SecretLeeds - History, culture and architecture in Leeds

Worth a look at Low Hall Mills on Holbeck Lane. The stone arch keystone claims built 1784 which is at odds with the conservation dating. Blimey - it's old. Worth a look at the other two old mills along the lane, cement rendered. One sells pianos from the basement. Low Hall started off as a multi industry mill inc. Piano making. Holbeck Lane - home of Leeds pianos for more than 200 years.Around to Domestic street and just by the viaduct the "Druids Hall" is now looking like it's being demolished. These druids were part druid, part christian (claiming paganism was the forebearer of christanity), part freemason, part benevolent society.The Pleasant back to backs are now a street and a half not the original six streets? Wonder why they didn't all go. Remnants of coal chutes, cellar windows and toilet blocks show what they once looked and worked like.Murrays obelisk in the church yard - one day may find it's way to the Midnight Bell yard? Nice carved tree in St. Matthews. Check it out.Old kings arms, spotted cow closed and Britannia has a notice that it reserves the right to shut early if the Landlady decides. That Cow's Head would be good architectural salvage???Three old houses face the moor - cement rendered. My guess these are the oldest houses in Holbeck.Down to Czar street and at the end on the left an old burial ground (a chapel was there) with 3 or 4 gravestones from the early 1800's.Across the street an Old Mission Hall (now a rock rehearsal room) wonder what it's business agenda was in the 1800's?Over towards the Commercial and Kays is now flattened completely!!! Lordy it's a big expanse.On to Marshall Mills and there's a crane undertaking works and you can see the broken brick arch that held up the roof. It's a shame, but the real gem is the adjacent ofices. If the mill went the offices at least MUST stay.Hidden away down Silver street, by the viaduct is another old mill which was a foundry worth a closer look. Then back full circle into car and pop off home.......

Besbrodes Pianos is a suprisingly stylish showroom upstairs in the mill. I'm sure they'll let you have a look around, even if you don't want a piano.

This is all absolutely top stuff, Parksider. Did you come on our guided walk round Holbeck on Monday?

I posted a query about the Czar Street burial ground on the Cemetaries thread, so it was good to see that someone else had noticed this. Do you have any more info Parksider? I've done a bit of digging myself but have found nowt. I even asked my mother, who lived on Balm Walk as a girl, but she knows nowt about it either.

Tarkus wrote: I posted a query about the Czar Street burial ground on the Cemetaries thread, so it was good to see that someone else had noticed this. Do you have any more info Parksider? I've done a bit of digging myself but have found nowt. I even asked my mother, who lived on Balm Walk as a girl, but she knows nowt about it either. Isn't it illegal to go digging in graveyards

LS1 wrote: Tarkus wrote: I posted a query about the Czar Street burial ground on the Cemetaries thread, so it was good to see that someone else had noticed this. Do you have any more info Parksider? I've done a bit of digging myself but have found nowt. I even asked my mother, who lived on Balm Walk as a girl, but she knows nowt about it either. Isn't it illegal to go digging in graveyards Not if you're a gravedigger!!!

Tarkus wrote: I posted a query about the Czar Street burial ground on the Cemetaries thread, so it was good to see that someone else had noticed this. Do you have any more info Parksider? I've done a bit of digging myself but have found nowt. I even asked my mother, who lived on Balm Walk as a girl, but she knows nowt about it either. The Godfrey map shows a chapel just behind the druids hall and on that site are the gravestones, so it may have been a small chapel with a tiny graveyard alongside. Have you had a look??The map also shows schools on the other two sides of the burial ground, although I suspect they came later as the stones are early 1800's.Not sure what else there may be to this other than a noncomformist chapel wanting to bury it's own alongside as the Holbeck cemetary seems to have been in St. Matthews Churchyard? i.e. in with the enemy.May be more on earlier maps and directories?

drapesy wrote: LS1 wrote: Tarkus wrote: I posted a query about the Czar Street burial ground on the Cemetaries thread, so it was good to see that someone else had noticed this. Do you have any more info Parksider? I've done a bit of digging myself but have found nowt. I even asked my mother, who lived on Balm Walk as a girl, but she knows nowt about it either. Isn't it illegal to go digging in graveyards Not if you're a gravedigger!!! boom tish

Quote: claiming paganism was the forebearer of christanity It is!!