Village of the Week: A false murder accusation and a pig that thought it was a Border Collie in West Yorkshire

Its history isn’t perhaps as far reaching as other villages that have featured on these pages, but by no means does it have less to boast about.

Scissett, established itself as a result of the woollen industry in the 19th century as mill owners built houses in the area for their workers. The presence of coal-mining that was already in the area had provided employment and also a need for housing for workers.

Around the same time, Scissett Parish was formed out of the ancient parish of High Hoyland and at that time included the village of Skelmanthorpe.

Building of the village church, St Augustine’s started in 1838 and it was consecrated in 1840 by Bishop Longley of Ripon, who went on to be an Archbishop of Canterbury.

The first person to be baptised in the church was Mr Benjamin Norton, who afterwards gave the present font in memory of his baptism, and the Norton family actually played a huge part in what the village looks like today.

St Augustine’s also continues to be a significant part of village life in Scissett.

As well as the Sunday and midweek services, a community orchard is based at the side of the church.

It was started in 2017 and covers 1000 square metres at the north side of the church. There are two rustic benches for relaxing and the team that looks after the Orchard has planted a wide variety of fruit trees and redcurrants for the community to have the pleasure of picking and eating.

As well as the orchard, there are paths and herbaceous borders that need looking after and there are three plots for tenancy to grow vegetables.

As ever needed, the call for volunteers goes out again for people to help look after and maintain the garden.

Also to be found in the vicinity of St Augustine’s is a war grave for Private Alfred Craven. He was in the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) 16th Battalion and died on December 5, 1918. There are scant details but a suggestion he died of accidental injuries.

Another curious tale from the past was documented in the Yorkshire Post more than 10 years ago and relates to the hanging of a man who was found guilty of the murder of two policemen - but has since said to have actually been innocent.

Alfred Moore, a poultry farmer and burglar, went to the gallows aged 36, seven months after the murders of the officers near his farm at Kirkheaton, Huddersfield.

He protested his innocence at the time and accused investigating police officers of concocting evidence against him. The gun used was never found despite a huge search.

Former judge Patrick Robertshaw, who retired from the bench in 2010 after presiding over many, many criminal trials across Yorkshire, wrote a book in 2012, which examines all aspects of the case against Moore and his trial.

Judge turned author, Mr Robertshaw said Moore was denied legal representation at the most crucial point in the police investigation which led to an unfair trial and the potential for an unjust outcome he argued.

At the time of writing his book, Mr Robertshaw was living in Scissett and appealed for readers to draw their own conclusions but told the paper at the time: “Mine is unequivocally that the wrong man hanged, convicted on questionable evidence, buttressed by the prejudices of the age.”

His account was backed by former West Yorkshire Police detective, Steve Lawson, who had also spent years re-investigating the case in an unofficial capacity.

Now, does anybody know if it is the same police station that these alleged misdemeanours took place?

But, the old police station in Scissett hit the headlines a couple of years ago for reasons you may least expect.

It was built in 1853 and closed in 1969 when local forces were streamlined and eventually became derelict.

However, when it was put up for sale in 2018, it was snapped up by a local woman when she was in her twenties for £185,000.

She turned it into an Instagram hit property conversion which also featured on George Clarke's Remarkable Renovations on Channel 4 in 2021.

Also making the news from Scissett was a pig that thought he was a border collie.

Savvi was taken in by pig sanctuary, Pigs in the Woods, as a piglet and then raised alongside a border collie called Skye but after the death of the dog in 2016, Savvi took on the role of house dog after learning Skye’s tricks and habits.

They would sleep next to each other and go on walks together.

Pigs in the Woods, in a one of a kind place set in ten acres of woodland, that has around 20 pigs that have been rescued after suffering abuse or mistreatment.

People can visit the pigs in the woods and help look after them and another animal story is that local animal sanctuary, Wise Owl Birds of Prey were called upon to free a sparrowhawk that had dropped into a car showroom in Huddersfield.

Elsewhere in Scissett, there are shops, restaurants and pubs, as well as a church and a post office. The Scissett Baths Health & Fitness Centre is a popular place as is hotel and venue, Bagden Hall.

It was originally built by Charles Norton, of the wealthy mill owning family, who made his fortune running Nortonthorpe’s weaving mills which supplied yarn to weavers for ‘fancy waistcoat goods’.

Apparently, the reason for such an elevated residence, perched high on the side of the valley, was to enable him to be above the grime of the mills, but look over his land and, undoubtedly, his business.