Silkstone

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Silkstone
Silkstone shown within South Yorkshire
Population	2,954 (2001 Census)[1]
OS grid reference	SE289058
Metropolitan borough	Barnsley
Metropolitan county	South Yorkshire
Region	Yorkshire and the Humber
Constituent country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Police	South Yorkshire
Fire	South Yorkshire
Ambulance	Yorkshire
European Parliament	Yorkshire and the Humber
UK Parliament	Barnsley West and Penistone
Website: http://www.silkstone.org/
List of places: UK • England • Yorkshire

Coordinates: 53°32′56″N 1°33′48″W / 53.5489, -1.5634

Silkstone is village in South Yorkshire, England, situated in the foothills of the Pennines, between the towns of Barnsley and Penistone. The civil parish of Silkstone also includes the village of Silkstone Common.

Silkstone is twinned with Saint-Florent-des-Bois in France.

Contents 1 History 2 Sport 3 Culture and attractions 4 References

[edit] History

The earliest known written record of Silkstone is the Domesday Book of 1086, when Silkstone is referred to as a part of the manor of Cawthorne:

In Calthorne (Cawthorne) Ailric had three carucates of land to be taxed and there may be two ploughs there. The same now has it of Ilbert; himself two ploughs there, and four villanes with two ploughs. There is a priest and a church, wood pasture two miles long and two broad; the whole manor three miles long and two broad. Value in King Edward’s time forty shillings, now twenty shillings. To this manor belongs Silchestone (Silkstone), one carucate and a half.

The church mentioned may be a predecessor of the current Church of All Saints, the parish church in Silkstone^[2]. Silkstone parish originally included Cawthorne, West Bretton, Cumberland, Barnsley, Dodworth, Stainborough, Thurgoland, and Hoyland Swein.

The Silkstone coal seam is at its shallowest in the Silkstone area, and mining was an important local industry. In 1809 a waggonway was built through the village by the Barnsley Canal Navigation Company^[3]. The waggonway was used to transport coal from collieries in the Silkstone valley to Cawthorne. A memorial commemorating the waggonway stands in the village.^[4]

[edit] Sport

The village has sporting facilities, in the shape of the Pavillion. It is host to both a football and cricket team, with both sports being played at junior and senior levels. Silkstone is frequented by ramblers as many walking routes start from the village.

[edit] Culture and attractions

The Church of All Saints was constructed in the 12th century (with alterations/renovations in the 15th and 19th centuries), it is a Grade I listed building.^[5] The Grade II listed Noblethorpe Hall near the village was built in the early 19th century for the Clarke family (local colliery owners).^[6] During World War II it was used as an army camp.^{[citation needed]} Pot House Hamlet is located below Silkstone Church and was the site of a 17th century pottery and 18th century glassworks.^{[citation needed]} English Heritage have deemed this an underground national ancient monument.^[7]

One of the village's famous sons was John Charles Brooke, Esq, FSA (1748 - 1794) who became Somerset Herald in 1777. He was crushed to death in a crowd at the Haymarket Theatre in London on 3 February 1794.

The Wagonway runs through Silkstone and also as far as its neighbouring village Cawthorne, it was used as a route for the transportation of coal from the nearby mines. The sleeper stones were originally laid in the early 19th century when coal mining was booming, and was used throughout until the 20th century. The stones can still be seen dotted around the route.

Today, the Wagonway is a scenic route ideal for country walks, it is preserved as a historic route and is part of the village's history.

[edit] References