Sowerby Bridge Rushbearing

The Cart is pulled down Bolton Brow in Sowerby Bridge

Lightcliffe Brass Band with the Rushbearing Banner

The Event Chairman leads the way

This week end the annual Rushbearing Event takes place in Sowerby Bridge.

Starting Saturday Morning in Warley the Rushcart, pulled by a team of young men in White Shirts and wearing Straw Hats, set off on its journey.

Sit on the top one of the young ladies is known as the Rush Maiden.

Rushes are distributed at Churches and stops are made at most Pubs where the Cart men are able to fill with ale the tankards they have fastened to their belts

Visiting Bands of Performers join the parade

During Saturday the Rush Cart visits Warley and Sowerby Bridge Churches and on Sunday it starts at Sowerby St Peters Church with a service then wends its way via Cottonstones to end at Ripponden Parish Church and a final gathering in and by the historic Old Bridge Inn.

Sowerby Bridge Day

Today started and finished with Sowerby Bridge

For lunch we met a friend at The Moorings situated on Sowerby Bridge Canal Wharf [ or Basin, depends on choice of name ]

For many years we leased the site from British Waterways and started its restoration as our main Canal Tourism Centre in the area.

Shire Cruisers Ltd Canal Holiday Hire, was our venture and now sold on a great success.

The Moorings was the first Pub Restaurant to be opened at the Wharf and has recently undergone a refurbishment and with is new Menu's is attracting a lot of custom.

In the sun one can sit outside bt we prefer to sit where we look out onto the Canal and the view to Wainhouse Tower, a main attraction in the area.

To finish today I went to the monthly lecture of the Halifax Antiquarian Society which was on the history of Sowerby Bridge Town Hall, opened in 1856 by Sir Henry Edwards, with a Masonic Ceremony.

The Hall part was demolished some years ago to become the Car Park for Lloyds Bank which remains in the building as well as the retained Clock Tower, a prominent feature when crossing the Bridge over the River Calder.

The illustrated lecture was given by local historian David Cliff who has also published a book of old photographs of the Town.