Locke Park walk POV. Barnsley, Yorkshire. UK
barnsley.gov.uk/services/environment-and-planning/parks-and-open-spaces/parks/locke-park
History of Locke Park
friendsoflockepark.org.uk/history.html
A great example of a Grade II listed Victorian Park, Locke Park is in English Heritage's Register of 'Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest '.
Joseph Locke
The park is named after the renowned railway engineer Joseph Locke (1805-60). He is recognised as one of Barnsley's most prominent figures of the 19th century.
He is commemorated in the park by the bronze statue sculpted by Baron Carlo Marochetti. It was unveiled by Lord Alfred Paget on 18 January 1866.
A gift to Barnsley by Joseph Locke's widow.
The original park, then called People's Park, was opened with some pomp and ceremony on 10th June 1862. Joseph Locke's widow, Phoebe, had given High Stile Field to the town on 24 April 1861 to be a park in memory of her husband.
The layout of the early park which amounted to 17 acres of land, about 7 hectares, was organised by Joseph Locke's former partner, John Edward Errington, who gave the task to Mr Edwards of the office of Locke & Errington, in London.
The North Lodge at the entrance to Locke Park was built at this time by John Moxon, stonemason and architect of Barnsley, and the walls were built by Mr Tattersall of Silkstone.
Extending the park in Victorian times
In 1874, Phoebe Locke's sister, Sarah McCreery, donated a further 21 acres (about 8.5 hectares) of land, in memory of her sister, who had died in 1866. This doubled the area of the park, now known as Locke Park.
The Wentworth connection
Mr F W T Vernon Wentworth made a further donation of 1.5 acres (about 0.5 hectares) of land at the junction of Keresforth Hall Road and Racecommon Lane.
This made the total area of the park up to almost 40 acres (about 16 hectares).
The additions to the park, now called Locke Park, were officially opened on Tuesday 7 August 1877.
In December 1914 about 7 acres (about 3 hectares) of land east of Keresforth Hall Road and north of Beech Grove were purchased from the estate of Samuel Joshua Cooper, completing the outline of the present park.
Locke Park Tower
Sarah McCreery also instigated the building
of Locke Park Tower.
She commissioned Richard Phené Spiers, the Paris trained architect of 12 Regent Street, London to design a tower combining a memorial and 'pleasure observatory', the land and tower costing over £11,000.
Spiers was a leading architectural teacher in the later nineteenth century, being Master of Architecture at the Royal Academy Schools, and a respected scholar.
Work of excavating the tower foundations began in 1875; the contractors were Messrs Robinson and Son of Barnsley. A contemporary account describes the foundations as 9ft deep and 41 ft diameter, of solid concrete interlaced with rows of strong pit wire. The tower of approximately 70ft (21m) had a weather vane at the apex of the lantern with Sarah McCreery's monogram. The interior of the lantern was painted blue with stencil work of gold stars.
Locke Park Tower was formally opened on 20 October 1877.
The fountain opposite Locke's statue was erected at the same time as the Tower as were the walls along West View and Racecommon Lane, and the West or South Lodge.
Spiers also oversaw the laying out of the additional park land which was undertaken by the landscape gardeners William Barron and Son of Elvaston Nurseries, near Derby.
A sketch plan by Spiers, dated Feb 8th 1875, shows a layout of serpentine paths with a more formal symmetrical layout to the south-east corner incorporating the tower and flights of steps down to a terrace, providing an axial tendency to the overall design.
Locke Park has been held on trust by Barnsley Council since the I860s for the people of Barnsley.
Nature:
The 47 acres of Barnsley's Locke Park, only a mile from Barnsley's town centre, are a haven for wildlife.
Locke Park connects to open fields and areas rich in wildlife in a large expanse of green belt to the south, linking to the countryside of the Dove valley.
A surprising number of birds, small animals and insects can therefore be found in the park as a result.
Locke Park is fortunate in the number of different trees it contains: 26 different genus of tree and 67 different species, including a native midland hawthorn.
The trees that line the footpaths include beech, ash, lime, horse chestnut, sycamore and maple. There are areas of oaks, willow and of scots pine and birch.
Oak, ash and willow are particularly important for the range of insects and other invertebrates that they support.
Areas of garden are planted to attract butterflies and bees.
