Editing Sowerby Bridge (section)

==History==
[[File:Former Lloyds Bank Building, Town Hall Street, Sowerby Bridge (geograph 5800987).jpg|thumb|left|upright|[[Sowerby Bridge Town Hall]], which originally accommodated the offices of the local board and, later, became a branch of Lloyds Bank]]
The town was originally a fording point over the once much-wider [[River Calder, West Yorkshire|River Calder]] where it is joined by the [[River Ryburn]]. The town takes its name from the historic bridge which spans the river in the town centre. Before the [[Industrial Revolution]] the area was divided between the parishes of Sowerby, Norland, Skircoat and Warley. The boundaries between them being the rivers Calder and [[River Ryburn|Ryburn]] and Warley Clough, which is now largely culverted. Textiles and engineering industry grew up around the bridge. [[Sowerby Bridge Town Hall]], which accommodated the offices of the local board, was completed in 1857.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://sowerbybridgehshaz.org.uk/heritage/sowerby-bridge-town-hall/|title= Sowerby Bridge Town Hall|publisher=Sowerby Bridge High Street Heritage Action Zone| access-date=7 May 2022}}</ref>
===19th century ===
The Anglican [[parish church]], Christ Church, situated on Wharf Street, is a Grade II [[listed building]]. It was built in 1819 by John Oates. The [[chancel]] was rebuilt in 1873–74 and the church was re-roofed 1894.<ref>{{cite web|author=Good Stuff |url=http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-339436-christ-church-#.VZMYaPlVhHx |title=Christ Church – Sowerby Bridge – Calderdale – England |publisher=British Listed Buildings |date=15 November 1966 |access-date=30 June 2015}}</ref> The church is still active and the vicar is Revd. Tommy Daglish.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.christchurchsb.org.uk/home |title=Christ Church, Sowerby Bridge |publisher=Christchurchsb.org.uk |access-date=30 June 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923203027/http://www.christchurchsb.org.uk/home |archive-date=23 September 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The church's first organ was installed in 1825 and replaced in 1865. The organ and much of the church was destroyed in a 1894 fire. A larger organ, built by [[Abbott and Smith]], was installed, and next repaired in 1979. The current organ was installed in 1983, moved from a nearby closed church.<ref name=chrstchurch>{{cite web |title=The Organ at Christ Church Sowerby Bridge |author=Nigel Castledine |url=http://www.christchurchsb.org.uk/history-of-the-building-2/organ |publisher=The Parochial Church Council of Christ Church, Sowerby Bridge |date=2015 |access-date=2 July 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923203025/http://www.christchurchsb.org.uk/history-of-the-building-2/organ |archive-date=23 September 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

By the mid-19th century the population had grown and the settlement became an urban district in the [[West Riding of Yorkshire]] in 1894.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10026477|title=Sowerby Bridge UD|publisher=Vision of Britain|access-date=7 May 2022}}</ref>

===20th century ===
From 1892 to 1930 Pollit & Wigzell manufactured stationary [[steam engines]] for the cotton and woollen mills of Yorkshire, Lancashire and India. Wood Brothers, an engineering and [[millwright]] company, also produced engines from its Valley Iron Works. The [[Markfield Beam Engine]] in north [[London]] is an example of its work.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Brereton |first=Ken |title=Tottenham Sewage Works and the Wood Bros. Beam Engine |publisher=Markfield Beam Engine and Museum |year=2013 |pages=7}}</ref>
===21st century ===
In January 2019, it was announced that the council buildings on Hollins Mill Lane, which include the former offices of Sowerby Bridge Urban District Council, the old swimming pool and old fire station will be transferred to a community group, Sowerby Bridge Fire and Water, and will be renovated for community use.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.sowerbybridgefireandwater.org/ |title=Information |access-date=7 September 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190114214734/https://www.sowerbybridgefireandwater.org/ |archive-date=14 January 2019 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://sowerbybridgehshaz.org.uk/heritage/sowerby-bridge-fire-and-water/|title=Revitalising Sowerby Bridge Fire and Water|publisher=Sowerby Bridge High Street Heritage Action Zone|access-date=7 May 2022}}</ref>