Hallamshire
Encyclopedia
South Yorkshire
South Yorkshire is a metropolitan county in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England. It has a population of 1.29 million. It consists of four metropolitan boroughs: Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham, and City of Sheffield...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, in the current city of Sheffield.
The origin of the name is uncertain. The English Place-Name Society
English Place-Name Society
The English Place-Name Society is a learned society concerned with toponomastics and the toponymy of England, in other words, the study of place-names ....
describe "Hallam" originating from a formation meaning "on the rocks". Alternative theories are that it is derived from halgh meaning an area of land at a border, Old Norse hallr meaning a slope or hill, or Old English heall meaning a hall or mansion.
The exact boundaries of this historic district are unknown, but it is thought to have covered the parishes of Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
, Ecclesfield
Ecclesfield
Ecclesfield is a suburb and civil parish in the City of Sheffield in South Yorkshire, England, about north of Sheffield City Centre. At the 2001 census the civil parish— which also includes the Sheffield suburbs of Chapeltown, Grenoside, High Green, and formerly Thorpe Hesley —had a population...
, and Bradfield—an area roughly equivalent to those parts of the present-day borough the City of Sheffield that lie to the west of the rivers Don and Sheaf
River Sheaf
The River Sheaf is a river in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. Its source is the union of the Totley Brook and the Old Hay Brook in Totley, now a suburb of Sheffield. It flows northwards, past Dore, through the valley called Abbeydale and north of Heeley...
that are within the boundaries of the ancient county
Historic counties of England
The historic counties of England are subdivisions of England established for administration by the Normans and in most cases based on earlier Anglo-Saxon kingdoms and shires...
of Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
(later descriptions also include Brightside
Shiregreen and Brightside
Shiregreen and Brightside ward—which includes the districts of Brightside, Shiregreen, and Wincobank—is one of the 28 electoral wards in City of Sheffield, England. It is located in the northern part of the city and covers an area of 6.5 km2. The population of this ward in 2001 was...
and the parish of Handsworth
Handsworth, South Yorkshire
Handsworth is a suburb of south eastern Sheffield, in South Yorkshire, England. Handsworth has a population of approximately 15,000. It covers an overall area of approximately...
).
Anglo-Saxon Hallamshire
In Anglo-Saxon times, Hallamshire was the most southerly shire of the Kingdom of Northumbria. Its southern border with MerciaMercia
Mercia was one of the kingdoms of the Anglo-Saxon Heptarchy. It was centred on the valley of the River Trent and its tributaries in the region now known as the English Midlands...
was already fixed and may have Celtic origins. The Domesday Book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
states that the manor of Hallam ("Hallun") included sixteen hamlet
Hamlet (place)
A hamlet is usually a rural settlement which is too small to be considered a village, though sometimes the word is used for a different sort of community. Historically, when a hamlet became large enough to justify building a church, it was then classified as a village...
s or settlements and had existed before the 1066 Norman conquest of England
Norman conquest of England
The Norman conquest of England began on 28 September 1066 with the invasion of England by William, Duke of Normandy. William became known as William the Conqueror after his victory at the Battle of Hastings on 14 October 1066, defeating King Harold II of England...
as part of the lands owned by Waltheof
Waltheof, 1st Earl of Northampton
Waltheof , 1st Earl of the Honour of Huntingdon and Northampton and last of the Anglo-Saxon earls was the only English aristocrat to be executed during the reign of William I.-Early life:...
, the Earl of Huntingdon
Earl of Huntingdon
Earl of Huntingdon is a title which has been created several times in the Peerage of England. The title is associated with the ruling house of Scotland, and latterly with the Hastings family.-Early history:...
, who had an aula or hall located in this district.
The earliest known use of the term Hallamshire—"Halumsire"—is found in a deed of the house of Saint Wandrille in Ecclesfield
Ecclesfield Priory
Ecclesfield Priory was a religious house of Benedictine monks, lying in the village of Ecclesfield, north of Sheffield in Yorkshire, United Kingdom.-Early history:...
dating from 1161. Historically, the term shire would simply mean the district appropriated to some city, town, or castle, and did not necessarily refer to a county. Hallamshire could therefore be assumed to be the district associated with a town ("vill
Vill
Vill is a term used in English history to describe a land unit which might otherwise be described as a parish, manor or tithing.The term is used in the period immediately after the Norman conquest and into the late medieval. Land units in Domesday are frequently referred to as vills, although the...
") called "Hallam", although there is no known record of such a town's existence.
One possible location for Waltheof's aula and the surrounding settlement is Sheffield Castle
Sheffield Castle
Sheffield Castle was a castle in Sheffield, England, constructed at the confluence of the River Sheaf and the River Don, possibly on the site of a former Anglo-Saxon long house, and dominating the early town. A motte and bailey castle had been constructed on the site at some time in the century...
. The Domesday book states that the manor of Sheffield had once been inland of the manor of Hallam—that is, land reserved for the Lord of the manor. This has led to the suggestion that the Sheffield of the Domesday book only encompassed the area that later became known as Sheffield Park, the historic town and castle being in Hallam. Indeed, an early 20th century excavation at the site of Sheffield Castle found evidence of an Anglo-Saxon building on the site. However, a number of alternate sites have been suggested in and around the Rivelin
River Rivelin
The River Rivelin is a river in South Yorkshire, England.It rises on the Hallam moors, north west of Sheffield, and on the outskirts of Sheffield joins the River Loxley . The Rivelin Valley, through which the river flows, is a three and a half mile long woodland valley which includes the popular...
valley.
Local historian T. Walter Hall (in 1931), following Sidney Addy (1893), suggested that the district's original settlement was at Hallam Head, above the River Rivelin
River Rivelin
The River Rivelin is a river in South Yorkshire, England.It rises on the Hallam moors, north west of Sheffield, and on the outskirts of Sheffield joins the River Loxley . The Rivelin Valley, through which the river flows, is a three and a half mile long woodland valley which includes the popular...
, and that it had been destroyed during the Harrying of the North
Harrying of the North
The Harrying of the North was a series of campaigns waged by William the Conqueror in the winter of 1069–1070 to subjugate Northern England, and is part of the Norman conquest of England...
. As evidence, he noted that the location lies by the ancient Long Causeway route and that the name of the neighbouring Burnt Stones Common referenced its destruction. This theory is rejected by David Hey, who notes that there is no evidence of any settlement larger than a hamlet ever having existed at the site, and that evidence suggests that the Harrying of the North did not affect the Sheffield area. Addy himself preferred a location just outside the village of Stannington, where there is evidence of a large manor house surrounded by a moat.
After the Conquest
Waltheof initially submitted to William IWilliam I of England
William I , also known as William the Conqueror , was the first Norman King of England from Christmas 1066 until his death. He was also Duke of Normandy from 3 July 1035 until his death, under the name William II...
and was allowed to keep his lands. He took part in a failed uprising to support the 1069 invasion by Sweyn II of Denmark
Sweyn II of Denmark
Sweyn II Estridsson Ulfsson was the King of Denmark from 1047 to 1074. He was the son of Ulf Jarl and Estrid Svendsdatter. He was married three times, and fathered 20 children or more, including the five future kings Harald III Hen, Canute IV the Saint, Oluf I Hunger, Eric I Evergood and Niels...
and Edgar Ætheling
Edgar Ætheling
Edgar Ætheling , or Edgar II, was the last male member of the royal house of Cerdic of Wessex...
(including an attack on York), but then once again submitted to the William and was granted Judith, the King's niece, to marry. However, after taking part in a conspiracy against William in 1075 Waltheof was executed.
Initially, Judith retained his lands (including Hallamshire), but after Judith refused a second marriage to the Norman knight Simon Saint Liz, William confiscated much of her lands and handed them to her eldest daughter Maud, who then married Saint Liz in Judith's stead. After the death of Saint Liz, Maud married David
David I of Scotland
David I or Dabíd mac Maíl Choluim was a 12th-century ruler who was Prince of the Cumbrians and later King of the Scots...
, the heir to the crown of Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, and the Waltheof's lands and Earldom were passed to him.
It is possible that Hallamshire was exempted from this transfer and remained in Judith's hands. The Domesday book states that the manor of Hallam was held by Roger de Busli "of the Countess Judith". The exact nature of the arrangement between Judith and de Busli is unknown, however there is evidence that such an arrangement may have continued for a number of centuries—an inquisition following the death of Thomas de Furnival in 1332 found that his ancestors had held the manor of Sheffield "of the King of Scotland", paying a yearly service of two white greyhounds.
During this early period, the name Hallamshire was retained for the Norman lordship. It was administered from Sheffield Castle
Sheffield Castle
Sheffield Castle was a castle in Sheffield, England, constructed at the confluence of the River Sheaf and the River Don, possibly on the site of a former Anglo-Saxon long house, and dominating the early town. A motte and bailey castle had been constructed on the site at some time in the century...
, at the confluence of the River Don and the River Sheaf
River Sheaf
The River Sheaf is a river in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. Its source is the union of the Totley Brook and the Old Hay Brook in Totley, now a suburb of Sheffield. It flows northwards, past Dore, through the valley called Abbeydale and north of Heeley...
. A smaller castle was built at High Bradfield
High Bradfield
High Bradfield is a small village located north west of the centre of Sheffield in South Yorkshire, England at Grid Reference and within the city's boundaries...
. During the 12th century, William de Lovetot
William de Lovetot
William de Lovetot, Lord of Hallamshire, possibly descended from the Norman Baron Ricardus Surdus, was an Anglo-Norman Baron from Huntingdonshire, often credited as the founder of Sheffield, England....
acquired most of the land within the Sheffield area including the old manors of Hallam, Sheffield, and Attercliffe. He constructed a more substantial castle in Sheffield, establishing the town as the dominant settlement within Hallamshire. Sheffield gained a sizeable parish, split from the large parish of Ecclesfield
Ecclesfield
Ecclesfield is a suburb and civil parish in the City of Sheffield in South Yorkshire, England, about north of Sheffield City Centre. At the 2001 census the civil parish— which also includes the Sheffield suburbs of Chapeltown, Grenoside, High Green, and formerly Thorpe Hesley —had a population...
, and a larger manor which encompassed most of Hallamshire. A charter of 1268 describes Hallamshire as containing just three manors: Ecclesfield, Sheffield and Bradfield
Bradfield, South Yorkshire
Bradfield is a village and civil parish in the City of Sheffield, in South Yorkshire, England. It is situated in the Peak District. Bradfield itself is divided into two settlements, High Bradfield atop a hill and Low Bradfield in the valley of the River Loxley.Bradfield is the largest parish in...
. However, confusion arose later, as Sheffield acquired other manors outside historic Hallamshire, such as that of Handsworth
Handsworth, South Yorkshire
Handsworth is a suburb of south eastern Sheffield, in South Yorkshire, England. Handsworth has a population of approximately 15,000. It covers an overall area of approximately...
.
Modern Hallam
Hallam has come to mean, broadly speaking, that area of YorkshireYorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
in the foothills of the Peak District
Peak District
The Peak District is an upland area in central and northern England, lying mainly in northern Derbyshire, but also covering parts of Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Staffordshire, and South and West Yorkshire....
and southwest of the River Don. The region includes much of western Sheffield, and the parish of Bradfield. Suburbs and villages within this area include Bradfield, Broomhill
Broomhill, Sheffield, South Yorkshire
Broomhill ward—which includes the districts of Broomhill, Crookesmoor, Endcliffe, and Tapton—is one of the 28 electoral wards in City of Sheffield, England. It is located in the western part of the city and covers an area of 2.7 km2. The population of this ward in 2001 was 16,800...
, Crookes
Crookes
Crookes ward—which includes the districts of Crookes, Steelbank, Crosspool, and Sandygate —is one of the 28 electoral wards in City of Sheffield, England. It is located in the western part of the city and covers an area of 3.9 km2...
, Fulwood, Hillsborough, Loxley
Loxley, South Yorkshire
Loxley is a village and a suburb of the city of Sheffield. It is a long linear community which stretches by the side of the River Loxley and along the B6077 for almost four kilometres. Loxley extends from its borders with the suburbs of Malin Bridge and Wisewood westward to the hamlet of Stacey...
, Stannington
Stannington
Stannington Ward—which includes the districts of Loxley, Stannington, and Worrall, and also the small villages of Dungworth, High Bradfield, and Low Bradfield—is one of the 28 electoral wards in City of Sheffield, England. It is located in the western part of the city and covers an area...
, Strines, and Walkley
Walkley
Walkley is an electoral ward in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England.Walkley ward—which includes the districts of Netherthorpe, Upperthorpe, Walkley and parts of Neepsend—is one of the 28 electoral wards in City of Sheffield, England. It is located in the northwestern part of the city...
.
A number of institutions, companies, and Public House
Public house
A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
s use the "Hallam/shire" name to reflect their association with the Sheffield area :
- The Company of Cutlers in HallamshireCompany of Cutlers in HallamshireThe Company of Cutlers in Hallamshire is a trade guild of metalworkers based in Sheffield, England. It was incorporated in 1624 by an Act of parliament. The head is called the Master Cutler...
is a trade guild of steelworkers, founded in 1624 and based in Sheffield. - Sheffield Hallam is a Parliamentary constituencyUnited Kingdom constituenciesIn the United Kingdom , each of the electoral areas or divisions called constituencies elects one or more members to a parliament or assembly.Within the United Kingdom there are now five bodies with members elected by constituencies:...
in western Sheffield, demographically one of the wealthiest such constituencies in BritainUnited KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. - HallamshireHallamshire (UK Parliament constituency)Hallamshire was a Parliamentary constituency covering the Hallamshire district of England. The constituency was created in 1885 and abolished in 1918. It should not be confused with Sheffield Hallam...
was a Parliamentary constituency from 1885 to 1918 - The Diocese of HallamDiocese of HallamThe Roman Catholic Diocese of Hallam is a diocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic church in England.The diocese comprises the whole of the City of Sheffield, and the surrounding towns of Rotherham, Doncaster, Barnsley, Chesterfield, the Peak District and areas of Bassetlaw and Retford.The...
is a Roman Catholic diocese in England, covering South Yorkshire, northern DerbyshireDerbyshireDerbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
and northern NottinghamshireNottinghamshireNottinghamshire is a county in the East Midlands of England, bordering South Yorkshire to the north-west, Lincolnshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south, and Derbyshire to the west...
. Its mother church is the Cathedral Church of St Marie in Sheffield. - Royal Hallamshire HospitalRoyal Hallamshire HospitalThe Royal Hallamshire Hospital is a general and teaching hospital located in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. It is in the city's West End, facing Glossop Road and close to the main campus of University of Sheffield and the Collegiate Crescent campus of Sheffield Hallam University...
is a large hospital in the BroomhillBroomhill, Sheffield, South YorkshireBroomhill ward—which includes the districts of Broomhill, Crookesmoor, Endcliffe, and Tapton—is one of the 28 electoral wards in City of Sheffield, England. It is located in the western part of the city and covers an area of 2.7 km2. The population of this ward in 2001 was 16,800...
district of Sheffield. - The Criminal Justice Administration Act 1962Criminal Justice Administration Act 1962The Criminal Justice Administration Act 1962 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that modified the jurisdiction and process of the English criminal courts.-Act:...
created a judicial county of Hallamshire and the office of High Sheriff of HallamshireHigh Sheriff of HallamshireThe High Sheriff of Hallamshire was a shrievalty title which was in existence from 1962 until 1974 in Yorkshire, United Kingdom.-Creation:The shrievalty was created on 30 April 1962 under the terms of the Criminal Justice Administration Act 1962...
. Both were abolished in 1974. - Sheffield Hallam UniversitySheffield Hallam UniversitySheffield Hallam University is a higher education institution in South Yorkshire, England, based on two sites in Sheffield. City Campus is located in the city centre, close to Sheffield railway station, and Collegiate Crescent Campus is about two miles away, adjacent to Ecclesall Road in...
is one of the two universities in the City of Sheffield. Created when Sheffield City Polytechnic became a university in 1992, it took the name Hallam to distinguish it from the pre-existing University of SheffieldUniversity of SheffieldThe University of Sheffield is a research university based in the city of Sheffield in South Yorkshire, England. It is one of the original 'red brick' universities and is a member of the Russell Group of leading research intensive universities...
. - Hallam FMHallam FMHallam FM is an independent local radio station serving South Yorkshire and the North Midlands from studios in Sheffield. The station is owned and operated by Bauer Radio and forms part of Bauer's Place Network of stations.-History:...
is a local radio station which broadcasts in Sheffield, RotherhamRotherhamRotherham is a town in South Yorkshire, England. It lies on the River Don, at its confluence with the River Rother, between Sheffield and Doncaster. Rotherham, at from Sheffield City Centre, is surrounded by several smaller settlements, which together form the wider Metropolitan Borough of...
, DoncasterDoncasterDoncaster is a town in South Yorkshire, England, and the principal settlement of the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster. The town is about from Sheffield and is popularly referred to as "Donny"...
, and BarnsleyBarnsleyBarnsley is a town in South Yorkshire, England. It lies on the River Dearne, north of the city of Sheffield, south of Leeds and west of Doncaster. Barnsley is surrounded by several smaller settlements which together form the Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley, of which Barnsley is the largest and...
. - The Hallam LineHallam LineThe Hallam Line is the name given to rail services operated by Northern Rail, in the West Yorkshire Metro/ Travel South Yorkshire area of northern England which connect Leeds and Sheffield via Barnsley. It is the slower of the two routes between Leeds and Sheffield, with faster services provided...
is a railway line that runs from Sheffield to LeedsLeedsLeeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
via BarnsleyBarnsleyBarnsley is a town in South Yorkshire, England. It lies on the River Dearne, north of the city of Sheffield, south of Leeds and west of Doncaster. Barnsley is surrounded by several smaller settlements which together form the Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley, of which Barnsley is the largest and...
