The name Upperthong may derive from Old English 'uferra' (upper) + 'thwang' (narrow strip [of land]); since there is also a Netherthong, which is situated on lower ground than Upperthong, the names could designate lower and higher strips of land.[3]
The village used to be in the wapentake of Agbrigg and Morley, and in the ancient ecclesiastical parish of Almondbury,[4] but was transferred to the Holmfirth civil parish in 1921.[5][6] For census purposes, the village is in the Holme Valley Parish, which at the 2011 census had a population of 27,146.[7] In 2005, Kirklees Council stated that the population of Upperthong was 1,116;[8] by 2019, the figure was 1,938.[1]
Community
Bill Owen's grave in the churchyard of St John's Parish Church
Village amenities include the parish church of St John, a village hall, a cricket field, and a fish & chip restaurant and takeaway.
Upperthong Junior and Infant School, of 198 children aged 4 to 11, in 2006 received an above average overall score in the key stage 1 and 2 league tables. The school received an overall rating of Grade 2 (Good), for all areas and overall effectiveness in its latest full Ofsted report of 2012,[12][13][14] and achieved 'Good' again in 2017.[15]
Several roads in Upperthong form part of the southern section of National Route 68 of the National Cycle Network – the Pennine Cycleway. The route follows Upperthong Lane from its start in Holmfirth, and continues north westwards through the village, and out over the moor to Meltham.[16][17][18]
