Thurnscoe
Encyclopedia
Thurnscoe is a village
in the metropolitan borough of Barnsley
in South Yorkshire
, England
. The village is approximately half way between Barnsley
and Doncaster
, but sufficiently far enough from both to be out of their urban sprawl
. It is served by Thurnscoe railway station
.
, historically, Thurnscoe was a farming village and in Roman
times it was situated on the Roman road Ryknild Street, which ran down a track, (known locally as "the cow track" as it was the route for the dairy herds until the farm closed in recent years), to the east of what is now Rectory Lane. It continues up Southfield Lane by the side of the cemetery and over fields to the south of the village, and up Clayton Lane to the North. Thurnscoe was known in early times as Turnesc, this becoming Terunsc by the time of its mention in the Domesday Book
. Parts of the village were owned by Roche Abbey
, who dug magnesian limestone
. Thurnscoe's oldest building is the (C.of E.) Church of St. Helen on High Street, built in 1087 though only the tower of the original structure remains. Excavations during renovation work( under the former Rector John Hall) on the church revealed Anglo-Saxon
remains, including a skeleton, indicating that it was used as a sacred site before the Christian church was established here. The Western side of the village has more history to it, including Thurnscoe Hall (now a nursing home) and the 1715 Blacksmiths Cottage near St Helens Church. Red House Cottage on High Street is the oldest building in the village dating back to the 16th century.
Before the mines opened, Thurnscoe was once a wealthy farming community, famous in the Middle Ages
for the quality of its cheese. There were a number of historic farms, and arable and livestock fields all around the village, but most of the farms have now gone and most of the fields have been covered by modern housing.
It was one of many mining villages in the Yorkshire coalfield stricken by poverty when the British
coal mining industry was closed in the 1980s under the Thatcher government. Mining
began in the early 18th century from small surface mines but exploded along with the population after Hickleton Main Colliery found the Barnsley seam in 1894. Almost the entire of the village east of the railway was built to accommodate the coal miners, including the Church of St. Hilda in 1935. The colliery was merged with Goldthorpe
in 1986 before that too was closed in 1994. Hickleton
Main pit tips have now been landscaped and converted, with the aid of the environmental body Groundwork, into "Phoenix Park" which contains a climbing wall, picnic areas and many pieces of art which were developed by and in conjunction with the local community. Poems by local resident Desiree Chipp are carved into 3 at the entrances to the site. There is a small car park accessible off Lidget Lane.
In recent years many of the historic buildings have been demolished, including the Victorian primary and infant schools, The Station Hotel (which had an Inn Sign which was featured on a Royal Mail
postage stamp
), and Broadway Buildings Ballroom. The village once also had a swimming baths, cinema and active market, but although the market place remains it has been derelict for many years.
Another flood on 26 June 2007 flooded Houghton Road outside the Thurnscoe Hotel and burst the banks of all the dykes in Thurnscoe. Merrill Road was once again flooded and it flooded as far as Westfield Crescent. In parts of Thurnscoe the water was up to waist level. Also the road between Thurnscoe and Great Houghton
was flooded severely. Dearnlea Old Peoples home on Welfare Road had to be evacuated - a video of which is on youtube.
The main secondary school in the area is The Dearne High School at Goldthorpe which caters for around 1,300 pupils aged 11–16 years.
What was built as Thurnscoe Comprehensive School is now the Robert Ogden School for Autistic Children - one of the largest such in the world.
Val Pete, Olympic athlete, was born in Thurnscoe.
Carol Deene
, the 1960s
pop singer, was born in Thurnscoe.
Billy Whitehurst
, former Hull City
and Newcastle United
striker, was born in the village.
James Lloyd, the infamous 'Dearne Valley Shoe Rapist' was arrested near Noggers in Thurnscoe in 2006.
Andrew Mangham
, literary critic and author of several published books, was born in Thurnscoe in 1979.
Terry iles British Super bike rider was also born in Thurnscoe in 1964
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
in the metropolitan borough of Barnsley
Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley
The Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley is a metropolitan borough of the metropolitan county of South Yorkshire, England. Its main town is Barnsley....
in South Yorkshire
South Yorkshire
South Yorkshire is a metropolitan county in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England. It has a population of 1.29 million. It consists of four metropolitan boroughs: Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham, and City of Sheffield...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The village is approximately half way between Barnsley
Barnsley
Barnsley is a town in South Yorkshire, England. It lies on the River Dearne, north of the city of Sheffield, south of Leeds and west of Doncaster. Barnsley is surrounded by several smaller settlements which together form the Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley, of which Barnsley is the largest and...
and Doncaster
Doncaster
Doncaster is a town in South Yorkshire, England, and the principal settlement of the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster. The town is about from Sheffield and is popularly referred to as "Donny"...
