Whiston, South Yorkshire
Encyclopedia
Whiston is a village and civil parish in the Metropolitan Borough of Rotherham
in South Yorkshire
, England
. It has a population of 5,115.
Originally a small rural village between Sheffield
and Rotherham, within the Saxon
"Shire of Hallun" (Hallamshire
), Whiston is now a suburb of Rotherham, close to its border with Sheffield.
According to A Dictionary of British Place-Names The name Whiston comes from two Old English words wite and stan - meaning "The whitestone" which is likely to be in reference to a nearby quarry where large amounts of white stone were once mined. It is referred to as Witestan,in the Domesday Book
of 1086, at which time it was part of the same manor as Handsworth
(Handswrde), now a suburb of Sheffield .
Even in 1900 Whiston was still a small rural village. It was separated from Rotherham by open countryside. As the century progressed, and particularly after 1945, many fields were built upon and Rotherham expanded to incorporate Whiston although there is still something of a Green belt
separating Whiston from other local villages
On 25 June 2007 part of the village was evacuated because of fears that cracks in the dam at Ulley reservoir
could lead to widespread flooding in the valley.
Metropolitan Borough of Rotherham
The Metropolitan Borough of Rotherham is a metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. It is named for its largest town, Rotherham, but also spans the outlying towns of Maltby, Rawmarsh, Swinton, Wath-upon-Dearne, as well as a suburban and rural element composed of hills, escarpments and...
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...
. It has a population of 5,115.
Originally a small rural village between Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
and Rotherham, within the Saxon
Anglo-Saxons
Anglo-Saxon is a term used by historians to designate the Germanic tribes who invaded and settled the south and east of Great Britain beginning in the early 5th century AD, and the period from their creation of the English nation to the Norman conquest. The Anglo-Saxon Era denotes the period of...
"Shire of Hallun" (Hallamshire
Hallamshire
Hallamshire is the historical name for an area of South Yorkshire, England, in the current city of Sheffield.The origin of the name is uncertain. The English Place-Name Society describe "Hallam" originating from a formation meaning "on the rocks"...
), Whiston is now a suburb of Rotherham, close to its border with Sheffield.
According to A Dictionary of British Place-Names The name Whiston comes from two Old English words wite and stan - meaning "The whitestone" which is likely to be in reference to a nearby quarry where large amounts of white stone were once mined. It is referred to as Witestan,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...
of 1086, at which time it was part of the same manor as Handsworth
Handsworth, South Yorkshire
Handsworth is a suburb of south eastern Sheffield, in South Yorkshire, England. Handsworth has a population of approximately 15,000. It covers an overall area of approximately...
(Handswrde), now a suburb of Sheffield .
Even in 1900 Whiston was still a small rural village. It was separated from Rotherham by open countryside. As the century progressed, and particularly after 1945, many fields were built upon and Rotherham expanded to incorporate Whiston although there is still something of a Green belt
Green belt
A green belt or greenbelt is a policy and land use designation used in land use planning to retain areas of largely undeveloped, wild, or agricultural land surrounding or neighbouring urban areas. Similar concepts are greenways or green wedges which have a linear character and may run through an...
separating Whiston from other local villages
On 25 June 2007 part of the village was evacuated because of fears that cracks in the dam at Ulley reservoir
Ulley Reservoir
Ulley Reservoir is a reservoir located a few hundred metres to the west and downhill of the village of Ulley, south of Rotherham, South Yorkshire, England...
could lead to widespread flooding in the valley.