Meersbrook

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Meersbrook
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Meersbrook
Location within South Yorkshire
Metropolitan borough
Metropolitan county
Region
Country England
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town SHEFFIELD
Postcode district S8
Dialling code 0114
Police South Yorkshire
Fire South Yorkshire
Ambulance Yorkshire
UK Parliament
List of places
UK
England
Yorkshire
53°21′11″N1°28′12″W / 53.353°N 1.470°W / 53.353; -1.470

Meersbrook (grid reference SK354841 ) is a suburban district in the south-west of Sheffield, England bordered by Nether Edge to the west, Norton Lees to the south, Heeley to the north and the Meersbrook allotment site (the largest allotment site in Europe [1] ) to the east. Until 1950 it was part of the Sheffield Ecclesall constituency and now forms part of the Sheffield Heeley constituency. The district falls within the Gleadless Valley ward of the city. The name comes from the stream, the Meers Brook, a tributary of the River Sheaf which means 'boundary brook' and in ancient times this, along with the River Sheaf formed the boundary between the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of Northumbria and Mercia. It remained as the boundary between Yorkshire and Derbyshire into the 20th century. Meersbrook itself was once several small communities which have given many roads their names; Rush Dale, Carfield & Cliffe Field and in 1857 was known as Mears Brook.

Contents

Due to its proximity to the city centre and a thriving independent cafe, bar and restaurant culture, Meersbrook has been called 'a magnet for young professionals'. [2] Based on 2021 census data, Meersbrook is the thirteenth least deprived of the hundred neighbourhoods in Sheffield in relation to employment, education levels, health and housing. [3] [4]

History

Meersbrook is an attractive collection of calm, tree-lined streets sought after by families, with a variety of housing, from large villas to apartments and terraced houses.[ fact or opinion? ] The vast majority of houses are privately owned or rented and there is very little social housing in the area.[ citation needed ] The neighbourhood is based around the eponymous park which offers a cross-sectional view of the city.

In 1868 housing was being built in Heeley on Shirebrook Road and away from Chesterfield Road towards Sheffield and the now Midland Main Line railway line. A hamlet was also growing along Derbyshire Lane and down near Smith Wood. In 1873 the land adjacent to the Meers Brook was divided between future roads and allotments with the formation of the Meersbrook Land Society. The rules for building were strict, including rules concerning the size of the allotment, the quantity of stone and all houses had to front towards the roads. No building was allowed beyond the building line and this ensured that all houses had front gardens. The rules also forbid corner shops and pubs on the south side of what was then known as the border. From 1900 gas lamps were set up. Argyle Road was built in 1902 as well as a cut through towards Upper Albert Road. In the 1930s Laver's developed the upper side of Meersbrook (behind the Coop and Post Office) using names deriving from Holly, Thorpe and House, much to the confusion of its inhabitants.

Meersbrook Park Meersbrook park pan.jpg
Meersbrook Park

As well as being a largely residential and previously agricultural area, Meersbrook was also fairly industrialised. Indeed, W May ltd Dyers & cleaners were established on London Road South and Chesterfield Road and Joseph Tyzack & Son ltd (see photo). Meersbrook Works is still in use today as an enterprise centre. Tyzack built Meersbrook Works in 1876, the Tyzack logo can be seen underneath the roof top. Meersbrook Tannery (see photo) is an imposing building now divided and used by several restaurants. The back side of the building is now divided in flats called Arthington Flats.

In late 2005 the Hoyland Fox factory and the chimney was demolished, and flats were built in its stead.

Meersbrook Park and Meersbrook House

Meersbrook House Meersbrook House.jpg
Meersbrook House

A large part of the Meersbrook area is taken up by Meersbrook Park. This park, set on a steep hillside, offers a stunning panoramic view over central Sheffield to the north. The view from this vantage point was painted by J. M. W. Turner in the 1790s. [5] Within the park are two historic buildings: Bishops' House (c.1500) is one of the oldest buildings in Sheffield and is open as a museum, and Meersbrook House. The latter was built in 1759/60, with the details of construction shown in surveyor Fairbank's Field Books (Sheffield Archives FC FB 15–19). Benjamin Roebuck, the first owner, was a Sheffield merchant and later a partner in the town's first bank, Parker, Roebuck & Shore (1770). The property included walled kitchen garden and house's estate extended to Meers Brook. The house was the home of the Ruskin Museum until 1950. John Ruskin originally set up his museum as the Museum of St. George in 1871 at a small cottage in Walkley, but it was renamed and moved to Meersbrook House in 1890. The Ruskin collection can still be seen in Sheffield's Millennium Galleries. Although the area was still in Derbyshire the councillors in Sheffield were already looking over the border for amenity facilities for their citizens. In January 1885 the Corporation of Sheffield bought both the house and the land as a public park or pleasure ground; the house is now a Grade II listed building.

The park contains a number of amenities, such as two bowling greens, an extensive children's play area, a cricket wicket, tennis courts, basketball hoops, a skateboard bowl and a mix of undulating open spaces and woodland. It also contains a community-run walled garden which hosts a number of events throughout the year such as plant and herb sales, charity fundraisers and apple-juicing days. There is also a small museum of gardening tools housed within the walled garden.

Schools

There are three well regarded primary schools that serve the local community: Meersbrook Bank Primary School, Carfield Primary School and Mundella Primary School. All three received overall "Good" ratings in their latest Ofsted inspections. [6] [7] [8] All three also exceeded national expectations in the 2014 national assessments taken by pupils at the end of Key Stage Two, with Meersbrook Bank Primary School receiving some of the best results in the city (97% of pupils achieved Level 4 or above in Reading, Writing and Maths). [9] In 2012, 2013 and 2014, 74% of GCSE students in Meersbrook achieved 5 or more A*-C grades including English and Maths, compared to a national average of 53.8% and a Sheffield average of 54%.

Buildings of interest

St Paul's Church St Paul's Church (Meersbrook) 09-02-06.jpg
St Paul's Church

Photos

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">River Sheaf</span> River in South Yorkshire, England

The River Sheaf in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, flows northwards, past Dore, through Abbeydale and north of Heeley. It then passes into a culvert, through which it flows under the centre of Sheffield before joining the River Don. This lower section of the River Sheaf, together with the River Don between the Blonk Street and Lady's Bridges, formed two sides of the boundary of Sheffield Castle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hathersage</span> Village in Derbyshire, England

Hathersage is a village and civil parish in the Peak District in Derbyshire, England. It lies slightly to the north of the River Derwent, approximately 10 miles (16.1 km) south-west of Sheffield.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bishops' House</span>

Bishops' House is a half-timbered house in the Norton Lees district of the City of Sheffield, England. It was built c. 1500 and is located on the southern tip of Meersbrook Park. It is one of the three surviving timber-framed houses in the city.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beauchief and Greenhill</span> Electoral ward in the City of Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England

Heeley is a former cluster of Derbyshire villages. Which all now form a suburb in the south of the City of Sheffield, England. The village has existed at least since 1343, its name deriving from Heah Leah, High Lea then Hely, meaning a high, woodland clearing. Originally Heeley was divided into three: Upper Heeley was around the intersection of Myrtle Road and Heeley Green, Middle Heeley was on the Gleadless Road at Well Road, and Lower Heeley was on the London Road around Artisan View. At the 2011 Census the village formed part of the Gleadless Valley ward of the City of Sheffield.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gleadless Valley (ward)</span> Electoral ward in the City of Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Graves Park (ward)</span> Electoral ward in the City of Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England

Woodseats is a district of Sheffield, South Yorkshire in the Graves Park ward. Historically, Norton Woodseats was a village that straddled Derbyshire Lane running from Four Lane Ends to Bolehill, originally in Derbyshire but since 1901, part of the City of Sheffield.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Birley</span> Electoral ward in the City of Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England

<span class="mw-page-title-main">London Road (Sheffield)</span>

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chesterfield Road (Sheffield)</span>

Chesterfield Road is a shopping street in Sheffield, England. It leads south from the suburb of Meersbrook to Woodseats, before becoming Meadowhead at the Abbey Lane junction, next to the Abbey pub. The road starts at Toll Bar bridge on the Meers Brook, the former boundary between Yorkshire and Derbyshire. There the road changes name from London Road to Chesterfield Road.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Meers Brook</span> Stream in Sheffield, England

The Meers Brook is a stream in Sheffield, England and one of the main tributaries of the River Sheaf. The Meers Brook originates in Gleadless and flows downhill through Gleadless Valley and Meersbrook then, culverted, continues underneath Heeley to pour into the River Sheaf near Saxon Road and Clyde Road in Lowfield.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heeley railway station</span> Disused railway station in South Yorkshire, England

Heeley railway station was a railway station in Sheffield, England. The station served the communities of Heeley, Meersbrook and Lowfield and was situated on the Midland Main Line near London Road on Heeley Bridge, lying between Sheffield Midland station and Millhouses railway station.

Norton Lees is a residential suburb in the Graves Park ward of the City of Sheffield, England located to the east of Woodseats.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Meersbrook Park</span>

Meersbrook Park is set on a steep hillside in Meersbrook, Sheffield, England, offering panoramic views over central Sheffield to the north. Within the park are two historic buildings: Bishops' House and Meersbrook Hall.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hollingwood</span> Human settlement in England

Hollingwood is a small village approximately four miles north east of Chesterfield, Derbyshire, England.

Walkley is a suburb of Sheffield, England, west of Burngreave, south of Hillsborough and north-east of Crookes.

Gleadless Valley is a housing estate and electoral ward of the City of Sheffield in England. The population of the ward at the 2011 Census was 21,089. It lies 2.5 miles (4.0 km) south-southeast of the city centre. Formerly a rural area, Gleadless Valley was developed as a large housing project with around 4000 dwellings by Sheffield City Council between 1955 and 1962. It is an area of undulating land drained by the Meers Brook, which has its source on the high ground in the woodland at Gleadless. Adjacent are Gleadless to the east, Norton to the south-west, Heeley to the west and Arbourthorne to the north.

References

  1. "Meersbrook Allotments – Wikimapia" . Retrieved 22 July 2016.
  2. "Meersbrook – a magnet for young professionals". Archived from the original on 26 April 2019. Retrieved 8 February 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  3. "Local Insight". sheffield.communityinsight.org. Retrieved 24 November 2022.
  4. "The 13 least deprived neighbourhoods based on employment, education, health and housing". www.thestar.co.uk. 20 November 2022. Retrieved 24 November 2022.
  5. "Sheffield, from Derbyshire Lane c.1797". webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk. Retrieved 18 December 2022.
  6. "Ofsted Links" . Retrieved 22 July 2016.
  7. "Meersbrook Bank Primary School – OFSTED" . Retrieved 22 July 2016.
  8. "Ofsted & Parent View – Mundella Primary School" . Retrieved 22 July 2016.
  9. "Standards". Meersbrook Bank Primary School. Archived from the original on 14 April 2013. Retrieved 22 July 2016.