Norfolk Park what was there before?

[FATBLOBBY 10]

In the 80's I used to drink in the horse and lion and dated a girl from around there. I've just been wondering. What was on the land where the flats were and the houses before they were built. Never seen any pictures pre 1960

[ptrA 10]

It was our playground. (1945-1955) An enjoyable walk from East Bank Road all the way to the park. A bird nesters paradise, with wood's and farmers fields. Everyone respected the field's and kept to the edges where there were crops. At the top end was a pond with all sorts of wildlife, including frogs, newts and dragon-fly's. There's nothing left to replace that experience. Then came the Norfolk Pak Estate. The same happened to Rolly Wood's next to Gleadless Road,which became part of the Gleadless Valley Estate.

 

Thank's for jerking my memories.

 

[soft ayperth 11]

My experience too ptrA. Kids used to catch tadpoles and sticklebacks in that pond.

[Kidorry 189]

Can you remember the 2 white shire horses in the field at the bottom of the park?

[soft ayperth 11]

Don't remember them tbh. I do remember watching cricket games in that park. It was a beautiful park and what remains of it still is.

[rossyrooney 12]

We always knew the area attached to the park as Cherry Woods and we used to go there from the Wybourn, sometimes for the day when we were on holiday from school.

[Falls 10]

Hi,

 

As far as I can recall, Norfolk Park was originally part of the Duke of Norfolk's estate/properties in Sheffield, like the Farm Grounds.

 

It was strictly off-limits to general public but it was opened for special occasions. One such occasion was the Whit Monday sing.

 

That didn't stop local kids (including my father on one occasion) climbing over the wall but the keepers were extremely sharp and used to catch many of them.

 

Eventually, it became a city park but not sure if was a gift from the Norfolk Estate or whether it was purchased.

 

Regards

[lazarus 68]

Just at the bottom of Northern Avenue was a Pit spoil heap, not piled up like the one on Pit Lane at the Manor Top but more levelled out and the rest was just a park as the name suggests.

[hillsbro 28]

As has been mentioned, the Duke of Norfolk owned the land and at one time the area was known as the "farm grounds" (named after "The Farm" - the name given by the Duke to his hunting lodge). In the 1950s the annual "Telegraph & Star Gala" was held in the farm grounds - there is an old thread about this.

[lazarus 68]

As has been mentioned, the Duke of Norfolk owned the land and at one time the area was known as the "farm grounds" (named after "The Farm" - the name given by the Duke to his hunting lodge). In the 1950s the annual "Telegraph & Star Gala" was held in the farm grounds - there is an old thread about this.

 

The Farm Grounds were specifically the land where St Paul's School now stands.

[beechnut 10]

The Farm Grounds were specifically the land where St Paul's School now stands.

Quite right, though in common parlance the phrase "farm grounds" was used for a somewhat larger area of the duke's land. It is such a pity that The Farm was demolished - it was a lovely old building in a very nice setting. Here is a link to an old engraving: http://www.sheffieldhistory.co.uk/forums/uploads/monthly_09_2009/post-188-1253522016.jpg The "setting" of the building was in the duke's mind when the Midland Railway was built to Sheffield in 1870. The line had to be put in a tunnel on the southern approach to the staion - this was opened out some years later.

[grinder 10]

We moved into a spanking new prefab on Algar place, just below the Carlton cinema on Eastern Avenue in 1946.

Back then the land behind us was just called "The Fields" and our road and Algar Dr were at the top of "The Fields" and at the bottom was a long ash felt path that ran from Spring lane/Northern avenue down to Arbourthorne road, and all the way along side the path were iron railings that looked 8ft high but could have been six.

At the top end (Spring road ) was a narrow iron gateway as high as the railings it was one of those gates that let people through one at a time to stop any animals getting out and a path down between a smoking tip on the right and a stone wall that kept the cows in a field above a farm house on the left.

At the bottom the path did a sharp left turn along side this field to a track that ran to the farm house and across the top of Norfolk park.

Just inside the entrance to the park was a lovely cottage which we took to be the Park-keepers house and opposite this was the Pavilion/ cafe were you could buy drinks etc..

At the bottom of the ash felt path on your left hand side just before you reached the Arbouthorne road end was a shale tip and on the right behind the railings was The magic pond and the beginning of Cheery wood .....

Edited July 6, 2015 by grinder