Life in the quaint Yorkshire village made famous by Happy Valley where locals feel blessed

Heptonstall is a quaint West Yorkshire village located in Calderdale, perched above the busy market town of Hebden Bridge. It requires a trek up an infamously steep hill to reach it, and is known for its historic architecture, stone-settled streets, and notable deceased inhabitants. However, Heptonstall's true charm lies in the community spirit cherished by its residents.

With a modest population of 1,470, including those from the surrounding Colden and Slack Top hamlets, locals are unanimous in their affection for this idyllic spot. Mary Ellen, 65, who volunteers at the post office, has embraced Heptonstall as her home over the past eight years since she arrived. She said: "I moved from Norfolk so it was a big move. I didn't know anybody at all when I first arrived here, but now I'm involved in so many things."

Mary reflects on the warmth of the village community: "The people are all so lovely, it's a fantastic community, I feel very lucky. I cannot believe I live here, it's so beautiful. I love it in the winter, the town really comes into its own when it's snowing, everything just looks so pretty."

Georgia, 31, originally from Brighton and another member of the Post Office team, also loves village life: "I like living here, everyone is really friendly and helpful, it's a really lovely village to live in. I wouldn't move back to Brighton so that says a lot."

The idyllic village of Heptonstall has become a prime spot for TV and film producers, featuring in the TV series The Gallows Pole, which tells the story of the Cragg Vale Coiners. The most frequently used spot for filming was the local history museum and community centre, which doubled up as the pub.

Resident Michael Crowley, 64, who volunteers at the museum, told our sister website Yorkshire Live that the BBC spent more than £20,000 renovating the museum into a pub for the set and subsequently saved the struggling facility.

Many of Heptonstall's local residents, Michael included, were hired as extras for The Gallows Pole, which not only helped them personally during financially difficult times but also put money back into the local village and the community they all love.

Michael said: "The Gallows Pole sort of enabled the museum to survive, director Shane Meadows loved the building and wanted to use it as the pub, they completely transformed it. They spent over £20,000 on the interiors and didn't ask for a penny."

"Since then what we've done is used this room to tell the story of the coiners by turning it into the gang leader's house. We have been open since the end of May and have been so busy since the show aired. It's really good for the village, we get visitors because of it."

"I was in extra in the show, so were a lot of people in the village. At the time, I didn't have a steady income, so it was a great opportunity for me. Living in the village meant I could just step out of my front door and onto the set. It was fantastic for us locals to be involved, we're incredibly proud of our village."

The village also made appearances in the popular BBC crime drama Happy Valley, with the extended cemetery of St Thomas Becket's Church serving as the burial place of Catherine Cawood's daughter, which she frequently visited.

In addition to Heptonstall's museum and numerous stunning period properties, the village is home to a Post Office, a tearoom, and two pubs - The White Lion and The Cross Inn. Heptonstall boasts not one, but two St Thomas Becket churches: a ruined one dating back to the 13th and 14th centuries, and its 1854 replacement on the other side of the graveyard.

It's a favourite spot among tourists, many of whom come in search of the grave of renowned poet Sylvia Plath. The Cragg Vale Coiners leader 'King' David Hartley and his brother and deputy Isaac Hartley are also interred in the graveyard between the two churches.

The village's strong connections to the arts and literature are evidently a passion shared by all residents. Local historian Michael commented: "To wake up every day to stunning views and be able to walk in the same footsteps as those such as Sylvia Plath is quite something."

Asked whether he intends to remain in the village permanently, he said: "I have a daughter and granddaughter who live in Australia so it's certainly got competition but I love it here. It's all so new there isn't it, history is my thing, I taught history and I think there is so much here yet to be understood."