The Gallows Pole: Bid to extend barn next to Cragg Vale Coiners home

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Plans to extend a barn next to the home which was base for the Cragg Coiners – recently fictionalised in BBC TV drama The Gallows Pole – have been submitted.

Chris Wilson is seeking permission, and listed building consent, from Calderdale Council to build a two storey extension to the north east side, and a canopy to the south east side, of Bell House Barn at Cragg Vale in the Calder Valley.

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In the 1760s, Bell House itself was the home of David Hartley, ‘The King of the Coiners’.

This Is England’s Shane Meadows directed The Gallows Poll, based on Ben Myers’ novel which gave a fictional account of the Cragg Coiners’ story of clipping and forging gold coins in the late 18th century.

The Cragg Vale Coiners' story was recently made famous by a BBC TV showThe Cragg Vale Coiners' story was recently made famous by a BBC TV show
The Cragg Vale Coiners' story was recently made famous by a BBC TV show

The crime saw David Hartley hanged in York in 1770. His grave is at the old ruined church at Heptonstall.

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In 2019, the barn became an independent dwelling from Bell House and is likely to be listed because it is next to the house, says a supporting statement with the application by architects Gagarin.

In 2009 the barn was described as “a dilapidated ruin”, says the statement.

A number of applications have been granted over the last 25 years, including extensions to Bell House and different proposals for an extension at the barn.

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In 2009, approval was granted to rebuild the significantly ruined barn to form a museum, tearoom and bed and breakfast accommodation – all associated to the main house – before the barn become an independent home.

Impact will mainly be on structures that were only built in 2009 and therefore does not constitute historic fabric, says the statement.

It adds: “The current application as submitted, works within the principles agreed by the previous approval, in terms of additional volume, scale and location of the extension.”

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The application – number 23/00534/HSE – can be viewed on the council’s planning portal.

As well as the Myers novel and BBC television series, Steve Hartley – King David’s great, great, great, great, great grandson – has published his book, The Yorkshire Coiners: The True Story of the Cragg Vale Gang.

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