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.
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...
400 years of flour at Worsbrough Mill
One of Barnsley’s best loved heritage sites is celebrating its 400th anniversary this year. King Charles I was on the throne when Worsbrough Mill’s waterwheel first started turning to produce freshly-ground flour. Bread was a staple then as it is today, and the traditional method of milling hasn’t changed much...
1925: Sheffield’s most turbulent year
Gangsters running through Little Chicago armed with cut-throat razor blades. Vicious beatings with rubber truncheons and children’s scooters. Extorting hard-working citizens for their wages. Throwing coal in chip shop fryers. Bitter turf wars over an elaborate game of heads or tails. Hiding from the hangman’s noose. It might sound like...
Warren Vale Colliery Explosion – 150 years on
By Joshua Daniels A dense choking fog spread over Rawmarsh in November 1874. There had been a fatal explosion at Warren Vale Colliery, the second such incident since it was sunk in 1840. It was a Friday, 20th November, and families should have been looking forward to a weekend together....
Make a scheduled stop at South Yorkshire Transport Museum
This summer, explore our region’s transport heritage with a visit to South Yorkshire Transport Museum in Rotherham. Running since 1995, the volunteer-owned museum has amassed over 15,000 transport-related artefacts, including 50 major vehicle exhibits on display at their Aldwarke unit. While they may be known for their collection of heritage...
The Linen of Barnsley & Rotherham
By historian Joshua Daniels It’s well-known that the coal, iron, steel and glass industries dominated the economies of Rotherham and Barnsley. There was, however, another very prominent industry: linen. Whilst textiles are more associated with what is now West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire was also a leading contributor to the industry....
The Wharncliffe Carlton Colliery Explosion – 140 Years Later
By Joshua Daniels Just after midnight on 18th October 1883, Wharncliffe Carlton Colliery suffered a disaster that saw the death of 20 men and boys. Based in the Smithies area of Barnsley, close to the border between Monk Bretton and Carlton, Wharncliffe Carlton Colliery had been operating for around five...
Totty Cup school football competition celebrates 100th anniversary
As the region’s oldest primary school football competition, the Totty Cup celebrates its centenary this year. Over the last 100 years, thousands of schoolboys from across the Don and Dearne region have laced up their boost to play for the coveted schools’ trophy – or one of them, at least;...
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