The Empire Strikes Back
Yoda famously said “Do or do not. There is no try.” That same mantra – to fully commit to anything you do, win or lose – could be as much a line from the McGrail Memoirs as it is the Skywalker Saga. The McGrail family’s protagonist, Mark, is a force...
Rockingham Kiln no longer at risk
Where once world-renowned porcelain and pottery was made for royalty and aristocracy, Rotherham’s Rockingham Kiln has been thrown a lifeline thanks to grant-funded repair works. The Swinton-based kiln is one of 12 heritage sites in Yorkshire that has been taken off Historic England’s Heritage at Risk Register following extensive structural...
Barnsley brothers’ battle for Britain
In the summer of 1940, as Britain braced for invasion, two brothers from Barnsley climbed into their Spitfires, bound not just by blood but by the desperate fight for their country’s survival. Among the hundreds of young men who held the Luftwaffe at bay during the Battle of Britain were...
New book takes an A-Z tour of Rotherham
This winter, take an A-Z tour of Rotherham from the comfort of your home thanks to a new book by local author, James Barker. In A–Z of Rotherham, James reveals the history behind the borough, its streets and buildings, industries and the people connected with it. From All Saint’s Church...
A flock of stories: uncovering RSPB Old Moor’s heritage
Beneath the open skies and among the whispering reeds, the RSPB Old Moor is offering more than birdsong this September. As part of the national Heritage Open Days festival, a series of free talks and exhibitions is taking flight, inviting visitors to explore the rich cultural and natural history of...
Heritage Open Days 2025: What’s on in South Yorkshire
This September, explore hidden places and try out new experiences for free as the annual Heritage Open Days festival returns.
Penistone Line celebrates 200 years of railways
This year marks a historic milestone: 200 years since the birth of the modern railway. In September 1825, George Stephenson’s Stockton and Darlington Railway made its first journey through County Durham, igniting a transport revolution that would shape the UK and the world for centuries to come. While it wasn’t...
Manor Lodge: Sheffield’s most arresting visitor attraction
This summer, step back into the drama and intrigue of Tudor England with a visit to Sheffield Manor Lodge, the city’s most arresting visitor attraction.
New book uncovers WWI’s underground army
A significant part of the First World War was fought underground. But those who dug the Western Front tunnels critical to the Allied strategy have rarely been recognised in historical literature. Until now. South Yorkshire historian, Brian Elliott, has published a new book titled Miners and the Great War, looking...
The Women of Wentworth Woodhouse
Throughout Women’s History Month in March, a new and exclusive house tour is running at Wentworth Woodhouse telling the stories of the women whose lives played out within its walls.
