It lies in the Holme Valley, below Wessenden Moor, 5 miles (8 kilometres) south-west of Huddersfield on the edge of the Peak District National Park.

The cricket side, Meltham CC, has won the 1st XI Byrom Shield on 7 occasions and the Sykes Cup 8 times.

Notable ex-players include England international cricketer Ryan Sidebottom, Dilip Doshi (father of Nayan), Madan Lal and Shahid Mahmood.

In addition scenes of long-running BBC sitcom Last of the Summer Wine and ITV drama Where the Heart Is used some Meltham houses as character's homes.

William Brook married Martha Smith at Bradford Parish Church – the daughter of a prominent Mirfield banker.

Their sons Jonas, James and Joseph established their business in Meltham Mills, using a goat's head – the crest from the Brook's coat of arms – as their brand.

[18] Jonas Brook and Brothers became United Threads in 1890 and Sir Hildred Carlile of Ponsonby Hall, Hertfordshire was a Director of the business.

John Charles Brooke, who originated from the Silkstone branch of the Newhouse Hall family was Somerset Herald during the 18th century.

The various building have now been converted into a diverse number of industrial units, one housing a Tractor museum and other large sections containing an indoor Kart racing track (now closed down).

[19] Durker Roods, the former home of Sir David Brown was converted into a hotel and the grounds were sold for private housing.

Meltham was the birthplace of Lance Sergeant James Taylor (25B/82) E Company 2nd Battalion, 24th Regiment (2nd Warwickshire), who fought at, and survived, the battle at Rorke's Drift in the Zulu war.

[24] In 1890 he founded the Godfrey Hirst Woollen Mills at Geelong, Victoria, which in the early 20th century became the largest manufacturer of textiles in Australia.

[25] Dora Thewlis, who gained brief national notoriety as a young suffragette when a photograph of her arrest appeared on the front page of the Daily Mirror, was born on Shady Row, Meltham Mills, in May 1890.