Gems of South Yorkshire
South Yorkshire has a wonderful heritage of faith buildings scattered through its villages and
townships. A considerable number are historically significant, whether for their architecture,
social heritage or environment.
Here we offer three routes, a mix suitable for cycling, driving and walking.
The first is a 15 mile route, starting in Mexbourough, taking in 5 churches, 3 of which are
grade I listed, and finishing in Sheffield City Centre.
The second is a 21 mile route finishing in Sheffield city centre, taking in 4 churches and part
of the Tour de France route, in the beautiful peak district.
The third is a simple ½ mile city centre walk, taking in Sheffield Cathedral, the Cathedral
Church of St Marie and the Upper Unitarian Chapel. This route also combines shops,
museums galleries and restaurants.
1. Hidden treasures
Click here for the route: http://bit.ly/1rb1Nyo
Mexbrough – Wentworth – Eccelsfield – Sheffield Cathedral. 15 miles – suitable for cycling or
driving.
Starting at Mexborough, in the borough of Doncaster, and travelling west to Wentworth,
before heading back into Sheffield city centre, via the suburb of Ecclesfield.
Mexborough Parish Church
Documents show that a church was on this site shortly after the Norman Conquest in 1066.
In 1350-1400 the church consisted of a tower and spire, a nave and a square-headed
chancel. When the refurbishment in 1890 started, it was evident that the church had gone
through three stages of restoration.
During the restoration of 1890, the plaster and whitewash were removed on the north aisle
to reveal the Creed, Lord’s Prayer and the Ten Commandments.
The church has a lot of treasures to explore including some ancient stones in the porch.
There is some beautiful stained glass and some stalls made by Robert ‘Mousey’ Thompson.
The font is octagonal stone and was made in the early 14th century. There are various
memorials around church.
The church will be open from 2pm – 4pm, offering refreshments to visitors on 13th
September.
Wentworth Parish Church and the ‘old’ church
The Parish church is a Victorian mini-cathedral, and has been described by architectural
historian Sir Nikolaus Pevsner as “a very fine, sensitive, and scholarly piece of Gothic revival”.
It was built on an impressive scale and it's 200 foot spire is visible for miles around. There
are a number of interesting architectural features including the impressive stone vaulting
and two large stained glass windows; the western by Kempe and the eastern by Clayton and
Bell. There is also a carved stone depicting the Last Supper which was donated by the 6th
Earl's children to commemorate the Golden Wedding anniversary of the Earl and his wife,
Lady Frances Harriet.
The church will be open on 13th September, but there are weddings taking place at 12
o’clock and 3 o’clock.
The old Holy Trinity church, partly in ruins, is in the care of The Churches Conservation Trust.
This atmospheric building started life as a church in the 15 th century, but was converted to a
mausoleum in 1877 after the new church was commissioned. Today, only the chancel and
north chapel remain intact. In the chancel, brass and stone memorials and alabaster effigies
from the 16th and 17th centuries trace the powerful Wentworth family. These include one to
the Earl of Stafford, a supporter of the Crown who was beheaded on Tower hill just before
the Civil War, and Charles Watson-Wentworth, the 2nd Marquis of Rockingham, who helped
to negotiate an end to the American War of Independence.
Members of the new church have kindly agreed to keep the old church open on 13 th
September.
St Mary’s, Ecclesfield
The earliest mention of a church on this site is in 1411 and traces of the Norman church still
exist in the interior of the present building. The oldest parts of the grade I listed church are
the pillars in the nave and the half-pillars that take the arches into the western wall. The
north aisle pillars are circular and the south aisle ones are octagonal. Such variations are
common in Medieval Churches and Pevsner, the historian, thinks they were first built around
1200 and were reworked later. The early 14th century church had a similar plan to the
present one with nave, aisles, crossing and tower, transepts and chapels. The central tower
symbolised its size and importance. Known as the ‘Minster of the Moors’ in the 17th Century,
due to its then rural location, Horatio Nelson’s personal chaplain, Alexander John Scott, is
buried in the Churchyard.
The church will be open from 11am – 3pm, and will be serving refreshments.
The Cathedral Church of St Peter and St Paul, Sheffield
There has been a church on the site of the current Sheffield Cathedral for over 1000 years.
Through the ten centuries, the building has changed and rebuilt, and is now like a puzzle,
with its history hidden in its stones. The east end of the current church is the oldest. In the
east wall of the sanctuary there are stones dating from the 13 th century church. Dating from
the 15th century are the sanctuary and chancel. The 15th century cruciform church also
included lofts and a rood chapel but these were ordered to be removed by Queen Elizabeth,
their scars can be seen on the walls today.
