YOUR PICTURE OF THE DAY
Daffodils at Willow Valley, Clifton, taken by Marianne Sellars
it is a very different story. A small lake has developed at the entrance where flooding has obscured any view of the tunnel opening, and this must have had a detrimental effect on the internal structure. The route of the old railway line from Holmfield to Halifax which runs parallel to Shay Lane and Old Lane is still present and is somewhat overgrown in places.
But the main problem associated with the construction of a green cycleway along this route, is the number of industrial units which have been built over the years, so a continuous cycleway would not be possible. If cyclists are forced to ride on the roads to divert away from these premises, then this goes against the aim of the project.
There are also safety issues which need to be addressed before anyone can use the tunnel. The area around the approach to the entrance at the Queensbury end is pretty creepy to say the least. I cannot imagine lone women wanting to be in this area, let alone walk or cycle through a tunnel nearly one and a half miles in length. Because the subject of women’s safety in public places is very much in the news at the moment, there would have to be some security provision in place, but how much would this add to the overall cost? I would hope the reopening of Queensbury Tunnel would turn out to be an attraction not just for local people, but to those from further afield as well, and which would have financial benefits to the local economy. It is just a matter of how certain we can be that it isn’t going to turn out to be an unused white elephant in the long term. I think a decision about this needs to be made fairly soon because I cannot see the point of continuing to spend millions on regular maintenance just to keep the structure safe from internal collapse.
David C Glover, Steward, Halifax Minster
MAY I gently place a question mark over a couple of statements made by David Behrens in his article about the ongoing restoration of the external stonework of Halifax Minster? (Courier, March 11)
Your writer seems to indicate that no-one has stood on the
118 feet tower of the Minster for a century, until this year. This seems incorrect, as, on occasion, I have myself stood on this tower, and I think am under 100 years old. More generally, every year (barring 2020) over the past decade and more, the tower has been open to the public annually on Heritage Open Days and during Halifax Heritage Festival. At other times during the year, the flag has to be changed, raised or lowered, resulting in Minster staff or volunteers visiting the tower roof for the purpose.
Another statement needs challenging. The declaration that monks founded Halifax Parish Church in olden times appears incorrect. In every history of Halifax from John Watson (1775) down to John Hargreaves (latest edition 2020), you will find the fact stated, that the church was founded some years before it was given by the Lord of the Manor (Earl Warrenne) to the Prior and monks of the Cluniac Priory at Lewes in Sussex. The date of the chartered gift of the parish church to the Priory, is estimated as circa 1120. Therefore, we may conclude the church’s foundation was
The tunnel should be refurbished and turned into a green cycleway
SIMON WESCOTT