Fargate

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Fargate is a pedestrian precinct and shopping area in Sheffield, England. It runs between Barker's Pool and High Street opposite the cathedral. It was pedestrianised in 1973.

In his "A DESCRIPTION OF THE TOWN OF SHEFFIELD: the author, Joseph Woolhouse wrote in the year 1832 at the time the Cholera was raging in Sheffield", "In going up Fargate there was houses built on both sides. The Lords House stood a little on the North side of the present Norfolk Row. A very elegant old House, it was inclosed by a Wall in a half Circle and Palisaded. The present Duke of Norfolk was born in this house. This I expect is the reason why it was called the Lord's house, he being I.of the Manor".

More recently, the street was home to Sheffield Assay Office.

[edit] Coles Corner

The corner at bottom end of Fargate (opposite the cathedral) is known locally as Coles Corner. It was a famous meeting point in the city, named after Cole Brothers who occupied the building. It is now home to HSBC bank but a plaque has been erected in memory of the store. The location is immortalised by Richard Hawley's album of the same name.

[edit] Carmel House

In November 2005, the University of Sheffield´s archaeological consultancy, ARCUS, unearthed a medieval well of over three metres in depth in the sandstone bedrock beneath Carmel House on Fargate [1]. The Sheffield city centre site was being excavated as part of a redevelopment project.

Pottery found in the well, suggests that it was in use by 1300 AD, and had been filled in around the time of the English Civil War. Medieval pots included jugs made in the Hallgate area of neighbouring Doncaster and other items from the Humber Estuary.

This discovery was said to offer significant evidence relating to the medieval town of Sheffield, still a small market town, before its growth during the subsequent Industrial Revolution. Dating of the well indicates that it was probably dug around the time of the rebuilding of Sheffield Castle in stone, in 1270 and the granting of Sheffield's Market Charter by Edward I in 1296.

Due to the conditions in the well, animal bones, plant remains (possibly including microscopic pollen grains) have been preserved and will be analysed the University's Department of Archaeology laboratories.

Sheffield city centre
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