Marsden, West Yorkshire

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Map sources for Marsden, West Yorkshire at grid reference SE048116

Marsden is a small town in the county of West Yorkshire, England, 7 miles west of Huddersfield. It has a population of 3,499 (2001 census) and is administered by Kirklees council.

It lies on the Huddersfield Narrow Canal, close to Standedge Tunnel. It sits at the confluence of the Rivers Wessen and Colne. Marsden has a railway station on the Manchester (Victoria) to Huddersfield railway line, over which operate the Huddersfield Line services. It is also on the A62 main road.

The Marsden Moor Estate is in the care of the National Trust. Moor management, unlike woodland management, is not an established science/craft, so The National Trust are breaking new ground in developing new techniques to rehabilitate the moor. It is the driest moorland in Britain, though this is hardly obvious. The peat which forms the top layer of the moor is a valuable carbon sink, so the management of Marsden Moor is pivotal in balancing out Britain's carbon emissions.

Marsden is the home of the Marsden Silver Prize Band, a top level brass band. It hosts the annual Marsden Jazz Festival each October. There is also an Imbolc festival in the winter, in which the triumph of the Green Man (who represents the coming spring), over Jack Frost (the winter) is celebrated with fire juggling and giant puppets.

The Holme Valley Mountain Rescue Team has it's headquarters in Marsden. Operating from two bays of Marsden Fire Station, the volunteer team provides rescue cover for surrounding moorland areas, and also assists West Yorkshire Police with searches for missing people. The team was founded in 1965 and was originally based in Meltham before relocating to Marsden in 2005.

Marsden was the birthplace of Henrietta Thompson, the mother of General James Wolfe who took Quebec from the French in 1759.

Each spring, Marsden celebrates Cuckoo Day, a day-long festival with clog dancing, music, a procession and a famous "cuckoo walk" in memory of the local legend:

"Many years ago the people of Marsden were aware that when the cuckoo arrived, so did the Spring and sunshine. They tried to keep Spring forever, by building a tower around the Cuckoo. Unfortunately, as the last stones were about to be laid, away flew the cuckoo. If only they'd built the tower one layer higher. As the legend says, it "were nobbut just wun course too low."

There are reserviors just above Marsden and around it is some beautiful scenery ideal for walking and cycling,Amongst other sports.