Doncaster, South Yorkshire

Doncaster is an industrial town in South Yorkshire that has a long history but is probably best known for its racecourse that stages the classic St Leger horse race every year in September.

Doncaster, South Yorkshire

Doncaster is in South Yorkshire, about 20 miles northeast of Sheffield in the low-lying area of the Don Valley. The town currently has a population in excess of 125,000 but it is the administrative centre of the larger Doncaster Metropolitan Borough that is home to more than 300,000 people.

It is known mainly as a centre of industry, based on the coal mines that were formerly active in the area. It grew rapidly in Victorian times due mainly to the development of an important facility for building railway locomotives and rolling stock.

The history of Doncaster

The “caster” element of the place-name is a clue to its origin during Roman times, when the fort of Danum was built where an important Roman road crossed the River Don.

The place became a Saxon settlement and appears in Domesday Book (1086) as Donecastre. King Richard I granted a charter to the town in 1194 and in 1467 King Edward IV allowed for the election of a mayor.

The ancient streets of Doncaster have names such as Hall Gate, Baxter Gate and St Sepulchre Gate, which suggest that the town might have been fortified at some stage. However, there is no evidence that this was the case, with the word “gate” simply meaning “street”.

There are also street names, such as Priory Place and Greyfriars Road, that indicate the former presence of religious orders of which no other evidence remains.

During medieval times Doncaster was an important trading centre.

Doncaster remained loyal to the Crown during the English Civil War and was granted the status of a “free borough” by King Charles II as a reward.

The heyday of Doncaster came in the 19^th century when the coalmines were developed and the railway reached the town. The Great Northern Railway opened its Locomotive and Carriage Building Works in 1853. This factory played an important role in the development of Britain’s railways, with more than 2000 steam locomotives built there up to 1957.

Other industries that became established in Doncaster included a tractor factory (which closed in 2007), synthetic textiles and confectionery.

Doncaster Racecourse

The history of horseracing at Doncaster goes back to the 16^th century, although the current racecourse (two miles east of the town centre) was established in 1776. Doncaster continues to host the world’s two oldest named races, the Doncaster Cup and the St Leger.

The latter takes its name from Colonel Anthony St Leger who inaugurated the race in 1776. It was first run on the current Town Moor course in 1778, as a flat race for colts and fillies over 1 mile, 6 furlongs and 132 yards. It is the oldest of the five English “classics” and also the longest in distance run. It is run every year in September.

Things to see in and near Doncaster

The Mansion House was completed in 1748 and is one of only four civic mansion houses in England (the others are in London, Bristol and York). It was built as a place for corporate entertainment rather than as a residence, and some of the rooms bear witness to this purpose, notably the splendid ballroom with its musicians’ gallery. The Mansion House can be visited on specified open days.

Doncaster Minster, built in 1858, is an important example of Victorian gothic architecture. It is notable for its 170-foot bell tower and the enormous organ, built by the German firm of Schulze and Sons, that is widely regarded as one of the finest in an English parish church.

The Doncaster Museum and Art Gallery includes many interesting items, including a Roman shield that was found locally, as well as an altar from Roman times that bears a Latin inscription.

“Aeroventure” is the South Yorkshire Aircraft Museum, housed in the original hangars of what used to be RAF Doncaster. Exhibits include several complete aircraft, of which one is a replica of the plane in which Louis Bleriot flew across the English Channel in 1909. He later took part in an airshow at Doncaster Racecourse.

Cusworth Hall, on the west side of the River Don, is an 18^th century mansion that houses the Museum of South Yorkshire Life. The beautiful grounds are also open to the public.

Conisbrough Castle, to the southwest of Doncaster town but within the metropolitan borough, is notable for its preserved Norman keep that is 92 feet high and with walls up to 15 feet thick.

Doncaster is not on the usual tourist trail, but a visit could prove to be unexpectedly rewarding.

© John Welford

Sheffield: a short guide

Sheffield’s wealth was built on two things, namely cutlery and Sheffield plate (a thin film of silver fixed to base metal), but its contemporary claims to fame are focussed on two very different attractions, these being the Meadowhall Shopping Centre and the World Snooker Championships held at the Crucible Theatre. However, Sheffield has more to offer than just its industrial background and modern commercial and sporting features.