, but sufficiently far enough from both to be out of their urban sprawl
Urban sprawl
Urban sprawl, also known as suburban sprawl, is a multifaceted concept, which includes the spreading outwards of a city and its suburbs to its outskirts to low-density and auto-dependent development on rural land, high segregation of uses Urban sprawl, also known as suburban sprawl, is a...
. It is served by Thurnscoe railway station
Thurnscoe railway station
Thurnscoe railway station serves Thurnscoe in South Yorkshire, England. It is located on the Wakefield Line north of Sheffield railway station. Only stopping services call at the station...
.
Origins and history
Set in the heart of the Dearne ValleyDearne Valley
The Dearne Valley is an area of South Yorkshire along the River Dearne. It encompasses the towns of Wombwell, Wath-upon-Dearne, Swinton, Conisbrough and Mexborough, the large villages of Ardsley, Bolton on Dearne, Goldthorpe, Thurnscoe, Darfield, Stairfoot and Brampton Bierlow, and many other...
, historically, Thurnscoe was a farming village and in Roman
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
times it was situated on the Roman road Ryknild Street, which ran down a track, (known locally as "the cow track" as it was the route for the dairy herds until the farm closed in recent years), to the east of what is now Rectory Lane. It continues up Southfield Lane by the side of the cemetery and over fields to the south of the village, and up Clayton Lane to the North. Thurnscoe was known in early times as Turnesc, this becoming Terunsc by the time of its mention in the Domesday Book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
. Parts of the village were owned by Roche Abbey
Roche Abbey
Roche Abbey is a now-ruined abbey located near Maltby, South Yorkshire, England. It is situated in a valley alongside Maltby Beck and King's Wood.-Early history:...
, who dug magnesian limestone
Dolostone
Dolostone or dolomite rock is a sedimentary carbonate rock that contains a high percentage of the mineral dolomite. In old U.S.G.S. publications it was referred to as magnesian limestone. Most dolostone formed as a magnesium replacement of limestone or lime mud prior to lithification. It is...
. Thurnscoe's oldest building is the (C.of E.) Church of St. Helen on High Street, built in 1087 though only the tower of the original structure remains. Excavations during renovation work( under the former Rector John Hall) on the church revealed Anglo-Saxon
Anglo-Saxon
Anglo-Saxon may refer to:* Anglo-Saxons, a group that invaded Britain** Old English, their language** Anglo-Saxon England, their history, one of various ships* White Anglo-Saxon Protestant, an ethnicity* Anglo-Saxon economy, modern macroeconomic term...
remains, including a skeleton, indicating that it was used as a sacred site before the Christian church was established here. The Western side of the village has more history to it, including Thurnscoe Hall (now a nursing home) and the 1715 Blacksmiths Cottage near St Helens Church. Red House Cottage on High Street is the oldest building in the village dating back to the 16th century.
Before the mines opened, Thurnscoe was once a wealthy farming community, famous in the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
for the quality of its cheese. There were a number of historic farms, and arable and livestock fields all around the village, but most of the farms have now gone and most of the fields have been covered by modern housing.
Recent history and the mining years
The village is bisected, north/south, by a railway, originally laid to serve the colliery, into Thurnscoe and Thurnscoe East. The residents do not consider the two to be separate villages. Locals refer to Thurnscoe East as "the top end". The Eastern half is characterised by low cost terraced housing (built to serve the former colliery) and a small business park on the site of the former colliery. The Western side of the village is also known as Old Thurnscoe, or "the bottom end" by locals from the "top end".It was one of many mining villages in the Yorkshire coalfield stricken by poverty when the British
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
coal mining industry was closed in the 1980s under the Thatcher government. Mining
Mining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
began in the early 18th century from small surface mines but exploded along with the population after Hickleton Main Colliery found the Barnsley seam in 1894. Almost the entire of the village east of the railway was built to accommodate the coal miners, including the Church of St. Hilda in 1935. The colliery was merged with Goldthorpe
Goldthorpe
Goldthorpe is a village within the Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley, in South Yorkshire, England. Anciently a small medieval farming village, Goldthorpe is recorded in the Domesday Book and was under the Manor of Bolton upon Dearne which was once owned by Roger de Busli.Goldthorpe railway station...
in 1986 before that too was closed in 1994. Hickleton
Hickleton
Hickleton is a village and civil parish in the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster in South Yorkshire, England. It has a population of 290.There are records of Hickleton’s history dating back to Saxon times, although some consider the settlement has Roman roots.More recently, it was the 'estate...
