Historic Pye Nest

Pye Nest

Pye Nest, or as it was originally called Pye Nest, was in the 16th century owned by the Wainhouse family of clothiers, and remained so until 1770 when it was sold to Japhet Lister Esq, of Northgate House, great-uncle to Ann Lister of Shibden Hall.

It did not remain a property of the Lister family for very long, as in 1771 the estate was sold to John Edwards, who originally came from Birmingham as the son of a wealthy family. He worked for some time in the textile industry, with John and Samuel Lees at Lower Willow Hall mills.

When Edwards became owner of the estate he decided that the house needed complete replacement and employed John Carr of York, then the most famous Yorkshire architect of the age, to build him a suitable mansion, as can be seen from the engraving of about 1830.

John Edwards died in 1823 but had 3 sons and one daughter. Most famous of his sons Henry came into prominence when he contested Halifax as a Liberal-Conservative candidate in 1847, being returned to Parliament together with Sir Charles Wood, later to become Lord Halifax. Halifax was a two member constituency in those days.

Soon after he became a Member of Parliament he had the distinction of seconding the motion which passed the Ten-Hour Bill. He never contested the Halifax seat again, but later was Member for Beverley.

He served in the 2nd West Yorkshire Yeomanry and became Lieut-Col Commandant, was High Sheriff of Yorkshire, and created a baronet in 1866. He died after a long illness in 1886 aged 74 years. The mansion was taken down between 1926 and 1930 to make way for house building.

from the Evening Courier

View an old map of Sowerby Bridge