Rotherham is one of those somewhat overlooked South Yorkshire towns, which has loads to offer but tends to live in the shadow of its bigger brethren. Well, that’s about to change as we intend to spend the next five minutes or so telling you why Rotherham is great.
So, pique our interest we hear you say. Well, its main football team will always have a place in history for appearing in the first-ever League Cup Final back in 1961. Not enough well its been around since the iron age has a tradition in mining and glass making and is twinned with the Transylvanian town of Cluj-Napoca near Draculas castle. How cool is that!
Image: Rotherham Town centre/Shutterstock.com
Anyway, here at Five Minutes Spare we want to encourage more people to opt for Yorkshire in their staycations. So here’s the history of Rotherham, the top tips on what to see and do there, and all the best places to party, in one handy package. Ready for the tour? Great let’s go!
The Early Days of Rotherham
The earliest known records of Rotherham come from the Romans, who invaded England in roughly 40 AD and stayed until the 400s. Interestingly enough, the remains of a Roman granary can be found outside the town and is run by Historic England. The Romans built Rother fort in the 2nd century, allowing for a small number of houses to spring up around the safety of said fort. Over time the Romans retreated, but the people and the small village would have stayed on.
A few hundred years later, Rother-ham was so named for being a hamlet on the river rother. The Saxons who then inhabited it established a market which would have seen traders come from all over the county to trade in things like leather and wool. The town was a large parish, which would flourish until around 1066… when the Normans came.
The Doomsday Book
The Normans didn’t do anything to it, they just moved in and took over. The town was previously in the possession of a Saxon lord named Hakon but was given to William the Conqueror’s half-brother along with copious other amounts of land. Robert de Mortain, the half-brother, spent little time in England, let alone in his house at Rotherham… The Domesday Survey, ordered in 1086 by William in order to categorise his winnings, detailed a working mill on-site, as well as plough teams and fields to work. The town was quite rich by then, with its own priest and 3 smallholdings… 8 villagers were recorded, which would have earned around 4 pounds a year to their master. Oh, how times have changed.
Rotherham became a leading town for education throughout the British Isles in the 13th century. The descendants of the former owner of the town decided to give their Rotherham wealth to Rufford Abbey. The church grew powerful and started to tax the villagers. It was home to a few hundred villagers by then, and a boy’s school finally opened in 1483. The school closed again less than a hundred years later – but it worked to plant the seed that education should be available to all. A chapel was built in that same year, with weekly markets being the source of most profitable trade.
The Rise of The Guilds
In the same time period, the people of the town formed an organisation out of the three main guilds. They named themselves the “Greaves of our Lady’s Light” and they are still in operation 700 years later. The college brought wealth to the town and the church thrived… right up until the English Civil War. In 1642 the town was captured by Royalists. It stayed captured for a whole year, and when the war was over, the king punished the people by stripping the wealth from the church and adding it to his own estates. The college was dissolved, the people chastised, and the town started to slump.
This is a nice stopping point for now. The Industrial Revolution came through in the early 19th century and swept aside all that had gone before… but we’ll get to that part in a minute.
Fun Facts About Rotherham!
We take our towns seriously, here at Five Minutes Spare. Nevertheless, we often find fun hidden or forgotten facts out about said towns, during the course of our research. Join in, enjoy the entertainment, and learn what makes Rotherham such a stand-up destination.
- They say Rotherham and Sheffield have a bit of a beef with each other, but Sheffield high street is only 5 miles away!
- Rotherham United played their games in Sheffield once upon a time… presumably before they hated one another?
- The whole of Yorkshire suffers in the wet season. The hills where all the rivers start is known for dreary weather. It doesn’t seem to deter the people from smiling, though!
- Nasty football nicknames exist in England, so that teams can slag each other off. The Rotherham FC are called Toytown by those that hate them. They are lifelong nemeses of Sheffield Wednesday.
There is a lot going on in Rotherham – and a lot going on in the history. We left off at the 17th century there but let’s fast forward to the 19th. From the 16th onwards the town was recovering from the stripping of the church’s wealth. Added to this, they had fallen into disrepute with the crown. In those days, that was hard to come back from. They played it cool for a couple of hundred years then sidled back into history with the arrival of the railway circa 1840.
Industrial Rotherham History
in 1801 the population was reportedly 6,000 people. They got water in 1827, piped and fresh, in 1833 gas lamps went up and men were employed to light them. The northern railway showed up in 1838, employing thousands of navvies who dug the whole thing out by hand. Likely while they were there, they discovered the iron deposits left behind by the Romans that later made the area so productive.
