... Fulneck

Fulneck from the air
about 1930

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Fulneck, a unique part of Pudsey, was settled by the Moravian Brethren in the 1740s.
Immediately the Moravians embarked on an extensive building programme so that most of Fulneck dates from the mideighteenth century. The settlement was built along the contour of the hill giving a linear main street and below it a fine terrace facing south over a rural valley.
This aerial photograph shows Fulneck in 1932, revealing how physically detached it was, and still is, from the rest of Pudsey.

The Grace Hall, Fulneck
in the 1970s

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This photograph shows the Grace Hall, opened in 1748. The building incorporates the chapel, two houses for labourers (ministers) and accommodation above and below which was originally used by the boys' and girls' oeconomies (or boarding schools).
The quality ashlar stone is believed to have come from Ossett quarries. The two-storeyed porch, of poorer quality local stone, with the cupola, was added in 1779.

The Pavement, Fulneck
early 1920's

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This picture shows the north terrace, or Pavement, looking east.
On 17 April 1780 John Wesley visited Fulneck, and noted in his diary that there was 'a chapel, lodging rooms and apartments for the widows, the single men and the single women'.
He was also shown the the ' workshops of various kinds and the shop for grocery, drapery, hardware etc'.
The large three-storeyed building in the middle of the photograph is the original Single Brethren's House, opened in 1752, which was later incorporated into the Boy's School.
The Moravians' Boy's Oeconomy moved to Fulneck in 1753 and the Girl's Oeconomy two years later. Both were housed at first in the Grace Hall, but in 1785 the boys were moved out to new premises between the Grace Hall and the Brethren's House.

The Terrace, Fulneck
around 1900

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This engraving shows the long, south-facing Terrace with the south front of the original Brethren's House in the foreground. At the other end of the Terrace is an identical building, the original Sister's House, whilst exactly in the middle is the Grace Hall.
Both the Brethren's and Sister's Houses are built of brick, very unsual for the period in this district. The Terrace was finally completed in 1928 when the last gap was filled. Today the Terrace's historical and architectural importance is recognised in its Grade 1 listing.

Fulneck
late 1920s or early 1930s

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Fulneck main street looking west. The houses on the right were built as 'family houses' although the one in the far distance was the original preaching house, used before Grace Hall was built.
The building in the distance on the left is the original Fulneck inn. The chapel cupola can just be seen on the left.

Autumn at Bankhouse
about 1950

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This autumn scene won a one guinea prize for 15 year old William Sheard in a photographic competition run by a local newspaper in 1950.
In the 1740s, before the settlement at Fulneck was built, the Moravian brethren occupied cottages and buildings at Bankhouse. The chimney of one of these buildings, now demolished, can just be seen on the left. This cluster of cottages is probably on the site of the medieval hamlet of Ulversthorpe, the name fell into disuse about five hundred years ago.

The old Toll Gate
early 20th century

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Here is the old Toll Gate shortly before it was discontinued at the beginning of this century. You can just see that the toll was 2d. The buildings on the right are more family houses. Although singlestoreyed on the road-side they are two-storeyed on the other side with a glorious view over the valley. An old name for the south front of the cottages is Paradise.
One of the buildings pushed out into the street was the Men's Institute. It incorporated a Reading Room, Billiards Room and a Prayer Hall. When a new Institute was built in 1926 part of the old property was demolished allowing the road to be widened.

The folk at No 31
circa 1900

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The ivy-clad, bay-windowed house on the far right was the home of the architect Charles Sebastian Nelson whose work included many local chapels, Sunday schools and mills. He was also the Fulneck organist for 47 years and it was said, when he died, that in fact he had played the Fulneck organ for ninety of his ninety-two years.
In 1906 a Miss Titterington, sister of the headmaster of the Boys' School, lived at No 31. Perhaps she is the older lady on the left.

The Fulneck inn
mid 20th century

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There has been an inn at Fulneck since 1761 although the building seen here dates from 1771. As the centre for Moravians from a wide area Fulneck's need for an inn was obvious. However the inn's proximity to the Single Brethren's House was a constant anxiety, one precaution was to stop the brethren going to the inn to be shaved.
From 1838 no licensed inns were allowed in Moravian settlements and the inn became a Temperance Hotel. By 1900 it was called "The Morningside Guest House", and later still it became the Boys' School music department.
In 1968 the cottages on the left were demolished to prepare for a new science block. This allowed the foundations of the inn to shift and on Christmas Eve 1968 it collapsed into a heap of rubble.

A group of 'family houses'
around 1900

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The cobbler in his leather apron stands outside his workshop. In 1969 this building, and the single storeyed cottage next door, were opened as a Moravian Museum. One of the prize exhibits is the old hand-drawn and hand-pumped Fulneck fire engine dating from 1822. In addition to Moravian items from Fulneck and from the mission field there is also a Victorian parlour and kitchen.
The museum is open from Easter to October on Wednesdays and Saturday, 2pm- 5pm.

The Fulneck Moravian community
some background notes

The Moravian Church originated in Bohemia in the 15th century. It quickly spread to Moravia from whence it takes its name.
The Church was revived in the 1720s under the inspired leadership of Count Zinzendorf of Saxony. As missionaries in the l730s the Moravians came to know Benjamin Ingham, a Church of England clergyman. On returning to England Ingham began to found religious societies to the west of Leeds, one being in Pudsey.
In 1742 he gave most of these societies, including that in Pudsey, to the Moravians to care for. The next year he bought the 22 acre Falneck estate in Pudsey and leased it to the Moravians as a centre for their work in Yorkshire.