Road into Halifax

Originally the main route into Halifax from Hipperholme was via the Wakefield Gate or Via Magna, over Beacon Hill, which used a far steeper ascent and descent. Then, before 1756, a new turnpike road was driven through above Shibden Hall from Hipperholme Lane Ends to the top of New Bank, a far more convenient and less dangerous route north and eastwards out of town.The greatest undertaking on the Leeds-Whitehall road was the making of Godley cutting, which began in 1827 and was completed in 1830.A considerable amount of land for the new road was bought from the Listers of Shibden Hall. The cutting is about 790 yards long and the greatest depth 60 feet. The material from the cutting was used to build up a high embankment across the Shibden Valley below, making the road ( a58) much as it is today. The present Stump Cross Inn was erected in place of an old hostelry of the same name which occupied a site which was completely covered by the embankment.