Look out for hedgehogs, bats and tawney owls as dusk falls. Spot nuthatches and green woodpeckers during the day.
Nature morning walk POV. Barnsley Canal. Yorkshire, UK
This walk belongs to Dearne Valley Country Park
Find out about Dearne Valley Country Park near Barnsley from the local Council page: barnsley.gov.uk/services/environment-and-planning/parks-and-open-spaces/parks/dearne-valley-country-park
Dearne Valley runs alonside the river for two miles from Old Mill to the Trans Pennine Trail viaduct at Lundwood. It is for mixed informal recreational use such as walking, cycling, angling and for wildlife, as part of the site is a local nature reserve. There are also facilities for children's play up to age 11 and a skate park.
Location:
The park is situated less than a mile from the town centre and is surrounded by communities such as Oakwell, Old Mill, Monk Bretton, Lundwood, Stairfoot and Hoyle Mill. It is open all hours.
The Barnsley Canal is a canal that ran from Barnby Basin, through Barnsley, South Yorkshire, England to a junction with the Aire and Calder Navigation near Wakefield. It was 14.5 miles (23.3 km) long and included 15 locks. It was taken over by the Aire and Calder Navigation in 1854, and despite competition from the railways, and structural damage from subsidence, remained profitable until 1942. It was abandoned in 1953, after major breaches occurred in 1945 and 1946, and is currently disused, although there are proposals from the Barnsley Canal Consortium to restore and reopen it. ( )
History
The early 1790s were a time when there was an increasing demand for coal, but a shortage in many places because much of the coal being produced was being consumed by industries close to the mines. There were coal reserves near Barnsley, but no transport links to distribute it to the region. In July 1792, the Aire and Calder Canal Company asked William Martin, who was the manager of the canal, to prepare plans for a link from near Wakefield to the Barnsley mines. Hearing of the plans, the River Don Navigation Company proposed an alternative, which involved the canalisation of the River Dearne, to reach the same destination. The Aire and Calder scheme foresaw a healthy trade in coal and manufactured goods from Barnsley to the Aire and Calder, and agricultural lime from Knottingley in the reverse direction.
Construction
Construction work started on 27 September 1793, at Heath Common, near the junction with the Aire and Calder Canal. Samual Hartley was the engineer, and John Pinkerton was contracted to build the canal. Construction was difficult, with Pinkerton unexpectedly encountering rock in the cutting at Cold Hiendley, and inflation pushed up the costs. There were disputes between Hartley and Pinkerton, which lasted until long after the canal was opened, and were finally settled in 1812, after a lawsuit. The northern section to Barnsley opened on 8 June 1799, while the Barnsley to Barnby section was not started until late 1798, and did not open until early 1802. The Dearne and Dove Canal was completed in late 1804.
Traffic
The canal was principally designed to carry coal from collieries in the Barnby region. The Low Moor Company had a colliery at Barnby Furnace, and constructed a 0.5-mile (0.80 km) tramway between there and Barnby basin, which was carrying coal by 1802. By 1804, around 10,000 tons was leaving the colliery, although the Dearne and Dove Canal had opened in late 1803, and only about half of the trade travelled the full length of the canal to the Aire and Calder. Coal from the Silkstone collieries was sporadic, as the tramway which had been authorised by the Act of Parliament was not built due to financial constraints. The Barnby Furnace mine failed in 1806, and the company found itself with no money and little traffic. It obtained a new Act of Parliament on 28 March 1808, authorising it to raise another £43,000 in share capital, and £10,000 by mortgage. They were also able to raise the tolls.
Competition
Decline
Restoration
Barnsley, Dearne & Dove Canals Trust bddct.org.uk/history/history_b.html
penninewaterways.co.uk/barnsley/index.htm
penninewaterways.co.uk/barnsley/ba2.htm
calf playtime at Wigfield Farm, Barnsley
Our 2 week old Highland cow calf playing a chasing game with another calf.
You can visit these animals as well as a wide variety of other animals at Wigfield Farm, Barnsley, South Yorkshire. Wigfield Farm is owned and managed by Barnsley College.
We also have Meerkats, Alpacas, Goats, Donkeys, Sheep, Pigs, Chinchillas, Rats, Mice, Rabbits, Guinea pigs, other small rodents, shetland ponies, chipmunks, chickens, budgies and an aquatics room.
