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A traditional Yorkshire textile town, Huddersfield has all the hallmarks of Victorian wealth that characterize so many towns in this region. A great Cloth Hall was built in 1766 by the Ramsden family who also brought the Ramsden Canal and the railway to Huddersfield. The Victorian railway station was designed by JP Pritchett in the classical manner with long colonnades. It was completed in 1850 and is considered to be one of the finest railway buildings in England. The townhall was built in 1878 and markets and arcades were built at around the same time. In 1920 Huddersfield Corporation purchased theRamsden estate, including almost all of the town centre, from Sir JF Ramsden, the 6th Baronet, and is often referred to as the town that bought itself. Since 1974 Huddersfield has been the administrative headquarters of Kirklees Metropolitan Council. The town centre has been improved considerably by pedestrianization schemes and stone cleaning of the Victorian buildings. The cast-iron work, glazed walls and elaborate details of Brook Street outdoor market built in 1887 as a wholesale market, has been restored and it now serves as a general market. The local football team, Huddersfield AFC (the Terriers) Have a state of the heart stadium and currently are in the 1st division of the English league. A new shopping centre Kingsgate is due to be completed in the middle of 2001 its construction was made possible by the complete demolition of a large part of the old town and is set to boost the area’s shopping outlets and the business community considerably. The bus station also has had a revamp this year to make it a more friendly and safe place for all users with brighter lighting and a modern feel. It is sure to improve the use of the local transport system and cut down on crime with a new improved CCTV system which is linked with the town centre's other 20 or so camera's which are under 24 hour surveillance. |
