They can trace their ancestors back as far as prehistoric times.
But Meltham people, who live in homes nestling on the edge of the Peak District National Park, know they are very much part of a town of today.
It's a vibrant, bustling community of more than 8,500 people, with a huge commitment to promote the area.
Events such as the Meltham Memories Weekend , with its wartime theme, have helped Meltham draw in tens of thousands of visitors and bring a major boost to the many traders clustered around the town centre.
A series of new housing developments over the past 25 years have helped shape the current town.
PROPERTY MARKET
The current average value in Meltham in February 2017 is £206,014. This has increased 1.06% from November 2016. Terraced properties sold for a current average value of £136,031 and semi-detached properties valued £166,197.
Rightmove reports that most of the 134 sales in Meltham over the past year were terraced properties which on average sold for £139,044. Detached properties had an average sold price of £286,615 and semi-detached properties averaged at £159,667.
The cheapest home went for £65,000 while the most expensive was a four-bedroom detached house at £550,100.
Meltham, with an overall average price of £192,896 was more expensive than nearby Linthwaite (£137,020), but was cheaper than Netherton (£249,599) and Honley (£228,475).
In the past year house prices in Meltham were 7% up on the year before and 9% up on 2007 when they averaged at £176,819.
SCHOOLS
Education is well-served in Meltham with three primary schools in the village, while high school students make the journeys to either Holmfirth High School or Honley High School.
Ofsted rates all the schools very highly.
Meltham CE (VC) Primary School - Good
Meltham Moor Primary School - Outstanding
Helme CE (VA) J & I School - Good
Holmfirth High School - Good
Honley High School - Good
TRANSPORT
Meltham lost its passenger rail service back in 1949 and the former railway line became the Meltham Greenway cycle track into the village from Meltham Mills. Rail passengers now travel to Huddersfield which has frequent services to major towns and cities including Leeds, Wakefield, Sheffield, Manchester and Liverpool courtesy of First TransPennine and Northern. There is also a rail station two miles away at Honley on the popular Penistone Line, linking Huddersfield with Sheffield via a series of villages.
Bus passengers are well served in Meltham, with buses run by First Halifax Calder Valley & Huddersfield, by Yorkshire Tiger and by Stotts.
Services run into the village from 05.16am and out towards Huddersfield from 05.37am.
Services in and out of Meltham include 324 Huddersfield to Meltham; 321 Huddersfield to Meltham Broadlands; 323 Huddersfield to Thick Hollins; 335 Meltham to Holmfirth; and 933 Meltham Local Circular.
SHOPPING
Meltham has two of the major supermarkets with branches of Morrisons and the Co-op.
There are also plenty of other shops including Hadfields' bakery, G Haigh's butcher's shop, Country Flowers, the Two Valleys deli, and Lily of the Valley florists.
The town also has many services including hair salons, accountants, a car showroom and newsagents.
SOCIAL LIFE
If eating out is your thing, you are well looked after in Meltham.
The village centre is home to several restaurants including Quirky Corner II & Tapas, which is rated highly by TripAdvisor reviewers, the Pink Elephant , which features South Asian art and fusion Mughal-Persian cuisine. the recently-opened Fox Hole of which one Tripadvisor reviewer described their ‘Fox Signature Breakfast’ as the “most delicious brunch dish I’ve ever had!”, and of course the Durker Roods Hotel, based in the former home of Sir David Brown.
If you fancy a drink Meltham is home to several traditional pubs, some of which offer food. They include The Swan, The Waggon & Horses and The Victoria Park, all in the village centre, and the Travellers' Rest and The Wills o'Nats both out towards the moors.
There are also a host of takeaways ranging from fish and chips to Balti cuisine. You'll never go hungry here!
OUT & ABOUT
Meltham Golf Club is over 100 years old and is an attractive parkland course situated against the stunning backdrop of the Pennine Hills, little over a mile from the town centre.
The Meltham Sports and Commmunity Centre at Broadlands, along with playing fields, includes a sports hall and function room. It is home to several local sports clubs, including Meltham AFC, Meltham All Blacks rugby league side and Meltham Athletic Club.
If you fancy something less strenuous, there are plenty of walks in the area.
The Meltham Blue Plaque Trail was launched in 2016 and takes in many historic buildings and sites. It is organised by the Meltham Walkers Are Welcome group. The Meltham Way is a nine-mile waymarked circular walk in the countryside around Meltham.
The town also boasts the Robert Ashton Memorial Park, named after a veteran former councillor and local resident.
The lovely park has two enclosed small play areas. one for under 2's with soft flooring and a larger one for older children which has chipped bark flooring.Free parking is available, or the park is within walking distance of the village centre. It's a popular spot for families, taking a stroll around the pond to see the ducks.
DID YOU KNOW?
Meltham is famous across the world for its tractors. Sir David Brown headed up the firm which produced tens of thousands of tractors from the huge site at Meltham Mills, with production running from 1939 to 1988. At its peak the factory employed 3,800 workers.
