Hoyland Swaine would have started out as a small cluster of farmsteads around a junction in the roads. This developed only slightly in the 18th century. The hamlet included a row of three nail shops (HSY6284) and Nipping Row (HSY6285) which has been associated with linen weaving (Bayliss 1995, 25, 54). There would have been more nail forges within this polygon and possibly other craft industries. In 1794 an advert was run in the Leeds Intelligencer about a nail factory in the village, 30 men were employed here (Dillon 2000, 11, 15). This was unusual as most hand nail making was done in small workshops. This building was probably replaced by the Almshouses in 1905 (ibid, 15). In 1851 there were 90 nailers recorded in the census, this reduced to only 8 in 1891 (ibid, 6-8). The hand nail making industry declined after competition with machine made nails (Hey 1986, 241). The Methodist Church was built in 1807 (date from plaque on side of building). There have been some modern infilling and demolition of the 18th and early 19th century buildings. There is fragmentary legibility of the Medieval farmsteads in this area with one surviving medieval barn. The other barn was demolished in 1978.