Main pit tips have now been landscaped and converted, with the aid of the environmental body Groundwork, into "Phoenix Park" which contains a climbing wall, picnic areas and many pieces of art which were developed by and in conjunction with the local community. Poems by local resident Desiree Chipp are carved into 3 at the entrances to the site. There is a small car park accessible off Lidget Lane.
In recent years many of the historic buildings have been demolished, including the Victorian primary and infant schools, The Station Hotel (which had an Inn Sign which was featured on a Royal Mail
Royal Mail
Royal Mail is the government-owned postal service in the United Kingdom. Royal Mail Holdings plc owns Royal Mail Group Limited, which in turn operates the brands Royal Mail and Parcelforce Worldwide...
postage stamp
Postage stamp
A postage stamp is a small piece of paper that is purchased and displayed on an item of mail as evidence of payment of postage. Typically, stamps are made from special paper, with a national designation and denomination on the face, and a gum adhesive on the reverse side...
), and Broadway Buildings Ballroom. The village once also had a swimming baths, cinema and active market, but although the market place remains it has been derelict for many years.
Geography and environment
Thurnscoe's geography is characteristic of glacial moraine, with gentle inclines, good arable clay/loam soil and no irregular boulders. The village was once known for its numerous springs and dykes. The High Street (which is not the main road) is a meandering residential street which was once a river. Many of the dykes were enclosed into pipelines during the 1960s and 1970s as flooding had traditionally been a problem in the lower part of the village. A stream which runs through the western extent, travelling under the village in a pipeline, flooded during the gales and heavy rain of 1987, briefly threatening the local primary school, Gooseacre, and flooding several homes along Merril Road. Litter from the school was alleged to be the cause of the flood, and a grille was installed on the stream's tunnel entrance. Council records show that the water table is very close to the surface in Thurnscoe, as little as 18 inches below the surface in parts. This has led to local concerns about the building of new houses over the green areas of the village and resulted in a petition against this in 2007.Another flood on 26 June 2007 flooded Houghton Road outside the Thurnscoe Hotel and burst the banks of all the dykes in Thurnscoe. Merrill Road was once again flooded and it flooded as far as Westfield Crescent. In parts of Thurnscoe the water was up to waist level. Also the road between Thurnscoe and Great Houghton
Great Houghton, South Yorkshire
Great Houghton is a village and civil parish in the Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley in South Yorkshire, England), on the border with West Yorkshire. It lies to the west of Thurnscoe, on the B6411 road, and is located at approximately 53° 33' 20" North, 1° 21' West, at an elevation of around 60...
was flooded severely. Dearnlea Old Peoples home on Welfare Road had to be evacuated - a video of which is on youtube.
The main secondary school in the area is The Dearne High School at Goldthorpe which caters for around 1,300 pupils aged 11–16 years.
What was built as Thurnscoe Comprehensive School is now the Robert Ogden School for Autistic Children - one of the largest such in the world.
Notable people
Dennis Owen O.B.E. was headmaster at Thurnscoe Comprehensive School.Val Pete, Olympic athlete, was born in Thurnscoe.
Carol Deene
Carol Deene
Carol Deene was an English pop singer.After appearing on Joan Regan's BBC TV programme 'Be My Guest' in 1961, when she was 16, Deene was signed to the HMV label, and scored three Top 40 hits on the UK Singles Chart in 1962...
, the 1960s
1960s in music
For music from a year in the 1960s, go to 60 | 61 | 62 | 63 | 64 | 65 | 66 | 67 | 68 | 69This article includes an overview of the major events and trends in popular music in the 1960s....
pop singer, was born in Thurnscoe.
Billy Whitehurst
Billy Whitehurst
William "Billy" Whitehurst was an English professional footballer during the 1980s-1990s.-Career:...
, former Hull City
Hull City A.F.C.
Hull City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, founded in 1904. The club participates in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football...
and Newcastle United
Newcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
striker, was born in the village.
James Lloyd, the infamous 'Dearne Valley Shoe Rapist' was arrested near Noggers in Thurnscoe in 2006.
Andrew Mangham
Andrew Mangham
Andrew Mangham is a literary critic and lecturer at the University of Reading, UK. He is best known for his work on the sensation novel, having published three books and numerous articles on the genre, but he has also published critical work on Dickens and the Gothic...
, literary critic and author of several published books, was born in Thurnscoe in 1979.
Terry iles British Super bike rider was also born in Thurnscoe in 1964