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Of Interest
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DUNGWORTH TREE PLANTING PROJECT – ORCHARD INITIATIVE
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Bradfield Parish Council have recently commenced an Orchard and Wildflower project at one of its open space sites, Dungworth Park, Sheffield. This project stemmed from an original idea of a former Chair of the Parish Council, the late Stephen Bennett. Stephen was very interested in the ‘Green Agenda’ and the fight against climate change.
The project was chosen following a public consultation exercise, with the local school participating with the planting of the trees and hedgerows. Alongside the planting of a fruit orchard, a native hedgerow has been planted creating a permanent wildlife habitat. The next phase of the project will include a glade with perennial meadow edges, creating ground level habitat and attracting pollinators to fertilise the fruit trees. An unmown area will be included to increase biodiversity.
We are seeing the fruit trees and hedgerows begin to establish themselves, creating a space that will support biodiversity, reduce cardon dioxide, encourage outdoor learning and provide a lasting asset for the whole community.
   
For more information about the organisation delivering the project, visit:
Regather
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MEMORIAL TREE - LOW BRADFIELD
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The Memorial Tree, planted in 2025 in the Duck Pond area at Low Bradfield and funded by Bradfield Parish Council, is a living tree to be enjoyed all year round. It also provides a special place for parishioners to remember loved ones, particularly during the Christmas season. We warmly invite members of the community to place a bauble on the tree at Christmas in memory of someone special.
If you would like your bauble returned after the Christmas period, it can be collected from the Bradfield Parish Council Office, located just up the road from the Duck Pond.
This tree has been created as a shared space for reflection, remembrance, and community spirit, and we kindly ask that it is enjoyed and respected by all.
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WHARNCLIFFE SIDE BUS SHELTER PROJECT
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Two bus shelters in Wharncliffe Side have recently been given a colourful new revamp thanks to the creativity and hard work of pupils and teachers from Wharncliffe Side Primary School.
The children designed the artwork themselves, bringing bright and imaginative ideas to the project, and then helped to transform the shelters with their designs. The paint for the project was kindly funded by Bradfield Parish Council as part of its ongoing support for community improvements within the Parish.
The Council would like to thank the school, the pupils and the teaching staff for their enthusiasm and effort in helping to brighten the village. The newly decorated shelters are a lovely addition to Wharncliffe Side and something the whole community can enjoy.
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STANNINGTON BUS SHELTER PROJECT
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Last year Loxley Primary School children painted the bus shelter near their school with funding provided by the Parish Council. Following its success the Parish Council are giving other local schools an opportunity to paint a shelter in their area. Stannington Infant School have recently painted the shelter on Uppergate Road. Children at the school were helped by Angie Turner a Teaching Assistant at the School.
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LOXLEY BUS SHELTER PROJECT
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The Bus Stop Project was an idea that Head Teacher James Connolly at Loxley Primary School, had been thinking about for quite some time. It was such a grimy, ugly bus shelter, sitting next door to the school entrance on Rodney Hill. Mr Connolly felt it really pulled the mood of the community down, and he was determined to do something about it, possibly as a school art project.
Tasmin Torrington, one of the Teaching Assistants at Loxley Primary, has a degree in Fine Art and so used her skills to work with the children to help them design a mural for the bus stop.
Children from each year group held meetings together and came up with design suggestions and drawings, which were submitted by Mr. Connolly to Bradfield Parish Council for approval. They included beautiful scenes of the Loxley Valley, trees and fields and blue skies.
The children were very excited to get the go ahead!
During lockdown, the keyworkers' children continued to come to school while their friends stayed at home, their parents kept working in hospitals, pharmacies
transport and other essential services. These same resilient, incredible children, have painted the beautiful mural that you now see, having added a stunning rainbow to their design.
The rainbow has come to be recognised as a symbol of unity in the community, the recognition of the effort and sacrifices that the NHS, care workers, Teachers, transport workers and all other keyworkers have made over this difficult time.