Getting around Sheffield has become much easier in recent years thanks to the Supertram that runs through the city centre and extends to Meadowhall in the east and the northern and southern suburbs. Visitors will also benefit from the many pedestrianized streets in the city centre and the fact that many of the places of interest are in fairly close proximity.

The Town Hall was opened in 1897 and extended in 1923. The impressive clock tower is surmounted by a figure of Vulcan, the Roman god of metalworking, and the sculptured frieze above the main entrance features the industries that Sheffield is famous for, but are sadly little in evidence today.

The Town Hall is best viewed from the Peace Gardens, the main feature of which is the Goodwin Fountain with 89 separate water jets that children will delight in running through.

To the right of the Peace Gardens (if looking towards the Town Hall) is the modern Winter Garden (completed in 2003). This wood, steel and glass construction rises to 21 metres (69 feet) and contains more than 2,000 plants including exotic species from around the world.

The Winter Garden provides access to the Millennium Gallery which mounts temporary exhibitions and has two permanent displays, namely the Metalwork Collection and the Ruskin Gallery.

The Metalwork Collection features the industry from which Sheffield developed, displaying examples of wares from the 16^th century onwards. There are also exhibits from around the world and examples of contemporary metalwork art.

The Ruskin Gallery was originally created by John Ruskin, the Victorian writer and critic, to uplift the spirits of Sheffield’s industrial workers by introducing them to literature and the arts. The collection includes many fine watercolours, paintings and illuminated manuscripts.

Also close by is Graves Gallery (above the Central Library). This houses the city council’s visual arts collection that covers more than 300 years of British and European art, with regular temporary exhibits alongside the permanent collection. Artists represented in the latter include Picasso and Toulouse-Lautrec.

Just round the corner is the famous Crucible Theatre, opened in 1971 to a design that means that no member of the audience is more than 22 metres (72 feet) from the stage. This makes it the venue ideal not just for snooker championships but for intimate drama productions in which the performers and audience feel a genuine connection with each other. There is a second theatre attached to the Crucible, namely the smaller Studio Theatre, and only a few yards away is the Edwardian Lyceum Theatre, which was built on more traditional lines.

A short walk takes the visitor to Sheffield Cathedral. As Sheffield did not have city status until 1914, this building was the parish church before that time and so was not built along the lines of cathedrals in older English cities such as Lincoln or Salisbury. That said, Sheffield Cathedral does have many features of architectural interest from the 15^th century to the 20^th. The building plays an important role in the secular life of the city, being the venue for many arts and music events.

Sheffield is a city that takes sport very seriously, boasting three Football League clubs (Sheffield Wednesday, Sheffield United and Rotherham United), a Rugby League club (Sheffield Eagles), a major ice hockey team (Sheffield Steelers) and a top flight basketball team (Sheffield Sharks). Sheffield plays host to the English Institute of Sport where many different sports events are held.

Close to the city centre is the magnificent Ponds Forge International Leisure Centre which offers a huge range of facilities of international quality, including the deepest diving pool in the UK. The Centre attracts more than 1.3 million visitors a year, either to participate or spectate.

Shoppers have plenty of choice in Sheffield, although many people get no further than the vast Meadowhall Centre with its 300 shops and easy access from the M1 motorway. City centre areas worth exploring are around Fargate (between the Town Hall and Cathedral) and Devonshire Street (a few streets further west of the centre but easily reached by tram). Castle Market (on the site of the old Sheffield Castle next to the River Don) has more than 200 stalls offering fresh produce and other goods.

Sheffield is an excellent centre for exploring the Peak District which is only a few miles from the city centre. A short bus ride will take you into wild and open countryside affording magnificent views over the city and beyond. Sheffield is not far from Chatsworth House, one of the best stately homes in England.

Needless to say, a short article cannot hope to do justice to everything that a major city such as Sheffield has to offer the visitor. The above must be regarded as a set of suggestions to whet the appetite rather than a comprehensive guide.

© John Welford