Since we launched the website back in March we have wondered what to do with the furniture that we’ve got in stock.
Furniture poses a slight problem – unlike standard packages the cost of getting it to different parts of the country, indeed the world, vary wildly. Therefore, it’s almost impossible to incorporate into a website where postage is calculated automatically at checkout.
We’d almost decided to abandon furniture altogether but we thought that would be a great shame as we already have some nice pieces available. Also, what would we do the next time we see a great chair at a great price?
So, after some thought, we’ve now decided to include these larger items on the website – available via courier or collection in person.
What’s all this got to do with Todmorden? Well, that’s where H is for Home is based!
‘T is for…’ is an opportunity to show you a bit of our town – and also suggest some of the shops & sights that might be of interest to someone making the journey to pick up that table, desk or chair.
Tod, as the town’s affectionately called, is a small Pennine town situated in the Calder Valley on the border between Lancashire & Yorkshire. In fact, the border used to follow the river which runs through the town centre – where the town hall now stands.
It’s officially been in Yorkshire since the 1880s, although not everyone agrees – and just to add to the confusion, it has a Lancashire postcode!
The town was heavily involved in the textile industry. The ready supply of running water was ideal for the cotton, wool and dye-work mills. The settlements of the area were originally linked by pack horse trails. Canal, rail & road links were later constructed in the 18th & 19th centuries.
The canal, rail, road and river all criss-cross the valley bottom to this day. It now has a varied mix of light industry from metal fabricators to mineral works. Farming in the surrounding fields and hills. Also service industries, retail etc.
A lot of people live & work in the valley – and an increasingly significant number commuting to either Manchester or Leeds, being more or less mid-way between the two cities.
There’s a wide variety of housing stock – workers’ terraces, stone cottages, converted mills, farms and some quite grand villas.
The valley is quite steep-sided, and in some areas the buildings appear to almost topple down on to each other. We recently discovered this Marrimekko Mokki fabric…
…we love it – it really captures the feeling!
So, what else might you be able to see & do if you make the trip? We’ve already spoken about the market in the M is for Market… post – remember, Thursday’s flea market day!
In terms of other interiors-related shops, there’s a nice little group in the Water Street area. We have a decent-sized antiques centre – Picture House Antiques (now closed down). They have a few traders housed under one roof and over 3 floors – traditional antiques, rustic bits & pieces, vintage & retro too.
Next door is The Bear Co-op (now Yakumama), housed in the old Industrial Cooperative building – a lovely health food/grocery shop with café upstairs.
Recently opened is Hogarth & Hunt, specialising in French country interiors (now closed down).
Across the street is Makepiece…(now closed)
…who sell ladies & children’s clothes, hand-spun and knitted using wool from the shop owner’s own rare breed sheep. Also handmade soaps, potions & lotions.
You can design & make your own greeting cards at Vanilla Pod (now Sunlight Apothecary). There’s Water Street Gallery which showcases contemporary pieces of glass, ceramics, textiles and paintings.
Also, Lyall’s, a small second-hand bookshop, Todmorden Toy and Model Museum and a few charity shops close by.
Also on Water Street is Todmorden Fine Art, one of our absolute favourites and the location of many of our moments of weakness. The gallery specialises in Northern artists such as William Turner, Geoffrey Key & Peter Stanaway.
We have a large park, Centre Vale, in the town with a leisure centre and swimming pool. Swings & things if you’ve brought young kids… and wooded trails if you’ve brought the dog! There’s no shortage of hills, trees and water in the area generally – making it great walking country.
Seventytwo (now Park End) is a family-friendly café situated opposite the park – and there are plenty of other of places to sip a coffee in the centre of town.
There are a few villages & towns in the valley. Five minutes drive in either direction are Walsden and Hebden Bridge.
Walsden has a large garden centre, Gorden Riggs and Cottage Antiques (now closed down) which specialises in rustic country furniture – beautifully displayed in a two storey barn and courtyard.
And no mention can be made of Walsden without talking about Grandma Pollard’s (now closed, Tony Pollard retired) – a famous fish & chip shop in these parts – people travel from far & wide to sample its delights!
Hebden Bridge is a lovely little town famous for its independent shops and cafés. It also has an antiques centre… as does Mytholmroyd, a further 5 minutes drive up the valley.
Back to that furniture – here are some of the items that we’ve recently put on the website…
…all available to collect from Todmorden!