As lockdown is being slowly eased and people are now starting to have some more freedom and normality, the mural will hopefully remind the community of Loxley that there is always an end to the storm, and as it blows over the valley we are left with peace beauty and hope. As the school motto scribed above the mural states, our community will get through this by Aiming High Together.
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ELEPHANT IN THE GARDEN - YORKSHIRE ROSE
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Councillor Stephen Bennett in 2016 purchased ‘Yorkshire Rose’ as part of the Sheffield Children’s Hospital Herd of Sheffield scheme.
Sadly in 2024 Stephen passed away and his family very kindly donated the elephant to the Parish Council. The elephant is located in the garden at the Parish Council offices and can be viewed by the public from the roadside. The photo below is of Stephen’s family who gave ‘Yorkshire Rose’ a nickname of Socks for obvious reasons, along with Vice Chair of Council Cllr Stuart Shepherd . The Parish Council are very grateful that the family kindly thought to donate ‘Socks’ who can now be viewed by many.
The artist who designed this elephant is Jonathan Wilkinson. The elephant is decorated in the style of a delft ornament. He used a blue and white pottery form to create an ornament that celebrated Lizzie (the name of the original elephant) and Sheffield’s industrial past. Lizzie worked in the T.H. Ward Steel Works in 1916 during the First World War. The markings on the sides of the elephant are of the steel works, one side has 1916 when Lizzie worked there, the other side being the 100th anniversary, 2016.
Further information of Lizzie’s time and duties at the Steel Works can be found on the link below
Lizzie
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Oughtibridge Paper Mill, officially known as Spring Grove Paper Mill, opened in 1834 and became an important part of Bradfield Parish’s papermaking industry, with six of Sheffield’s 16 paper mills located in the parish. Early production supplied wrapping, oiled and brown papers for Sheffield’s metal and tool trades, using the clean, soft waters of the Loxley, Rivelin and Upper Don rivers. After several ownership changes, bankruptcies and an explosion in 1870 that halted production, Peter and Joseph Dixon purchased the site in 1871 and transformed it into a successful newsprint mill. Its growth was boosted by rising literacy, expanding newspaper circulation and a railway connection that improved transport of paper and wood pulp.
The mill later became part of British Tissues before finally closing in 2013. Bradfield Parish Council Offices in Low Bradfield hold a remarkable 1936 photograph showing around 400 employees from Peter Dixon & Son Ltd during a company outing to London, celebrating family milestones within the Dixon family. The image reflects the scale of the business and the importance of the mill to the local community. The Dixon family also lived nearby at Spring Grove House in Wharncliffe Side, where housing now stands.
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THE GREAT SHEFFIELD FLOOD
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The Great Sheffield Flood struck just before midnight on 11 March 1864 when the newly built Dale Dyke Reservoir above Low Bradfield burst, sending around 700 million gallons of water racing down the Loxley Valley at speeds of up to 20 miles per hour. The flood reached depths of 60 feet in places and claimed 240 lives that night, with later research suggesting around 60 more people died from illness linked to the disaster. The heaviest loss of life was in Malin Bridge, where 95 residents died, and many victims are buried in Sheffield General Cemetery and local chapel graveyards.
The disaster led to major changes in reservoir engineering. Construction work on Agden and Damflask reservoirs was halted while an inquiry took place, resulting in a redesign of Dale Dyke Reservoir with a smaller embankment and reduced capacity, later supported by Strines Reservoir. The flood remains a significant part of local history, remembered each year through walks, talks and exhibitions led by historians and enthusiasts.
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Hutton Operation for the Raising of the School-leaving Age
The UK Government passed the Education Act 1944 this act supported the expansion of education to raise the compulsory education age to 15, one extra years schooling for all.
This act resulted in the need to accommodate an extra 168,000 pupils with extra classroom provision for each school.
The government answered the problem by designing a concrete, timber and corrugated roof flat pack delivered to 7000 schools called the Horsa Hut. These flat packs were erected within the school boundaries to accommodate the extra school year. Originally intended to last approx. 10 years as a temporary solution, with modifications and renovations, some are still being used today.
