END OF AN ERA

From the Middle East to West Yorkshire. You won't find a better location for a football ground than Far Lane. Here we are with Spurs' legend David Howells, whose relations live locally.

Where? If you take a south easterly route from "Last of the Summer Wine" country, Holmfirth. find a weaving village called Hepworth, drive through the village south and you will find Hepworth United FC alongside a tributary that joins the River Holme, that links up to the drainage basin of the River Colne, that helps drains Yorkshire into the North Sea. No idea what I'm going on about? Rivers! Chuck a football into the stream flowing past Hepworth United FC and it could end up in the North Sea.....believe me!

Today was the end of the season for a "Village Club" that "bats well above its average". I am not going to bang on about the number of teams that HUFC run from very young juniors (under single figures) to First Team male (A Level 11 Step club) and female, but if I said 20 teams, then I wouldn't be far wrong. The Ladies play teams from Harrogate, York, Wakefield etc.

Today was the final fixture for our U18's, males, who by now, could be married, can drink, might be at work, could be at college, but who love playing with their mates. The club is brilliant and entertains youths, parents, friends, coaches, "staff", many of whom are qualified in coaching, first aid, management and what ever needs to be employed to run a club. We have two pitches (not enough), a superb club house, built on funds raised from The FA by friends, parents, coaches, kids etc etc. In a way it doesn't matter where the teams come in the divisions, they are entertained, learn and socialise. The joy of non-league footy, bringng people together. 

The name Hepworth is Anglo-Saxon. It may have been that Heppa, an Anglo-Saxon, was of great “worth”. There is also the view of H. T. Moorhouse who states, in his History of Kirkburton and the Graveship of Holme (1861), that the name is derived from the Anglo-Saxon “Hep” meaning high and “worth” meaning place of residence. Another reference cites –worth as meaning an enclosure, hence enclosure of a man called Heppa. In the Domesday Book it is given the name Hepeuuord and is described as the King’s land with steep streets.

In medieval times the wool trade was the chief source of employment. During the fourteenth century Hepworth was in the parish of Kirkburton, which covered around fifty square miles.  In 1665 – 1666 the Great Plague struck England. It wrought devastation in London, then spread across the country. Hepworth was the most northerly point that it reached. According to local legend it is supposed to have come in on cloth brought from London.

In an effort to save the village the residents split the village into two parts at Barracks Fold, in the middle of the village. Those that were infected remained, isolated from the world, in one half. Thirteen of the residents died from the disease. Thirteen trees were planted on the edge of the village (at the football pitch), which of course at the time, was a considerable percentage of the population. The end of the plague in Hepworth is still commemorated on the last Monday in June every year with Hepworth Feast. (hopefully in 2021 too!)