This area comprising Shelley, Shepley and Roydhouse, is the closest to the Parish Church of Kirkburton. It is a hill settlement area in the Graveship of Flockton, adjacent to the Graveship of Holme. All these areas are now just satelites of Huddersfield.

In the 16th century and before, Huddersfield, known then as Huthersfield, was an insignificant hamlet in the valley bottom, dwarfed by the hill towns of Almondbury, with its castle, and Kirkburton.

These hill settlements of Shelley, Shepley and Roydhouse overlook the source of the River Dearne and its valley below, leading to Bretton and Darton.

It is well documented that the Robucke's lived in this area from as early as the beginning of the 16th century and became prolific there in the 17th century and thereafter.

One such family was that of John Robucke of Roidhouse who lived there from 1580 to 1635.

To see photographs of this area click on the thumbnails.

This photograph is of the approach to the hamlet of Roydhouse from Flockton. In the distance, 2 miles away, is the Graveship of Holme.

This page has two photographs of views from Roydhouse, to the West over the Graveship of Holme.

This is a photograph of Kirkburton town, the Church is just to the left, behind what looks like the Vicarage. The road slopes steeply down to the valley bottom, not far from Huddersfield.

This page has two views of the Parish Church of Kirkburton.

This page includes a general view of the graveyard and also a photograph of a Roebuck headstone, but the date is about 200 years too recent, to connect to Robert's family.

This page has two views from Shelley, again looking West over Fulston, Wooldale and beyond towards Netherthong.