Within the Bradfield Parish Council there are six schools. The Horsa Hut existed on each site, most being demolished during School modernisations over the years, there was recently one at Oughtibridge School but this was demolished during the extensive extensions. Loxley School still have their Horsa Hut, this has been extensively refurbished and re roofed. It is still used today as a joint Nursery and After School club on a daily basis.
Wharncliffe Side School donated their Horsa Hut to the community by a Trustee deed. The Trustees rebuilt and extended the Hut into an unrecognisable building which is now the Wharncliffe Side Community Centre. Steve Buckley one of the Trustees remembers the original Horsa Hut from 1955 when he first moved into the village.
The unrecognisable Hut at Wharncliffe Side and Loxley's Hut being the last remains of the Horsa Huts from the 1940's In Bradfield Parish.
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Bradfield Parish council sponsor the annual Well Blessings at St. James Church Midhopestones. This involved blessing the St James Well dedicated to the farming communities and the Potters Well situated in the village of Midhopestone, dedicated to industry.
This Well Blessing is an ancient ceremony established in the 11th century, these ceremonies held in superstitious reverie long before Anglo Saxon, Dane, or Normans came, continuing throughout the following centuries to bless the St. James and Potters Wells in Midhopestones.
The Well Blessing service occurs in September at the Grade 2 listed St James the Less church on Chapel Lane, Midhopestones.
Thomas de Barnby was Lord of the Manor of Midhope 1337 to1354 when his nephew Robert de Barnby took over. It was probably Robert who founded the church laying the foundation stones in 1360. It was originally a private Chapel for the Barnby family. After the Reformation, the family found themselves impoverished after incurring heavy fines for continuing to follow the catholic religion. They consequently sold the entire Manor.
In 1690, Godfrey Bosville of Gunthwaite Hall bought the Manor for £2256, restoring the church in 1705 and adding the bell Cupola.
The Grade 11 listed church is administered by Penistone & Thurlstone Team Ministry, retaining the 3pm service time established originally so that the farming congregation could attend between morning and evening milking.
There is reputedly a tunnel leading from the chapel to Midhope Hall which was the Manorial Home of Elias de Midhope. After speaking with the current owner of the Hall who farm the land and live in the Hall, it appears that during years of farming and gardening, 'many' dressed stones have been dug up in the direction where a tunnel could have run from the Hall towards the church - interesting.
The church has original timber, several closed pews with family names still inscribed and ascending to the upper gallery the chain is still present near the bell .
Photos courtesy of Malcolm Nunn
Midhope Church d.pdf
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Loxley Primary School may have uncovered new evidence linking Loxley to the origins of Robin Hood. Research connected to the school’s woodland curriculum suggests that Robin Wood, or land very close to it, could match a 1637 reference describing the birthplace of “Robin Hood” at “Little Haggas Croft.” This challenges the long-held belief that the site was at Normandale and supports possible links to “Robert Dore of Wadsley, also known as Robert Hood,” a documented figure involved in the 1380 Peasants’ Uprising.
Loxley teacher and Archaeological Sciences graduate Dan Eaton believes the landscape, ancient woodland features, and historic common land boundaries between Loxley and Wadsley strengthen the case for Robin Hood’s connection to the area. While more research is needed, the findings offer an intriguing new perspective on one of England’s greatest legends.
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The Parish Council runs a grant scheme for local constituted groups. Community Groups are encouraged to apply for funding for any projects they might be finding difficult to fund. Full details of what you can apply for can be found in the Grants Policy together with an application form on the Grants page or contact the office.
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Useful contact numbers for Sheffield City Council and others
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GRIT BINS & STREETS AHEAD
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Grit bins in most of our area are managed by Sheffield City Council's Streets Ahead and if you have any issues around the siting of existing / new bins and the filling of empty grit bins please use the following link
Report - Pavements - Grit Bins
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