Kershaw House at Luddenden Foot

According to Watson in his History of Halifax, Kershaw House was erected by the Midgleys of Midgley in 1650 adding that 'at one time a family of some repute here bearing arms'.³⁰ The house stands on the site first mentioned in the Wakefield Manor Court Rolls of 1307* when it was known as Kirkshaugh ['Kirkshaw'], an Anglian word meaning church copse. The later Kershaw House built on the same site was was built by the Midgley family in 1650.²⁷ [Though some say 1605] 
There are two double story porches one with a rose window above and another with a priest holea secret chamber often used in houses of this age which was built as a hiding place for Catholic priests after they had been proscribed or banned by Henry VIII. The rose window was added in 1650 by Thomas Murgatroyd and his wife Anne who left their initials carved in stone beneath the window. Legend has it that two nuns who were decapitated here can be seen each year riding in a carriage up the hill to the house. * WCR 1307- 'Adam de Kyrkeschawe', 'Kirkeschagh', 1308 'del Kirkeschagh,' In 1307Adam de Kirkeschagh  drew blood of William son of William of the same [de Kirkeschagh]

John Midgley at Kershaw House May 1990 
The priest hole lies inside one of two double storey porches. The second porch at the front has a rose window. The rose window may have been added in 1650 by Thomas Murgatroyd and his wife Anne, who left their mark by carving their initials T.M. A.M. in a dated stone beneath the window. 
There are bee holes (bee hives) which are in the wall over which a basket was placed so a honeycomb could be formed. The building now has a grade one rating by the Historic Buildings Commission. The Murgatroyd family also built East Riddlesden Hall in the 1600's which similarly boasts a rose window. The East Riddlesden property covered over 200 acres and is the birth place of Dennis Healy a cabinet minister in the Labour government of the 1980's. 
In 1538 names were beginning to be officially recorded in parish registers. See Midgley names for Parish Register of Halifax

It may be that the Midgley family at Kershaw House were not supporters of Charles I  and gained the Kershaw estate in the Great Civil War (1642), when Oliver Cromwell removed Catholics from their properties and installed Protestant owners. A physician,  Dr. Samuel Midgley of Luddenden  [d.1695]. was in prison for debt three times at Halifax, during his time in jail he wrote a "History of Halifax- The Halifax Gibbett in its True Light". Whilst in jail he met Oliver Heywood, he later died in Halifax jail. The book was published after his death by William Bentley. 
Another unfortunate resident of Luddenden Dean was a Methodist preacher, Thomas Midgley [1814-1897] who is recorded as dying after falling over a wall on his way home from an evening prayer meeting.

The descendants of Edward Midgley seated at Kershaw Hall gradually migrated  their land holdings N.E. to the Arthington/Adel area in Wharfedale. 

Kershaw House, Luddenden - the residence of the Midgleys of Midgley township erected by this family in 1650. 2