Reply To: Woodsome Mill, Woodsome Road, Farnley Tyas
In the British Chronology of Flash Floods thereis the following: “At Woodsome a mill and 40 cottages were destroyed”
jbatrust.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Yorkshire-South.
The source is not clear when this event occurred but it appears to possibly be at the same time as the Great Holmfirth flood of 1777. It is easy to imagine that a large storm over Holme Moss that could cause such a deluge to flow through the streets of Holmfirth, and wash away a church, could also deposit a substantial volume of water in the tributaries of Fenay Beck and fladsh flooding downstream.
In the book “A Huddersfield Miscellany” by the late Dr. George Redmonds ,on page 107, there is a plan ,redrawn by the author, of “The Bridge at Woodsome Mill c. 1786”. On it,the position of a new road and bridge are clearly marked.Interestingly, Redfern’s old house (the resident miller) is depicted beckside whereas his “new” house is depicted a short distance away presumably above the high water mark of the flash flood.
It would be interesting to discover if there is anything to confirm the date when this disastrous flash flood occured.