Hi. I'm looking for information on Chapel Walk in Sheffield. Most importantly things like when was it pedestrianised? Has it always had shops on it? What was it like in Victorian times? Any info or good sites I can look at would be most gratefully received! Thanks...

Originally posted by paps
Hi. I'm looking for information on Chapel Walk in Sheffield. Most importantly things like when was it pedestrianised? Has it always had shops on it? What was it like in Victorian times? Any info or good sites I can look at would be most gratefully received! Thanks...

I suspect it's called Chapel WALK because it's always been just a walkway.

It's too narrow to ever have been a road I would have thought

Maybe you will find this site useful, lots of detail of the old city and its streets

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~engsheffield/webpages/streetnames.htm

It appears on Gosling's 1736 map as 'Tudor Alley', but on the later Fairbanks town plan of 1771 as 'Chapel Walk'.

The change in name seems to have arisen from the Lower Dissenter's Chapel at the back of M & S; - I don't know when this was built but it is also shown on the 1736 map.

I doubt it was ever used by vehicular traffic as on a more accurate 1780 town plan the entrance from Far Gate is much too narrow.

Originally posted by fox20thc
Maybe you will find this site useful, lots of detail of the old city and its streets

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~engsheffield/webpages/streetnames.htm

That web page was interesting. There used to be a place called Jew Lane, this used to run between the bank and the back of sandwich shop on Commercial Street into the Square. The “Lane” (more like a walk way really) is still there but the sign has been taken down. The website shows a reference to a “Jehu Lane”. Is this the same place?

Originally posted by stevie1957
That web page was interesting. There used to be a place called Jew Lane, this used to run between the bank and the back of sandwich shop on Commercial Street into the Square. The “Lane” (more like a walk way really) is still there but the sign has been taken down. The website shows a reference to a “Jehu Lane”. Is this the same place?

Hi Stevie, - where did you come across the reference to Jew Lane ?

It might well be a reference to Jehu Lane, but R E Leader doesn't mention a Jew Lane. Jehu Lane, after all the alterations, seems to have morphed into the lower part of Fitzalan Square with the old Market Street as the upper part.

The Whites directory for 1849 gives Chapel Walk as having 2 Hatters 1 Smith 1 Shopkeeper 1 Tailor 1 vict 1 Shoemaker,
1 Chapel keeper.

Steps led down to Norfolk St originally.

In the 1876 Whites there was a Hatter / Boot and Shoe maker/Woolen Draper/a Photographer/Stage boot maker/Shopkeeper/a Watch and Clock maker/a day school/Gasfitter/Whols Tobaconist /Auctioneer and valuer/Lithographer and Printer/ a Engraver / and a Paper and Twine manufacturer.;)

There used to be a street sign on the Bank wall saying Jew Lane. I found this on the Web.

Over 60s Club
Sheffield Vietnamese Community Association
This club organises group trips and a regular lunch club.

Jew Lane
Fitzalan Square
Sheffield
S1 2BE
t: 0114 270 1429
f: 0114 270 6515

Jew Lane looks more like a passage than a Lane. I was wondering if it was once a place where an early Jewish community started in Sheffield. I'm not Jewish myself, but I do take a keen interest on “how and why’” various peoples came to Sheffield and made it their home.