The hill fort itself would have been situated high above the town, to one side of the present-day Raikes Lane, which heads towards Gildersome, and onto Leeds.[citation needed] In prehistoric days, trackways ran in various directions from one British settlement to another, one such settlement being on the top of Birstall Hill. This site was chosen for its central location amongst the nearby waterways and its accessibility to and from other nearby hill forts, such as Castle Hill at Almondbury in Huddersfield and Barwick-in-Elmet, in Leeds. Following the course of Fieldhead Lane towards Drighlington is the Roman road of Tong Street. This location would give Birstall a great geographical advantage, making it within easy reach of the main thoroughfares of ancient Yorkshire.[citation needed]
A Roman tiled mosaic was unearthed at Birstall Smithies, a former early industrial slag smelting site, during excavations in 1965. This and a hoard of Roman coins discovered at the foot of Carr Lane, on what was then Birstall Recreation Ground indicate quite succinctly as to the prehistoric origins of Birstall. These coins, which were discovered in the 18th century, dated from 192 to 268 AD.[citation needed]
A quarter of a mile up the hill from Birstall on Leeds Road, there was once a Roman watch tower. This observation point was built on the ridge or "brae" of the hill. One side overlooked the Birstall area, while the other looked downwards from Howden Clough and the valley towards upland Morley. This watchtower was known in the early 20th century to the local inhabitants as the Brass Castle, a corruption of Brae Castle. It followed the line of other such structures built in West Yorkshire, atop prominent projecting ridges.[citation needed]
Birstall is the birthplace of Joseph Priestley, the discoverer of oxygen.[5] Priestley was tutored extensively by the then Vicar of Birstall, an Edinburgh man with a keen interest in science. He was also a pupil at Batley Grammar School for Boys, founded in 1612 by the Rev. William Lee. The school still remains on Carlinghow Hill, approximately one mile from Birstall.
Also born in Birtsall was John Nelson, a stonemason who was converted by John Wesley to Methodism whilst working in London and who returned to Birstall and became one of Wesley's most important preachers.[6]
Birstall was prosperous before the Industrial Revolution, being within a small area that was a centre for the English white cloth industry. However, the Industrial Revolution saw extensive growth, and the architecture of the period still dominates today. The wider area became known as the Heavy Woollen District, although the decline in textile production has led to a decline in its usage; it is still used in local sport, however. Of this period is the cobbled marketplace with a statue of Priestley, which was erected in 1912 by public subscription and sculpted by Frances Darlington.[5]
In 1866 the civil parish was abolished.[7] in 1894 Birstall became an urban district, in 1894 Birstall became a civil parish again, being formed from the part of the parish of Gomersal in Birstall Urban District, on 1 April 1937 the district was abolished and merged with the Municipal Borough of Batley.[8] On 1 April 1937 the parish was also abolished and merged with Batley.[9] In 1931 the parish had a population of 7204.[10] In 1974, Batley district, in turn, was merged into Kirklees when the metropolitan councils were formed.
The town has two retail parks adjacent to Junction 27 of the M62, Birstall Shopping Park (also referred to as West Yorkshire Retail Park) and Junction 27 Retail Park.
Birstall contains a triangular-shaped Victorianmarketplace, which replaced an earlier market on High Street in the Georgian area of the village. Market day is Thursday.
Birstall's community groups and traders organise the "Birstall in Bloom" project, which started in 2010. The local 'Chamber of Trade' promotes local businesses. Shops and outlets include a florist, baker's, butcher's, travel agent, pet shop, hair dresser's, nail bar, fish shop, Cafes and hot sandwich shops.
The Chamber of Trade organise the annual Christmas lights with a big switch on event on the last Tuesday in November.
Town centre improvements
In mid-2008, the local council's area committee invested £900,000 in refurbishing the Birstall marketplace and regenerating the town after a campaign by locals. The refurbishments were completed in December 2008 with most of the original cobbles being taken away and replaced with a level stone surface with randomly cobbled stripes.
Birstall's St Peter's Church dates to the time of Henry VIII, although the original tower is much earlier and may have been part of the original "Burgh Stall" or "Fortified Place". A family reconstitution of the parish registers of St Peter's, Birstall (1595–1812) was undertaken by Harvey Thwaite, and is one of the group of twenty-six family reconstitution studies that have been extensively used by the Cambridge Group for the History of Population and Social Structure.
An 18th-century windmill stands in the grounds of Windmill Church of England Primary School (formerly St Saviour's Junior School) and has provided local names such as 'Windmill Estate' and 'Miller's Croft'.
The Black Bull Inn is situated behind St Peter's Church on Kirkgate. Its upstairs room was once used as a magistrate's court for Birstall and Gomersal, and is now Grade 2 listed.[12]
