Hi all

Does anyone know what that strange pool like construction is on the open moor bit in wharncliffe forest? Its on the part of open ground below a farm on the grenoside side of the forest. You have to climb a stile over a wall to get to it, there are some crags and further over the cross country course. Been up there a few times and always wondered what it was! It looks very old.

Any Info?

Can you describe the position on this map. (http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y28/cgksheff/Sheffield%20Forum/782003bd.png)

Spent most of my life wandering around that area but I don't know where you mean ? :confused:

Dont recognise it on the map its more towards the grenoside end of the forest. I will have a look at a bigger map of the area and try to describe it better!

Alex xx

Maybe on this one? (http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y28/cgksheff/Sheffield%20Forum/daf26cab.png)

"The Hollow" is now in the middle of this one.

Had a look at a bigger map and it is on the one you showed me cgksheff its around the area marked The Hollow. the name may have a relation to the the pool thingy.

your not on about the fire pond near the style are you, just as you leave the woods on to the moorland?

No its a big stone rectangle thing up near the farm, with several stone posts on one side of it. It looks as though water ran into it from this side with another stone channel running along side of it.

The next time you go up there climb over the wall and walk up towards the farm on your left. Its quite overgrown with a stream running through it leading down eventually to the fire pond. Best bet is follow the stream up untill you find it.

Alex xx

I think I know where you mean but never really took any notice of it, I will have to take a walk up there with the dog and have a look. Beware going up at this time off year as its very boggy up there.:thumbsup: :)

Well, that gave me a good excuse to take the dog for a nice walk. I think I found the pond, I would tend to use the word "tank" to describe it..

I have annotated a new (zoomed in) map here. (http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y28/cgksheff/Sheffield%20Forum/grenosidemap3.jpg)

The tank is actually marked on the Explorer Map. It has been a substantial construction in its time.
The stone posts to the side of the tank have grooves in to have boards inserted and the water would rise to the top of these boards. I think that the design is to allow the boards to be removed at times of flood in order to lower the level and avoid the dam being breached. The dam is now breached by the stream but I think it would have been designed to be intact.

Removing the boards would allow the water to run off into the stone lined overspill gully which takes the runoff around the dam and to rejoin the stream below. The overspill is stone lined to prevent erosion which would eventually breach the tank.

What was it for?
My feeling is that it is too substantial to be a "fire pond". I am more inclined to think that it was built to provide a water source for the nearby farm(s). One of the springs further up is currently being pumped from (I guess to "The Hollow").

I have indicated the tank on the map and I have also indicated two stiles. I think alex3horse was referring to "Stile B" in the original post. It comes off the TransPennine Trail and is right next to the tank.
Stile A is next to a fire pond inside the wood and I think is the one that Bikertec referred to.

Interesting, always wondered what it was, makes sense that it could have been a small reservoir. You seem to be very knowlegable about this sort of thing! Glad you took the time to go up there and check it out.