Iron and coal from Yorkshire fuelled the Industrial Revolution and brought prosperity to the area. Foundries were set up to process it. Supplies could easily be shipped up or down river. During this time, a family named the Walkers took over several iron processing plants to build themselves an empire. They made cannon in Rotherham, not to mention all the nuts and bolts, metal sheeting and machinery that the world relied on at the time. They were also well known for building bridges and for producing many of the parts used to build the HMS Victory.
In 1871 they were given a mayor with a hospital arriving the following year. After that a series of parks were opened, because Queen Victoria believed in public access to green spaces. Glassmaking began to pickup again, having been established in the town since 1751.
20th Century Rotherham
The parks were followed by the first Rotherham museum, a library, and by 1903 they had trams. The population one hundred years on from the last time, was now 61,000 people. The railway increased the population by 700%, and steel production from locally mined iron and coal became the normal output. In the 1920s council houses were added to clear out the slum living caused by the rapid expansion the previous century. By the 60s Rotherham had its own cinema and other luxuries… but that’s not the end of the story.
Rotherham has suffered many times throughout the years. In WWI the young men from this town participated in the ‘pals’ regiment scheme, which saw whole groups of young men from the same area killed in action. The regiments sent were made up of volunteer regiments, among others. The war memorial on Clifton Lane remembers 1304 young men from Rotherham. Keep in mind that this is not a full accounting.
WWII saw Sheffield bombed badly in the air raids. Residents in Rotherham frequently had to spend an evening in the air-raid shelter. There are accounts online of one evening late in 1944, when a string of bombs was dropped. The local park had housed some marquees and the Germans mistakenly thought it was a camp. They took out a few houses and the high school. Again, the young men were called up and again, large numbers of them didn’t return home.
Post-war Rotherham
While many features were being added to the town in the late 20th century, it still wasn’t the richest of places. By the early 2000’s the recession was on its way and people were down on their luck already – and then the flooding came. Whole buildings were filled with water, their interiors destroyed. Cars were washed away and, worst of all, the dam to the local reservoir threatened to burst. Residents of Rotherham were forced to evacuate in an incident that made international headlines. The dam was later treated via helicopter, repaired, and declared safe. It was a terrifying time for many inhabitants.
Apart from the near drownings, the bombings and the men sent off to die in faraway lands, Rotherham has some wholesome history to it. It’s home to strong-willed steel workers, whose ancestors were miners and who were born with fire in the heart. The result is a perfect Yorkshire destination where everyone is made to feel immediately at home.
Unless you’re from Sheffield, of course, but at least now you’ve been warned!
Famous People from Rotherham
Just as Rotherham has interesting and fun facts about it, it has also produced a wealth of famous people. We had a scroll through the best of them and tried to pick out the one that you either knew, or that you might find interesting. Here are some of the top famous folk from Rotherham:
- Loads of footballers… Gordon Banks, David Artell, Frank Brown, Laurie Millsom, Ernie Stevenson, Alf Lee… the list goes on.
- William Hague, the former leader of the Tories.
- The comedian Sandy Powell was born in Rotherham.
- Jack Shepherd, off Corrie, is from here.
- And a fair number of cricketers, cyclists, and racing drivers.
Rotherham seems to have the facilities to produce countless famous people who are all known for skilled actions, rather than just being famous for being rich. You can view a fuller list over on Wikipedia, or you can just trust us when we say that Rotherham is full of celebs… it’s just that most of them are sports heroes so you may not know who they are.
The Best Bits – Rotherham Attractions
And now we come to the part we have all been excited about. If you were to visit this town and stay in Rotherham for a fortnights’ holiday, what attractions should be at the top of your list? Here is our guide to the best bits of Rotherham so you always have something to do. Feel free to report back via our Forum if you have anything to add to the list.
Historic Sights and Landmarks
One of the top sights in the area is the Wentworth Woodhouse estate. National Trust members get half off on all products in the gift and tea shop and they give carers free access to all tours and events. They have a dog-friendly section, and a worldly stately home for you to absorb. Have an afternoon perusing the beautiful gardens or visit at Christmas time for a magical day out. This impressive house was built in 1735 and has its own lake set on 85 acres… there’s plenty to explore. As an added bonus the surrounding village and countryside is stunning, plus it is only a hop an a skip from Wentworth Village over to Boston Castle. This 18th century castle was built for the Earl of Effingdon, who was a strong opponent of the British during the Boston Tea Party. Proof that sooner or later, it all comes down to tea.
Clifton Park
Next up on the list of historic sights and landmarks is a two-for-one. Clifton Park has its own museum attached, so while the park is a brilliant place to spend a sunny day admiring sculptures, the museum has its own delights. They have a detailed history of the town, run regular events, and have their own tearoom. We do love a good tearoom in England. To add to the day out, there are rides and games to be found within the park. You can bring the kids here for something to do in Rotherham and they will have a ball.
