Return visit to the Piece Hall

I returned to Halifax to visit the Piece Hall again, taking advantage of a brilliantly sunny though very chilly day. The arched south entrance beckons you in. It's a wonderful and unusual Georgian building, opened in 1779 originally as a cloth hall where they sold 'Pieces' of handloom woven, woollen cloth. (Click the Piece Hall label below for more photos and information on its interesting history.) Since they have spent vast sums (£19 million) renovating it, it has a new lease of life. They hold regular events - markets, festivals, food stalls, entertainment - in the large square inside. There are more and more shops and cafés opening in the old cloth rooms that make up the four sides.

One can happily spend a couple of hours browsing around and it was good to explore it when there weren't too many crowds (though some of the shops close on Mondays and Tuesdays).

Renovations have included the adjacent Square Chapel and the Square Church spire, now incorporated into a new library. The exit from the Piece Hall towards the Library has lovely views of hills and mills. The old warehouse on the left is now Calderdale Industrial Museum, though I'll have to go again to visit that. It's only open on Saturdays.