Wigfield 'open' farm is situated on the Dove Valley Trail section of the Trans-Pennine Trail next to Worsborough Country Park, and provides a perfect visitor attraction at which to refresh yourself in our cafe and shop facility. Open Farm and Visitors Centre accessible to the local and wider community.
Wigfield Farm has three main functions:
A working farm producing livestock and arable crops;
A base for Barnsley College courses in Agriculture, Horticulture, Animal care and Environmental Studies;
Although farm staff are employed, the day to day work of the farm is undertaken by Barnsley College students following one of our many programmes of study thus providing a realistic working environment in which to develop their skills and knowledge.
A modern horticulture unit supports the learning and development of students following both vocational and recreational courses in horticulture and gardening. Seasonal plants are often available for sale at competetive prices.
We are open Monday-Sunday 10am-4pm
Adults £3.00;
Children/Concessions £1.50;
Children under 3yrs are Free;
Family ticket [2 adults and up to 3 children] £8.00;
Annual pass [2 adults and up to 3 children] £30.00 for whole year.
Wigfield Farm
Haverlands Lane
Worsbrough
Barnsley
South Yorkshire
S70 5NQ
We also hold birthday parties at the farm, school visits and events and actvities throughout the year.
for more information ring [01226] 216 474 or email: l.robinson@barnsley.ac.uk
We can also be found on our 'Official Wigfield Farm' facebook page, Wigfield Farm Blog and #WigfieldFarm on Twitter
Cycling Dearne Valley park POV, Barnsley. South Yorkshire
After a Nature morning walk POV. Barnsley Canal. Yorkshire, UK cycling is a change :) and a challenge :))
Dearne Valley Country Park
Find out about Dearne Valley Country Park near Barnsley from the local Council page:
Dearne Valley runs alonside the river for two miles from Old Mill to the Trans Pennine Trail viaduct at Lundwood. It is for mixed informal recreational use such as walking, cycling, angling and for wildlife, as part of the site is a local nature reserve. There are also facilities for children's play up to age 11 and a skate park.
Location:
The park is situated less than a mile from the town centre and is surrounded by communities such as Oakwell, Old Mill, Monk Bretton, Lundwood, Stairfoot and Hoyle Mill. It is open all hours.
The Barnsley Canal is a canal that ran from Barnby Basin, through Barnsley, South Yorkshire, England to a junction with the Aire and Calder Navigation near Wakefield. It was 14.5 miles (23.3 km) long and included 15 locks. It was taken over by the Aire and Calder Navigation in 1854, and despite competition from the railways, and structural damage from subsidence, remained profitable until 1942. It was abandoned in 1953, after major breaches occurred in 1945 and 1946, and is currently disused, although there are proposals from the Barnsley Canal Consortium to restore and reopen it. ( )
History
The early 1790s were a time when there was an increasing demand for coal, but a shortage in many places because much of the coal being produced was being consumed by industries close to the mines. There were coal reserves near Barnsley, but no transport links to distribute it to the region. In July 1792, the Aire and Calder Canal Company asked William Martin, who was the manager of the canal, to prepare plans for a link from near Wakefield to the Barnsley mines. Hearing of the plans, the River Don Navigation Company proposed an alternative, which involved the canalisation of the River Dearne, to reach the same destination. The Aire and Calder scheme foresaw a healthy trade in coal and manufactured goods from Barnsley to the Aire and Calder, and agricultural lime from Knottingley in the reverse direction.
Construction
Construction work started on 27 September 1793, at Heath Common, near the junction with the Aire and Calder Canal. Samual Hartley was the engineer, and John Pinkerton was contracted to build the canal. Construction was difficult, with Pinkerton unexpectedly encountering rock in the cutting at Cold Hiendley, and inflation pushed up the costs. There were disputes between Hartley and Pinkerton, which lasted until long after the canal was opened, and were finally settled in 1812, after a lawsuit. The northern section to Barnsley opened on 8 June 1799, while the Barnsley to Barnby section was not started until late 1798, and did not open until early 1802. The Dearne and Dove Canal was completed in late 1804.