We already mentioned some of the landmarks in the history section and most of these are run by English Heritage. They also run a third local landmark, known as Roche Abbey. These ruins date back to the 12th century and it would have been a Cistercian monastery of gothic architecture. Although mostly ruined, it is still standing, and you can go and visit. The surrounding landscape was carefully planned out to be leisurely. The whole area just oozes pleasantry.
Galleries and Museums
It might not strictly be a museum, but you should take some time to stroll through Wentworth Village. This picturesque place will amaze you with its quaintness. It is as ancient as Roche Abbey and, funnily enough, it would have sprung up around the monks’ settlement and the Woodhouse estate. The village has its own antiques place, garden centres and as many teashops with as many scones as you can stomach.
It wouldn’t be a fair evaluation of Rotherham attractions if we didn’t cover the Magna Science Centre while we were here. This place gives science a breath of life and then aims it at children. It’s like a Eureka centre but it isn’t quite the same size. It is definitely one of the best sights to see in Rotherham if you are trying to keep little ones entertained on a holiday. It’s not simply great fun either, they are learning. It’s like a science museum that doesn’t make them go to sleep.
Last in the list of museums is the South Yorkshire Transport Museum which is a little old school – but that the kiddies love.
If you are a lover of fine art, then the town has not forgotten you. There is the Lumiere Gallery, the Old Market Gallery, and the Coterie Art Gallery and Studio. All of them are in the centre of town and all will provide what you need.
Outdoor and Recreational Attractions
Rotherham residents are not strangers to the great outdoors. Aston Springs Working open farm is a great afternoon out. There are animals to pet, farm practises to learn about, and all sorts of fun to be had making new friends within their doors. Follow the farm trail and even stop by for dinner in their on-site restaurant.
If you don’t want to spend any money but still want to enjoy nature, head to one of the country parks in the area. Nearby Thrybergh country park has its own lake and designated camping area, while Rother Valley Country Park lets you peruse the river, hike, picnic, or go on a nature trail.
Sports and Teams
There are a few teams out of Rotherham, but the most recognisable is Rotherham United. They used to play at the Millmoor grounds but now you can visit them at their new home stadium, the AESSEAL New York Stadium. There is a keen rugby following for the Titans in Rotherham, and you can play golf at Rotherham Golf Club, a historic site in its own right.
Where to Shop in Rotherham?
You have plenty of options, but some of the best shops can be found in the Foundry Retail Park, at Meadowhall shopping centre, or at Parkgate Shopping Park.
Other Notable Rotherham Attractions
Obviously, Rotherham is chockfull of attractions and obviously we could never fit them all in to one document… but we do try. To that end, we have added a few extras we didn’t have time to go into detail about, below. Some other notable attractions in Rotherham include:
- Pop over to Wentworth Garden Centre while you are out at the village. Guess what? They have a teashop.
- The Hoober Stand is a well known landmark in the area. It’s only £2.50 to go inside and the views from the top are spectacular. It makes for a lovely hiking route, too.
- Rotherham Minster church’s spire can be seen from most of the city. It is a great place for photo opportunities.
- Send the kids to the Camelot Play Castle for the afternoon while you wait in their coffee shop.
No matter what age you are or what your interests may be, Rotherham has an attraction with your name written on it. Sometimes literally.
Where to Eat, Drink and/or Party in Rotherham?
Rotherham is a Yorkshire city which means there are three hundred chippies (That’s a guess). If you fancy being posh for a night, there’s a Goodfellas restaurant for some scrummy Italian food. If that’s not your bag, try the gourmet pub grub over at the Riverside Restaurant. For the best cocktails in town the internet has The Hind and Pulse & Cocktails only one point apart from one another, but you might prefer Snafu if you like a bit of a dance. The choice in nightlife is all yours in Rotherham.
How to Get There
And now you know all that we know about Rotherham, excepting how you wind up there in the first place. Here are some directions, to make your life a little bit easier.
By Road
It’s so simple… head north or south either up or down the M1, and you will eventually hit Rotherham.
By Rail
Aim for Rotherham central train station if you are travelling on the tracks, it is the one in the middle of town.
By Air
Your nearest airport is Leeds Bradford International.
By Sea
Not possible, but the River Rother does come through and you are almost on the River Don.
Still Planning Your Next Staycation?
If Rotherham isn’t hitting the right notes for your summer/autumn/winter/spring holiday, don’t be dismayed. At Five Minutes Spare we constantly detail tourist destinations from home stays all the way to the Tropics. Drop us a follow on Instagram or Facebook for more fun five minute reads. Escapism is only ever a few clicks away.
