Northowram

Northowram ( NOR-thar-əm) is a village lying north-east of the town of Halifax in Calderdale, West Yorkshire, England. It stands on the north side of Shibden valley. Southowram stands on the southern side of the valley. The name Owram derives from the plural form of the Old English ofer meaning 'a flat topped ridge'. The village was mentioned as a settlement in the Doomsday Book, within the Hundred of Morley, although there were no recorded inhabitants at that time. It was later documented in the 19th century as being in the parish of Halifax, 2+1⁄2 miles north-east of Halifax and 6+1⁄2 miles from Bradford. Its population at that point was 6,841 and Northowram Hall was the seat of J. F. Dyson, Esq. The ward is now called Northowram and Shelf. Following the 2021 census Northowram is defined by the Office for National Statistics as forming part of the Shelf and Northowram built-up area, which had a population of 9,195. The village has three churches: St Matthew's Church of England parish church, a Methodist church, and a Heywood United Reformed Church. St Matthew's is a Grade II listed building which is constructed of snecked local sandstone with a graded stone-slate roof. The village has one school, Northowram Primary School. The serial killer John Christie was born at Black Boy House near the village in 1899. The village hosts an annual Scarecrow Festival.