Todmorden’s Heavenly Spire: A Glimpse of the Unitarian Church

Location: Todmorden Unitarian Church Date: 24th November 2013 Camera: Samsung Galaxy Tablet

On a crisp autumnal morning, I captured this striking view of the Todmorden Unitarian Church, often referred to locally as the 'Unitarian Cathedral'. The photo, which I took with my trusty Samsung Galaxy Tablet (remember those days?), perfectly framed the dramatic spire against the darkening winter sky.

Todmorden Unitarian Church Spire

What I love about this picture is the incredible contrast:

• The deep blue sky with wispy white clouds contrasting with the warm, golden light illuminating the spire.

• The heavy, dark roofline in the foreground, with its small, triangular dormers, acting as a solid base for the towering, ornate spire above.

The spire itself is a masterpiece of Victorian Gothic architecture, piercing the sky as a beacon in the Calder Valley. It’s hard to imagine the skill and engineering required to construct something so tall and delicate in the 1800s.

The Real Story of the "Cathedral"

The official name is the Todmorden Unitarian Church, and it’s a Grade I Listed building, marking it as a structure of exceptional interest. It was built between 1865 and 1869, designed by the famed architect John Gibson, and was primarily financed by the influential Fielden family, powerful local mill owners and philanthropists.

It’s often called a 'Cathedral' due to its impressive size, elaborate decoration, and the sheer height of that beautiful steeple. Standing at over 190 feet tall, it dominates the town's skyline and speaks volumes about the wealth and ambition of the local community at the height of the Industrial Revolution.

The roof in the foreground, with its distinctive slate and little window details, gives a sense of the scale of the building before the eye is drawn upwards to the spectacular stone lace of the spire, complete with its open belfry. It’s a true architectural gem, and I'm glad I managed to capture its majesty on that November morning, even with just a tablet!

A Ghost from the War: The Sunken Secrets of Warland Reservoir

Location: Warland Reservoir, Todmorden Date Taken: May 27th 2025 Camera: Canon r100

Sunken Boat Remains at Warland Reservoir

I was out exploring the dramatic Pennine landscape, and what I witnessed at Warland Reservoir was a haunting and powerful sight. Due to what must be exceptionally low water levels, a secret the reservoir has held for decades was laid bare: the skeletal remains of an old sunken boat.

Captured here in black and white, the effect is even more dramatic. The ribs of the vessel jut out from the dark, cracked earth, looking like a decaying marine skeleton against the water’s edge. It's an eerie, beautiful, and profound reminder that even seemingly remote stretches of water have their own forgotten histories.

The Wartime Mystery

What is this vessel, and how did it end up at the bottom of a high-moor reservoir?

Local lore suggests a fascinating connection to World War II. It is widely believed that these remains—possibly one of three similar boats—were deliberately sunk during the war as part of a strategic defence plan. The theory is that the boats were linked together with cables and submerged to prevent German seaplanes from using the large expanse of the reservoir as a makeshift landing strip or refuelling point.

This small, forgotten wreck, sometimes called a "dragonboat," is a tangible link to a time when Britain was preparing for all possible threats, even in the quiet corners of the Yorkshire/Lancashire border. It reminds us that every location, no matter how tranquil now, played its part in the global conflict.

A Glimpse of the Past

For most of the year, this relic is hidden from view, submerged beneath the waters that feed the Rochdale Canal. It only reveals itself during periods of severe drought or very low water.

To stand there and see the exposed wooden frame and what looks like its rusted ribs is to confront a piece of history that is literally decaying before your eyes. It is a poignant juxtaposition of the reservoir's original purpose (supplying water for the canal since the 1850s) and its later, unexpected role in wartime defence.

The exposed mud and stones, along with the remnants of the boat, tell a story of changing conditions and hidden depths. It’s a powerful image of resilience and decay, of nature taking back what man put there, only to reluctantly give it up when the water recedes.