. - Hallam F.C.Hallam F.C.Hallam Football Club are a football club in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, who currently play in the Northern Counties East League Division One...
is one of the oldest football clubOldest football clubThe history of the formation of the oldest football clubs is of interest to sport historians in tracing the origins of the modern codes of football from casual pastime to early organised competition and mainstream sport. Many early clubs did not use the word "football" in their name...
s in the world. - Sheffield & Hallamshire FA expands over the wide area, stretching into West Yorkshire to include teams from South ElmsallSouth ElmsallSouth Elmsall pronounced "south em-sull" is a small town and civil parish to the east of Hemsworth in the City of Wakefield in West Yorkshire, England. It is on the B6422 and B6474 ....
and NostellNostellNostell is a village in the City of Wakefield in West Yorkshire, England, near Hemsworth. It is in the civil parish of Huntwick with Foulby and Nostell, which has a population of 90, and is the site of an Augustinian priory which received its charter in 1121.Nostell Priory is an 18th century...
and into Nottinghamshire to include teams from WorksopWorksopWorksop is the largest town in the Bassetlaw district of Nottinghamshire, England on the River Ryton at the northern edge of Sherwood Forest. It is about east-south-east of the City of Sheffield and its population is estimated to be 39,800...
. - Hallamshire Harriers Sheffield Athletics Club, one of two major athletics clubs in the city.
- The Hallamshire Lodge, freemasons lodge at Tapton Hall, Sheffield
Connection to Robin Hood legend
The small village of LoxleyLoxley, South Yorkshire
Loxley is a village and a suburb of the city of Sheffield. It is a long linear community which stretches by the side of the River Loxley and along the B6077 for almost four kilometres. Loxley extends from its borders with the suburbs of Malin Bridge and Wisewood westward to the hamlet of Stacey...
, now a suburb
Suburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
of western Sheffield, lies within Hallamshire. A 1637 survey by John Harrison of the estates in or near Sheffield belonging to the Earl of Arundel states that a place called little Haggas croft in Loxley Firth contained 'the foundacion of a house or cottage where Robin Hood was born'. Antiquarian Joseph Hunter
Joseph Hunter (antiquarian)
Joseph Hunter was a Unitarian Minister and antiquarian best known for his publications Hallamshire. The History and Topography of the Parish of Sheffield in the County of York and the two-volume South Yorkshire , still considered among the best works written on the history of Sheffield and South...
—writing in 1819—reaffirmed this local tradition, stating that Loxley Chase has 'the fairest pretensions to be the Locksley of our old ballads, where was born that redoubtable hero Robin Hood.' In many legends Robin Hood is said to have been a displaced son of the lord of Hallamshire, who at this period in history resided at his manor at Loxley. This also ties in with the traditional idea of Robin Hood being related to Scottish nobility, if not distantly, because the lords of Hallamshire were descendants of the early medieval kings of Scotland through the Earl of Huntingdon.
See also
- History of SheffieldHistory of SheffieldThe history of Sheffield, a city in South Yorkshire, England, can be traced back to the founding of a settlement in a clearing beside the River Sheaf in the second half of the 1st millennium AD...
- History of YorkshireHistory of YorkshireYorkshire is a historic county of England, centred on the county town of York. The region was first occupied after the retreat of the ice age around 8000 BC. During the first millennium AD it was occupied by Romans, Angles and Vikings. Many Yorkshire dialect words and aspects of pronunciation...
- List of hundreds of England and Wales
- HexhamshireHexhamshireHexhamshire was a county of northern England. It existed for several hundred years until it was incorporated into Northumberland in 1572.-County:...
- WinchcombeshireWinchcombeshireWinchcombeshire, an ancient county in the South West of England, in the 10th and 11th centuries, developed around its county town, Winchcombe....
- HullshireHullshireHullshire was a former district of England. The large county corporate was created in 1440 by Henry VI of England. It took its name from the River Hull, which formed its eastern boundary. At times it included the East Riding of Yorkshire's other two boroughs, Beverley and Hedon...
- RichmondshireRichmondshireRichmondshire is a local government district of North Yorkshire, England. It covers a large northern area of the Yorkshire Dales including Swaledale and Arkengarthdale, Wensleydale and Coverdale, with the prominent Scots' Dyke and Scotch Corner along the centre. Teesdale lies to the north...
External links
- Hallamshire - a note on its meaning and extent Produced by Sheffield City Council's Libraries and Archives.