Evidence of the Roman settlement of Cambodunum situated at Slack, above Outlane, on the Roman road between Tadcaster (Calcarice) and Manchester (Mancunium). The name Cambodunum may have originated from the the Celtic word dun, meaning a high place of strength, and from the name of the British war god Camul.
In 1736 a Roman altar was discovered at Slack by the Rev. Mr Watson.
Other discoveries over the years, at the same site, suggest that
this was the location for a permanent garrison. Finds have included
the foundations of buildings and several hypercausts or heating
After the Romans withdrew from Britain in 418 AD, caused by the
attack on the Roman Empire by the Gauls, the area became the target
of the Picts and the Scots raiders. Despite desperate please to
the Romans no help was forthcoming therefore the Britons turned
to the Angles for help.
Evidence of Saxon settlement are indicated by place names that had such endings as Ham, Ley or Ton as well as Burgh, Worth and Stead. Hence Meltham, Honley, Bradley, Dalton, Deighton and Almondbury all indicate Saxon settlement.
After the Saxon settlement the area was an invasion by the Norsemen who affected settlements in the area, among the Saxons, by force or by treaty. Birkby, Fixby, Quarmby, Linthwaite, Slaithwaite, Lingards, Upperthong, Netherthong (from the Danish 'Thing', a place of military gathering) Kirkheaton and Kirkburton all have names of Danish origin.
In the time of the Saxons, Almondbury was a place of some importance.
In the cruel war between Ceadwall the Briton and Penda the Mercian waged upon Edwin, the Prince of these territories, the church was burnt down.
Edwin was the first Christian monarch of Northumbria - made king
in AD 547.
1066 And Beyond
Also from the Domesday Book the following place names can be gathered.
According to the Domesday book 'in Odersfelt Godwin had six carucates
of land to be taxed, affording occupation of eight ploughs.
The barbarity of the Conquerer can be noted by the word 'waste', especially as Huddersfield was deemed fertile and advanced in civilization than most of Britain at the time.
It transpires that while William was in Normandy the British subjects
rebelled against the oppressive regime of the Normans.
William, in his fury, exacted terrible revenge on York and levelled
it to the ground.
William then bestowed the Barony of Pontefract on Ilbert de Lacy who became founder of one of the most powerful families of the north (AD 1092).
The de Lacy's founded the religious houses of Nostell, Pontefract
At the time of the Domesday Book the fuedal system consisted of
the followinfg heirarchy (in descending order):
Rent, as we understand it, was paid for by services or kind or
both. The Tenants-in-Chief gave personal service to the kings in
times of war and paid the recognized feudal dues; the villein, on
the other hand, worked on the lord's (e.g. Ilbert de Lacy) land
(the lord's demesne) so many days a week and also did extra work
at such times as harvest (boon work); they could not leave the manors
where they were born, could not marry their daughter's without the
lord's consent, and had to grind their corn at the kings mill.