The cathedral will be open from 11am to 4pm, with a huge range of living history events
including costumed characters and lots of displays and hands-on activities reflecting the
history of the church over 900 years.
2. Charming churches
Click here for the route: http://bit.ly/1lUKgtY
21 miles – suitable for cycling or driving
Starting at The Bullhouse Chapel nr Penistone, travelling past St Nicholas Church in Bradfield,
travelling to St Mary’s Church in Eccelsfield and finishing at Sheffield Cathedral.
Bullhouse Chapel, Penistone
The chapel was registered as a place of worship for Dissenting Protestants in 1692 at
Pontefract Assizes and has had a continuous history of independent worship to this day. Its
beauty lies in its simplicity. The pulpit is the focal point and is believed to be the original. This
church has been funded by the YHCT.
Upon arrival, if the church is not open, call 01226 766907 and Hilda Howard will give you the
code to open to key safe.
St Nicholas, Bradfield
A beautiful 15th century church set in Sheffield's Peak District, with many interesting
features. In ‘England's Thousand Best Churches’, Simon Jenkins writes that, from the church,
‘the view is glorious, enjoyed by the weather beaten gargoyles peering from under toppling
pinnacles”.
The church retains features from the original stone church (dating from 1109), and houses a
carved Anglo-Saxon cross believed to date from the ninth century. The original church was
largely rebuilt in the 1480s in the Perpendicular style, using some of the original masonry.
This church has been funded by the YHCT.
Unfortunately, the church is being used on Saturday 13 th September, but it is worth a visit to
look at the outside and the ground, and forms part of a very scenic route in the Peak District.
St Mary’s Ecclesfield
The earliest mention of a church on this site is in 1411 and traces of the Norman church still
exist in the interior of the present building. The oldest parts o the church are the pillars in
the nave and the half-pillars that take the arches into the western wall. The north aisle pillars
are circular and the south aisle ones are octagonal. Such variations are common in Medieval
Churches and Pevsner, the historian, thinks they were first built around 1200 and were
reworked later. The early 14th century church had a similar plan to the present one with
nave, aisles, crossing and tower, transepts and chapels. The central tower symbolised its size
and importance.
Known as the ‘Minster of the Moors’ in the 17th Century, due to its then rural location,
Horatio Nelson’s personal chaplain, Alexander John Scott, is buried in the Churchyard.
The church will be open from 11am – 3pm, and will be serving refreshments.
The Cathedral Church of St Peter and St Paul, Sheffield
There has been a church on the site of the current Sheffield Cathedral for over 1000 years.
Through the ten centuries, the building has changed and rebuilt, and is now like a puzzle,
with its history hidden in its stones. The east end of the current church is the oldest. In the
east wall of the sanctuary there are stones dating from the 13th century church. Dating from
the 15th century are the sanctuary and chancel. The 15th century cruciform church also
included lofts and a rood chapel but these were ordered to be removed by Queen Elizabeth,
their scars can be seen on the walls today.
The cathedral will be open from 11am to 4pm, with a huge range of living history events
including costumed characters and lots of displays and hands-on activities reflecting the
history of the church over 900 years.
3. Sheffield City Centre walk
Click here for the route : http://bit.ly/1rb388F
The Cathedral Church of St Peter and St Paul
There has been a church on the site of the current Sheffield Cathedral for over 1000 years.
Through the ten centuries, the building has changed and rebuilt, and is now like a puzzle,
with its history hidden in its stones. The east end of the current church is the oldest. In the
east wall of the sanctuary there are stones dating from the 13 th century church. Dating from
the 15th century are the sanctuary and chancel.
The cathedral will be open from 11am to 4pm, with a huge range of living history events
including costumed characters and lots of displays and hands-on activities reflecting the
history of the church over 900 years.
The Cathedral Church of St Marie
This is the Roman Catholic cathedral in Sheffield lies in a slightly hidden location, just off the
main shopping street in the city, but signals its presence with a tall spire. A grade II listed
building, it is an especially fine example of an English Roman Catholic Church, with much fine
interior decoration. There are several particularly notable side altars, as well as statues and
painted tiles.
The Cathedral will be open from 8am – 7pm. There will however be a few services that day,
from 10am – 11am, 12 noon -1pm and 5.30pm – 6.30pm, so visitors would need to be
sensitive when visiting during these times.
Upper Chapel
This is a Unitarian Chapel and grade II listed building. The Chapel is linked to Channing Hall,
which faces on to Surrey Street. Designed by Flockton and Gibbs and completed in 1882, the
hall is of Italianate design and is named for William Henry Channing, who served at the
Chapel in 1875.
The chapel will be open to visitors all day on 13th September.