Farm was developed into an equestrian centre and Sycamore Farm has diversified with some of its redundant farm buildings being converted into holiday cottages. Wood Farm has a diverse mix of activities. Though dairy farming was a principle activity for many years the last dairy farm ceased milk production in 2003, and none of the farms have dairy herds now.

Village gets a history it deserves - new book by Caroline Page

Tucked behind Castle Hill in Huddersfield is a village which has nestled on the high ground above Honley since the Domesday Book.

Farnley Tyas is, to many, simply somewhere to pass through or stop for a meal.

However, the history of this settlement has been largely ignored.

This has now been remedied by Caroline Page, a member of Honley Civic Society, who has written a 92-page book, published by the society, covering village life from the eleventh century to the present day.

Chapters on the mill, the church and school life accompany a look at medieval life from the Manor Court Rolls as well as the infrastructure such as roads and water supply.

Reminiscences of local inhabitants and village characters are particularly interesting.

How about a vicar, Rev Cutfield Wardroper, who had four wives?

Or D F E Sykes, who was born in Huddersfield in 1856 and lived for a time in Farnley Tyas and who wrote the history of our town in History of Huddersfield and its Vicinity, published in 1898?

The village was at one time part of the Dartmouth Estate, but is now part of Farnley Estates, who have supported the publication of the book.

Full use has been made of local photographs and sketch maps to reveal a mill, a brewery and waterworks, all serving the village.

Farnley Tyas, A History will be on sale at Honley Christmas Street Market on 5th December and other outlets, price £12.50.