A temple to textiles

A magnificent Georgian venue designed to showcase the finest Yorkshire cloth, the Halifax Piece Hall has been repurposed numerous times over the centuries. CONNIE ROUT explores this spectacular al-fresco venue

- 

With its graceful columns and sweeping courtyard, the Piece Hall in Halifax could, if you squint, be mistaken for a grand Venetian piazza. The surrounding green hills (and not-so-Italian weather) provide a hint, though, that this one-of-a-kind historic site is firmly rooted in West Yorkshire.

A Grade I listed building standing just a short walk from Halifax train station, the world’s last surviving Georgian cloth hall is a dazzling reminder of the region's rich textile history. Yet, in the 1970s, this cultural gem was almost lost - and was saved from demolition by just one council vote.

The Piece Hall’s story begins in 1779 when it was opened as a centre for the sale of ‘pieces’ of handwoven woollen fabric (a ‘piece’ was a 30-yard length). For two hours every Saturday it buzzed with activity as around 300 clothiers, based in the rooms surrounding the vast square, traded with merchants from Halifax and beyond.