Rawmarsh (locally ) is a large village in the
Metropolitan Borough of Rotherham, in
South Yorkshire, England.
Historically
History (derived ) is the systematic study and the documentation of the human activity. The time period of event before the invention of writing systems is considered prehistory. "History" is an umbrella term comprising past events as well ...
within the
West Riding of Yorkshire, it is north-northeast from
Rotherham town centre and south-southwest of
Swinton. The village also forms part of the
Sheffield Urban Area.
The Rawmarsh ward of Rotherham MBC had a population of 13,389 at the 2011 Census. Rawmarsh also contains other output areas from neighbouring wards giving it a population of 18,498 in 2011 and 18,535 in 2014.
History
Etymology
The name has gone through many changes since being recorded as "Rodemesc" in the ''
Domesday Book'' and "Raumersche" in 1355. The name is thought to be of dual origin, "Rode" being from the Old Norse for "red", and Mesc from "Old English" meaning "Marsh". This led to "Red Marsh", from its situation in the
Permian System of red
sandstones and
marl
Marl is an earthy material rich in carbonate minerals, clays, and silt. When hardened into rock, this becomes marlstone. It is formed in marine or freshwater environments, often through the activities of algae.
Marl makes up the lower part o ...
s which run through the area. Localised clays outcrop and the area was formerly known for its
potteries.
Origins and development
At the beginning of the 20th century Rawmarsh was described as "an increasing parish" and included the outlying hamlets of
Parkgate, Stubbin and Upper Haugh. In 1851 the population was 2,533 but 50 years later this had increased to 14,587. In 1961, the population was 19,700 but, forty years later, at the 2001 census it had reduced to 17,443. Rawmarsh has laid claim to the title of being the
largest village in England; however this claim is unsubstantiated and there are indeed many settlements that make this claim.
Primarily a residential area, Rawmarsh is known for its church, Rawmarsh St Mary's Parish Church, which dominates the view at the top of Rawmarsh Hill. There has been a church in the town since Norman times (c.1127) but the earliest recorded
rector
Rector (Latin for the member of a vessel's crew who steers) may refer to:
Style or title
*Rector (ecclesiastical), a cleric who functions as an administrative leader in some Christian denominations
*Rector (academia), a senior official in an edu ...
was William de Sutton who was instituted on 6 June 1227. The current church was completed in 1838 when the tower was increased in height and the rest rebuilt,
James Pigott Pritchett being the architect. In 1869, the tower began to collapse and was rebuilt incorporating features of the original Norman doorway. In 1894 the sanctuary was enlarged and the vestry, organ chamber and north porch added. The present sanctuary was repaved in 1977 in memory of Canon Scovell, who is also remembered in a street name in the town; the font is Perpendicular in style and is from the old church. More recently restoration work was undertaken in 2003. The church contains two monuments of interest: one to Lady Middleton and her children (1667) who lived for a time at Aldwarke Hall, the other to John Darley of Kilnhurst (1616).
The Parish Church of Christ Church, Parkgate, separated from Rawmarsh in 1868, was brought back in the early 1960s. There are other churches: St. Nicolas, Ryecroft (1928) and a selection of 'Free' churches, Spiritualists, Roman Catholic and Quakers.
Industry
In the past the coal and steel industries were major employers in the area. Coal had been mined in the Haugh area from the mid-15th century
[157 DD/FJ Foljambe of Osberton: Deeds and Estate Papers] and in the Parkgate area of the village since around 1700, mostly from small pits under the ownership of
Earl Fitzwilliam. Deeper mining came in the mid-19th century, the town becoming ringed with collieries,
Warren House and
Warren Vale to the north, Stubbin, later followed by
New Stubbin together with its railway, the Stubbin incline, linking it to the
Greasbrough Canal taking up the western side and near the
River Don in Parkgate, adjacent to each other and the two main line railways serving the town
Aldwarke Main and Roundwood. The last three collieries mentioned being the last of these to close, the last, New Stubbin closing in 1978.
To the south of Rawmarsh is
Parkgate, a suburb which had streets of terraced houses for the local work force and which was dominated by the
Park Gate Iron and Steel Company's works. This complex of two large
blast furnace
A blast furnace is a type of metallurgical furnace used for smelting to produce industrial metals, generally pig iron, but also others such as lead or copper. ''Blast'' refers to the combustion air being "forced" or supplied above atmospheric ...
s and Siemens
open hearth furnaces
An open-hearth furnace or open hearth furnace is any of several kinds of industrial furnace in which excess carbon and other impurities are burnt out of pig iron to produce steel. Because steel is difficult to manufacture owing to its high melt ...
and ancillaries was closed in the late 1970s the land remaining derelict until it was redeveloped as several large retail complexes from the late 1980s.
Steel making is now concentrated at Aldwarke (New Site) which, when built in the early 1960s had
Kaldo converters to take advantage of a supply of 'blast furnace metal' but now has electric melting capacity, the furnaces being transferred from Templeborough Works, Rotherham to provide the steel. Roundwood, the 11" mill as it is known because of the maximum rolling size, also remains open, both plants with a reduced workforce.
In the 18th century pottery was also made in the town; there are several references in places and street names within the area: Claypit Lane is an example.
Transport
Rawmarsh, and neighbour
Parkgate were formerly served by two railway stations, both some distance from the village centre.
Parkgate and Aldwarke, on the former
Great Central Railway line between
Sheffield and
Doncaster was the furthest away, being situated off Aldwarke Lane and was the first to close, in October 1951. The station on the
Midland Railway line between
Sheffield and
Leeds was called
Parkgate and Rawmarsh and closed in January 1968. The nearest rail station now is
Swinton railway station.
Road transport services were provided, from 1907 when
trams were introduced, by the
Mexborough and Swinton Traction Company. In 1929
trolleybuses took over, the major routes being from Rotherham, through Rawmarsh to
Mexborough (Route A to Adwick Road),
Conisbrough (Route B to Brook Square) with three routes terminating in the township; Rawmarsh via Green Lane (Route S) which made an end-on connection and had a turning circle at the junction of
Kilnhurst Road and Main Street with the route to Kilnhurst Road (Route K). There was also a short route used at busy periods to Parkgate (Route P).
Motor buses were introduced with the building of the Monkwood estate in the late 1950s and to Kilnhurst via the N.C.B. estate at Sandhill. The last
trolleybus ran in March 1961. Routes have been rationalised, the company fully integrated into the
Yorkshire Traction and in 2005 into the
Stagecoach Group
Stagecoach Group is a transport group based in Perth, Scotland. It operates buses, express coaches and a tram service in the United Kingdom.
History
Stagecoach was born out of deregulation of the British express coach market in the early ...
. Rawmarsh is now served by Parkgate Tram-Train stop, offering regular routes into Sheffield.
The local area is serviced by a local shopping centre, five churches and nine schools – notably
Rawmarsh Community School
Rawmarsh Community School is a coeducational secondary school with academy status located in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, England.
Ofsted inspections
Since the commencement of Ofsted inspections in September 1993, the school has undergone many i ...
which was featured in national news after a very small number of parents rebelled against the school's
Jamie Oliver-style lunches.
Media
Young employee services (1969) British Steel, Parkgate, Rotherham
See also
*
Listed buildings in Rawmarsh
References
* Rawmarsh Urban District Council, Official Handbook 1961
External links
*
St. Mary's Church- website of the church atop Rawmarsh Hill which serves Rawmarsh and Parkgate
*
{{authority control
Villages in South Yorkshire
Unparished areas in South Yorkshire
Geography of the Metropolitan Borough of Rotherham