New list highlights Rotherham’s heritage

Local heritage lists identify locally valued heritage assets, nominated mainly by members of the public and local interest groups. The lists includes heritage assets that are not nationally designated (for example, not listed buildings or scheduled monuments) but have local value and/or heritage interest.

South Yorkshire was one of the areas selected by the Department of Levelling Up, Housing & Communities (DLUHC) to deliver a joint working project to develop a South Yorkshire Local Heritage List, with the South Yorkshire Archaeology Service leading the project and local authorities working up final lists.

Now Rotherham Council has approved its final list, adding 76 heritage assets and those already identified through Neighbourhood plans.

The heritage significance of buildings or structures on the list will be a material consideration when Rotherham Council determines planning applications.

A Council report adds: “Such assets can then be better considered in the planning process when new development is proposed. Local listing provides no additional planning controls, however it will assist the Council to comply with national planning policy provisions regarding both archaeology and the historic built environment, including a requirement to ensure the use of up-to-date evidence, thereby protecting sites of value.”

The report adds that some owners were initially concerned that inclusion on the list may severely constrain what they can do with their properties, however the council says that these concerns have been allayed.

There is also the future potential for protecting the assets further, for example, to prevent their demolition.

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Rotherham town centre has many listed buildings and its own conservation area. The new local list highlights the heritage of the town centre even further. Entrants to the list include The Civic Theatre, the former Temperance Hall and the Masonic Hall (both on Wellgate), Essoldo Chambers at the top of the High Street, the former Sheffield Union Bank on College Street, the Howard Building, the former Co-Op Building, The Old Post Office on Main Street, and pubs, the Wellington Inn, Cross Keys and Alma Tavern.

Industrial assets making the list include a two storey stone built former steel works on Masbrough Street, now a scrap yard, known as Cupola Works. The former Maltings building on the same street, now commercial units, formerly operated by Whitworth, Son & Nephew Ltd, is also on the list.

The only surviving building of the Don Pottery is also listed. Now used as a workshop, it is located by the Sheffield & South Yorkshire navigation in Swinton.

The Magna Science Adventure Centre makes the list. Formerly known as Steel Peech and Tozer’s Templeborough Melting Shop, the first cast of steel was tapped on July 12 1917 and when completed it was the largest melting shop of its type in Europe. After closing down, the building was converted as part of a £47m Millennium Commission project. In addition, Brinsworth Strip Mills is also listed. Built in 1956 on the opposite side of the road, the new mills were built to replace an outdated Morgan Mill.

Added to the list are the buildings that make up the Effingham Works on Thames Street that was built in 1855 for stove grate manufacturers, Yates and Haywood, in front and around their original building. It was reputed at the time it was built to be the largest factory of its kind in the world.

Also included is the Bailey Bridge over the River Don at Eastwood, a tribute to the designer of the structure that played a key role in shortening World War II – Rotherham-born engineer Sir Donald Bailey.

South Yorkshire Local Heritage List website

Images: Google Maps / Magna