Oxley Trail

Statistics and Files

 

 

Summary: The Oxley Trail is a walking route in and around Skelmanthorpe, West Yorkshire which was originally created by young people from a Duke of Edinburgh’s Award group based at Skelmanthorpe Youth Club. It is subtitled "A fun day out exploring the beautiful countryside in and around the Skelmanthorpe and Deffer Wood area". Thr trail is named after the Oxley family who appear to have been a family of some standing in the area, with a Robert Oxley recorded in the Wakefield Court rolls as steward to the Lord of the Manor in the 17th century. A marriage between a William Oxley and a Mary Wainwright is recorded in local parish registers of 1688. Further research led to the discovery of the birth of William Oxley in about 1661 and his death in 1724. Mary Wainwright appears to have been born in 1663 and her burial took place in August 1728. Rumour has it that she died in a fire and that her ghost haunts the cruck barn which is found during the walk. In all, the walk which begins and ends in Skelmasnthorpe goes by Green Side, Pilling Lane, Scissett, Cuttlehurst, Hay Royds Colliery, Deffer Hill, Deffer Wood, Denby Hall Farm, Exley Gate, Dobroyd Hill, Denby Dale, Kitchenroyd and Thorpe Dike. On its course the Oxley Trail meets with the Kirklees Way and the Dearne Way.