Traffic
The canal was principally designed to carry coal from collieries in the Barnby region. The Low Moor Company had a colliery at Barnby Furnace, and constructed a 0.5-mile (0.80 km) tramway between there and Barnby basin, which was carrying coal by 1802. By 1804, around 10,000 tons was leaving the colliery, although the Dearne and Dove Canal had opened in late 1803, and only about half of the trade travelled the full length of the canal to the Aire and Calder. Coal from the Silkstone collieries was sporadic, as the tramway which had been authorised by the Act of Parliament was not built due to financial constraints. The Barnby Furnace mine failed in 1806, and the company found itself with no money and little traffic. It obtained a new Act of Parliament on 28 March 1808, authorising it to raise another £43,000 in share capital, and £10,000 by mortgage. They were also able to raise the tolls.
Competition
Decline
Restoration
Barnsley, Dearne & Dove Canals Trust
Barnsley Trials Club Championship Round - Section 2 (5.11.2017)
A walk around Worsbrough reservoir, Barnsley, Yorkshire - part 1
The following - the 2nd part is here:
I recorded 1 hour of video but it seems my phone did split it in 2 parts 30 min. each. Ironic, I didn't notice while I was there.
With the new changes from YouTube this year, they removed the Editing part of the Creator' studio. I did a merging of these 2 parts, but the High definition is 11 Gb and it cannot be rendered :) and the YouTube version looks bad. I uploaded it but kept it private. It looks bad.
Worsbrough Mill Country Park covers over 240 acres and holds Local Nature Reserve status.
The Parks 60 acre reservoir is a haven for wildlife and is open to anglers and bird watchers. The Park has well maintained footpaths and cyclepaths that meander through Willow Carr and around the circumference of the reservoir passing meadowlands that are rich in wild flowers.
Walks
There are three walks within the boundaries of the Park:
The Owl Walk: A walk incorporating many past industries but can be muddy in wet weather. Approximately 5km.
The Badger Walk: A fairly level walk following Worsbrough Reservoir with only very slight inclines in places. Suitable for wheelchair access. Approximately 3.5km.
The Fox Walk: A reasonably level walk with a few inclines. Suitable for wheelchair access. Approximately 2km.
Leaflets about the walks are available free of charge from the Mill shop and Millers Tea Room.
The Park is also a good base for the Trans Pennine Trail or other longer walks.
Fishing
Fishing is available in the upper pond and canal basin. Fishing day tickets are issued on the day by the bank walker. Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult.
Season tickets cover fishing at Brampton Canal, Fiskerton section of the River Trent, Smithes Pond, Tinkers Pond and Worsbrough Reservoir. For further information please contact the Barnsley Amalgamated Angling Association on 01226 203090.
History – Country Park
The reservoir, completed in 1804, was originally built to supply water to the Worsbrough branch of the Dearne and Dove canal. It was enlarged in 1826, creating an extra 20 acres of surface water and two new spillways were installed in 1984 to comply with the Reservoirs Safety Act.
The Worsbrough section of the Dearne and Dove Canal was authorised in 1793 and took 11 years to build. It linked Worsbrough to the seaport of Goole. The new section was 2.5 miles long and included flight of seven locks at Aldham, where it joined the Barnsley to Swinton Canal.
In 1810 over 2000 boats used the canal to carry goods to and from the man industries that sprang up alongside it. In 1884 the canal was affected by mining subsidence and closed for 6 months for repairs. Due to subsidence and the arrival of the railways it was closed to traffic in 1906 and abandoned in 1961.
A section of the canal that still remains can be seen across the road from the main car park.
After the canal was opened in 1804 landowners were authorised to construct railways to the local colleries. The tramway which runs at the side of the mill, up the south side of the reservoir was probably opened in 1821 to serve Stoney Royd, Ratten Row and Top Pit. In 1832 it also carried coal and iron from Pilley Hills Colliery and Ironstone Works.
Several stone blocks can still be seen in the path. These blocks housed chairs in which the cast iron rails ran. The trucks that ran on this tramway were pulled by ponies and stationary engines worked the inclines. Ponies were stabled in the buildings in the mill yard and the mill supplied oats for their feed.
Thurlstone quarry 11aug18
Middle Black Clough Waterfall, Peak District National Park
February 27, 2018 City Council Meeting
Niagara Falls City Council Meeting for February 27, 2018. View the agenda online: