Penistone
Encyclopedia
Penistone is a small town market town
and civil parish in the Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley
, in South Yorkshire
, England
, with a population of 10,101 at the 2001 census. It lies 8 miles (13 km) west of the town of Barnsley
and 17 miles (27 km) north east of Glossop
, in the foothills of the Pennines
. Penistone town centre stands at an elevation of 750 feet (228.6 m) above sea level.
in the West Midlands
. Records of the name as Penstun (1143) and Penstone (n.d.) prove the second element is Old English tūn = "farm, village" (not Old English stān ="stone
" as might be suggested).
The history of Penistone can be dated back to 1066 when it was known to be owned by Ailric. However, following the Norman Conquest it was razed to the ground in 1069 in what became known as the Harrying of the North
; the Domesday Book
described the settlement in 1086 as 'wasted'.
Sheep sales have been held in the town since before 1699, when the market received a Royal Charter, and the area produced the now rare Penistone sheep
.
, Saint John the Baptist Church
. The White Hart pub in the town dates from 1377. Penistone had had a market
for a long time before its royal charter was granted in 1699, although its historic livestock market was closed recently to make way for town centre re-development. A new landmark building has been built in Penistone for the Market Place. This is an oaken 'Cruck Barn' and was built by Carpenter Oak of Totnes, Devon.
Penistone was formerly a major railway junction, including a depot for engineering trains. Much of the former railway infrastructure has since been removed. The town's station
is still open, but is now only served by Huddersfield
-Sheffield
trains on the "Penistone Line
". Penistone station was once a well-used interchange with the reputation of being one of the coldest in the country.
The town was formerly served by the Woodhead Line
which ran between Manchester (Piccadilly), Hadfield
and Sheffield (Victoria)
via the Woodhead Tunnel
. Penistone station was served by express passenger trains on the line. Following major investment (started in 1935 but delayed by World War II
), the electrification
of the railway was completed in 1954; the line's power control centre was built adjacent to Penistone station. This building still stands, but has been converted to alternative commercial use.
The Woodhead Line
through Penistone was the first main line railway in the UK to be electrified, but its once-pioneering 1500 V dc system was ultimately to become non-standard. Penistone station lost its Woodhead Line
passenger trains on 5 January 1970, but freight trains (mainly coal trains) continued for a further eleven years. The line was finally (and controversially) closed in 1981 and the track lifted several years later. The route of the old track is now being used as part of the Trans-Pennine Trail.
constituency.
Penistone has its own radio station. Formed in 2005 Penistone FM operated a trial broadcast in September 2006 and successfully applied for a full time licence. Penistone FM was renamed Penistone Community Radio/Penistone AM as the Community Radio Licence was initially awarded on the Medium Wave band, however Ofcom cleared an FM frequency for the station. Penistone FM started test transmissions on 95.7 MHz FM on Saturday 9 May 2009 and officially launched on Saturday 6 June 2009, with its licence running for five years.
was founded in 1392. Notable former pupils include mathematician Nicholas Saunderson
, and Anne Campbell
, who served as MP for Cambridge
until May 2005. Currently, a new school is being built and should be ready for Easter 2011. The new school will be known as Penistone Grammar Advanced Learning Centre. Other local schools include St John's Junior School, St John's Infant School and Springvale Primary School.
is an annual agricultural show which draws in crowds from across the county. It is thought to be the biggest one-day show in Yorkshire and is held on the second Saturday in September. As well as ordinary agricultural categories for sheep, cows, goats, and chickens entries are received in horticulture
, handicraft
, show jumping
, pigeons, dogs, photography and many more categories. At the same time, a 10 Kilometre fell race is held (organised by Penistone Footpath Runners' Club), to finish on the Showground.
The annual 'Parade Weekend' has become established as an important time on Penistone's June calendar. The Saturday has two music events on the Showground: a concert of light music in the afternoon and an evening Rock concert. On the Sunday, a major Parade and Gala takes place. The Parade goes through the middle of Penistone and the Gala takes place on the Showground.
Penistone Farmers' Market is a monthly farmers' market
on the second Saturday of every month. Local farmers and producers of foods and crafts bring local produce direct to the public. The market is open to all traders selling more than 50% of their own produce and based within a fifty mile radius of Penistone. The Farmers' Market is held in the market place.
On Yorkshire Day
, 1 August 2006, Penistone played host to the now annual gathering of Lord Mayor
s, Mayors and other civic heads from Yorkshire. The day was marked with a service at Penistone Parish Church, a parade around the town and a meal for invited guests at Penistone Grammar School. Other events included free films and an evening of music at the Paramount Cinema, an exhibition at St John's Community Centre and Hartcliff Tower was open to the public again. There were Morris dance
rs, a farmers' market
, a shop window competition and an historic organ concert at St. Andrew's Church. The day was taken seriously by its organisers and some of the roads on the procession route were resurfaced for the event.
The new Market Cruck Barn was officially opened, jointly by Cllr Steve Webber (Penistone Mayor) and Cllr Karen Dyson (Barnsley Mayor) at 1pm on Thursday 21st July 2011.
to go ahead with building. Despite major local opposition, especially to its proposed location close to the showground, and worries that local businesses may suffer, in Spring 2010 construction of the new Tesco store began and it is now open.
serves the Penistone Line
which runs between Huddersfield and Sheffield. The trackbed of the closed railway line from Sheffield
to Manchester
via Woodhead now forms the Trans-Pennine Trail. There are occasional suggestions of reopening the line, without success.
Market town
Market town or market right is a legal term, originating in the medieval period, for a European settlement that has the right to host markets, distinguishing it from a village and city...
and civil parish in the Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley
Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley
The Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley is a metropolitan borough of the metropolitan county of South Yorkshire, England. Its main town is Barnsley....
, in South Yorkshire
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...
, with a population of 10,101 at the 2001 census. It lies 8 miles (13 km) west of the town of Barnsley
Barnsley
Barnsley 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...
and 17 miles (27 km) north east of Glossop
Glossop
Glossop is a market town within the Borough of High Peak in Derbyshire, England. It lies on the Glossop Brook, a tributary of the River Etherow, about east of the city of Manchester, west of the city of Sheffield. Glossop is situated near Derbyshire's county borders with Cheshire, Greater...
, in the foothills of the Pennines
Pennines
The Pennines are a low-rising mountain range, separating the North West of England from Yorkshire and the North East.Often described as the "backbone of England", they form a more-or-less continuous range stretching from the Peak District in Derbyshire, around the northern and eastern edges of...
. Penistone town centre stands at an elevation of 750 feet (228.6 m) above sea level.
Etymology
The meaning of Penistone is Old English tun "farm, village" with an uncertain first element, possibly Celtic penn = "head", "hill", similar to PennPenn, West Midlands
Penn is an area now divided between Wolverhampton in the West Midlands and South Staffordshire. Originally, it was a village in the historic county of Staffordshire. There is considerable confusion about exactly which areas fall within Penn...
in the West Midlands
West Midlands (region)
The West Midlands is an official region of England, covering the western half of the area traditionally known as the Midlands. It contains the second most populous British city, Birmingham, and the larger West Midlands conurbation, which includes the city of Wolverhampton and large towns of Dudley,...
. Records of the name as Penstun (1143) and Penstone (n.d.) prove the second element is Old English tūn = "farm, village" (not Old English stān ="stone
Rock (geology)
In geology, rock or stone is a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals and/or mineraloids.The Earth's outer solid layer, the lithosphere, is made of rock. In general rocks are of three types, namely, igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic...
" as might be suggested).
The history of Penistone can be dated back to 1066 when it was known to be owned by Ailric. However, following the Norman Conquest it was razed to the ground in 1069 in what became known as 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...
; 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...
described the settlement in 1086 as 'wasted'.
Sheep sales have been held in the town since before 1699, when the market received a Royal Charter, and the area produced the now rare Penistone sheep
Whitefaced Woodland
The Whitefaced Woodland is a sheep breed from the South Pennines in England, also known as the Penistone sheep after the Yorkshire town where sheep sales have been held since 1699. It is thought to be closely related to the Swaledale and the Lonk...
.
Buildings
The town remained small until the coming of the railway in 1845, although several pre-19th Century buildings survive. The oldest still standing is 'Penistone Church'. This is the Grade I listed mediaeval parish churchParish church
A parish church , in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....
, Saint John the Baptist Church
Saint John the Baptist Church, Penistone
Saint John the Baptist Church, Penistone Parish Church, or Penistone Church is a Church of England church in the Parish of Penistone, near Barnsley, in the United Kingdom. The church is a Grade 1 listed building and is located in the centre of the town of Penistone.-History:There are records which...
. The White Hart pub in the town dates from 1377. Penistone had had a market
Market
A market is one of many varieties of systems, institutions, procedures, social relations and infrastructures whereby parties engage in exchange. While parties may exchange goods and services by barter, most markets rely on sellers offering their goods or services in exchange for money from buyers...
for a long time before its royal charter was granted in 1699, although its historic livestock market was closed recently to make way for town centre re-development. A new landmark building has been built in Penistone for the Market Place. This is an oaken 'Cruck Barn' and was built by Carpenter Oak of Totnes, Devon.
Railway
Penistone railway station
Penistone railway station is a railway station in Penistone, in the Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley, South Yorkshire, England. Train services are provided by Northern Rail...
is still open, but is now only served by Huddersfield
Huddersfield
Huddersfield is a large market town within the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees, in West Yorkshire, England, situated halfway between Leeds and Manchester. It lies north of London, and south of Bradford, the nearest city....
-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...
trains on the "Penistone Line
Penistone Line
The Penistone Line is operated by Northern Rail in the West Yorkshire Metro/ Travel South Yorkshire area of northern England. It connects Huddersfield and Sheffield via Penistone and Barnsley, serving many rural communities...
". Penistone station was once a well-used interchange with the reputation of being one of the coldest in the country.
The town was formerly served by the Woodhead Line
Woodhead Line
The Woodhead Line was a railway line linking Sheffield, Penistone and Manchester in the north of England. A key feature of the route is the passage under the high moorlands of the northern Peak District through the Woodhead Tunnels...
which ran between Manchester (Piccadilly), Hadfield
Hadfield railway station
Hadfield railway station serves the village of Hadfield in Derbyshire, England. The station is one of the twin termini at the Derbyshire end of the Manchester-Glossop Line, the other being Glossop. It was opened by the Sheffield, Ashton-Under-Lyne and Manchester Railway in 1844.The line formerly...
and Sheffield (Victoria)
Sheffield Victoria Station
Sheffield Victoria was the main railway station in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England on the Great Central Railway, between Chesterfield and Penistone.-Early history:...
via the Woodhead Tunnel
Woodhead Tunnel
The Woodhead Tunnels are three parallel trans-Pennine 3-mile long railway tunnels on the Woodhead Line, a former major rail link from Manchester to Sheffield in northern England...
. Penistone station was served by express passenger trains on the line. Following major investment (started in 1935 but delayed by World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
), the electrification
Manchester-Sheffield-Wath electric railway
The Manchester-Sheffield-Wath electric railway was an early electrification scheme on British railways. The route featured long ascents on both sides of the Pennines with the long Woodhead Tunnel at its central summit close to the Woodhead pass...
of the railway was completed in 1954; the line's power control centre was built adjacent to Penistone station. This building still stands, but has been converted to alternative commercial use.
The Woodhead Line
Woodhead Line
The Woodhead Line was a railway line linking Sheffield, Penistone and Manchester in the north of England. A key feature of the route is the passage under the high moorlands of the northern Peak District through the Woodhead Tunnels...
through Penistone was the first main line railway in the UK to be electrified, but its once-pioneering 1500 V dc system was ultimately to become non-standard. Penistone station lost its Woodhead Line
Woodhead Line
The Woodhead Line was a railway line linking Sheffield, Penistone and Manchester in the north of England. A key feature of the route is the passage under the high moorlands of the northern Peak District through the Woodhead Tunnels...
passenger trains on 5 January 1970, but freight trains (mainly coal trains) continued for a further eleven years. The line was finally (and controversially) closed in 1981 and the track lifted several years later. The route of the old track is now being used as part of the Trans-Pennine Trail.
Governance
Penistone was in the Barnsley West and Penistone constituency until the 2010 general election when it became part of the newly created Penistone and StocksbridgePenistone and Stocksbridge (UK Parliament constituency)
Penistone and Stocksbridge is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It was contested for the first time at the 2010 general election, and returns one Member of Parliament elected by the first past the post system of election.-...
constituency.
Administration
- Penistone Town Hall (which now houses Barnsley Council's flagship frontline service 'Barnsley Connects'.Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council is responsible for major local government issues and there is also Penistone Town Council which looks after local matters.
Religion
- Saint John the Baptist ChurchSaint John the Baptist Church, PenistoneSaint John the Baptist Church, Penistone Parish Church, or Penistone Church is a Church of England church in the Parish of Penistone, near Barnsley, in the United Kingdom. The church is a Grade 1 listed building and is located in the centre of the town of Penistone.-History:There are records which...
- Church of England - St Andrew's Church - Methodist / United Reformed http://www.standrewspenistone.org.uk/
Radio station
Penistone has its own radio station. Formed in 2005 Penistone FM operated a trial broadcast in September 2006 and successfully applied for a full time licence. Penistone FM was renamed Penistone Community Radio/Penistone AM as the Community Radio Licence was initially awarded on the Medium Wave band, however Ofcom cleared an FM frequency for the station. Penistone FM started test transmissions on 95.7 MHz FM on Saturday 9 May 2009 and officially launched on Saturday 6 June 2009, with its licence running for five years.
Sport and recreation
- The local football team is Penistone Church F.C., who play home matches at the Memorial Ground in Church View Road.
- Penistone Cricket and Sports Club has a ground in Sheffield Road.
- Penistone Paramount CinemaPenistone Paramount CinemaThe Penistone Paramount Cinema is a community cinema and theatre in Penistone, near Barnsley, in the heart of the South Yorkshire Pennines. Besides the big film releases, there are live shows and monthly organ concerts....
- Penistone footpath runners and athletics club
Grammar School
Penistone Grammar SchoolPenistone Grammar School
Penistone Grammar School is a comprehensive school and former grammar school in Penistone, in the Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley, South Yorkshire, England. It was founded in 1392 and its most notable alumnus is Nicholas Saunderson, the probable inventor of Bayes theorem, in the eighteenth...
was founded in 1392. Notable former pupils include mathematician Nicholas Saunderson
Nicholas Saunderson
Nicholas Saunderson was an English scientist and mathematician. According to one leading historian of statistics, he may have been the earliest discoverer of Bayes theorem.-Biography:...
, and Anne Campbell
Anne Campbell
Anne Campbell is an English Labour Party politician. She was the Member of Parliament for Cambridge from 1992 to 2005.-Early life:She went to Newnham College, Cambridge, taking the Maths Tripos, and gaining an MA in 1965....
, who served as MP for Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
until May 2005. Currently, a new school is being built and should be ready for Easter 2011. The new school will be known as Penistone Grammar Advanced Learning Centre. Other local schools include St John's Junior School, St John's Infant School and Springvale Primary School.
Events
Penistone ShowPenistone Show
Penistone Show is a one day agricultural show held annually in Penistone in South Yorkshire, England, UK. The has been held most years for the last 150 years and is always held on the second Saturday in September Penistone Show is a one day agricultural show held annually in Penistone in South...
is an annual agricultural show which draws in crowds from across the county. It is thought to be the biggest one-day show in Yorkshire and is held on the second Saturday in September. As well as ordinary agricultural categories for sheep, cows, goats, and chickens entries are received in horticulture
Horticulture
Horticulture is the industry and science of plant cultivation including the process of preparing soil for the planting of seeds, tubers, or cuttings. Horticulturists work and conduct research in the disciplines of plant propagation and cultivation, crop production, plant breeding and genetic...
, handicraft
Handicraft
Handicraft, more precisely expressed as artisanic handicraft, sometimes also called artisanry, is a type of work where useful and decorative devices are made completely by hand or by using only simple tools. It is a traditional main sector of craft. Usually the term is applied to traditional means...
, show jumping
Show jumping
Show jumping, also known as "stadium jumping," "open jumping," or "jumpers," is a member of a family of English riding equestrian events that also includes dressage, eventing, hunters, and equitation. Jumping classes commonly are seen at horse shows throughout the world, including the Olympics...
, pigeons, dogs, photography and many more categories. At the same time, a 10 Kilometre fell race is held (organised by Penistone Footpath Runners' Club), to finish on the Showground.
The annual 'Parade Weekend' has become established as an important time on Penistone's June calendar. The Saturday has two music events on the Showground: a concert of light music in the afternoon and an evening Rock concert. On the Sunday, a major Parade and Gala takes place. The Parade goes through the middle of Penistone and the Gala takes place on the Showground.
Penistone Farmers' Market is a monthly farmers' market
Farmers' market
A farmers' market consists of individual vendors—mostly farmers—who set up booths, tables or stands, outdoors or indoors, to sell produce, meat products, fruits and sometimes prepared foods and beverages...
on the second Saturday of every month. Local farmers and producers of foods and crafts bring local produce direct to the public. The market is open to all traders selling more than 50% of their own produce and based within a fifty mile radius of Penistone. The Farmers' Market is held in the market place.
On Yorkshire Day
Yorkshire Day
Yorkshire Day is celebrated on 1 August to promote the historic English county of Yorkshire. It was celebrated in 1975, by the Yorkshire Ridings Society, initially in Beverley, as "protest movement against the Local Government re-organisation of 1974", The date alludes to the Battle of Minden, and...
, 1 August 2006, Penistone played host to the now annual gathering of Lord Mayor
Lord Mayor
The Lord Mayor is the title of the Mayor of a major city, with special recognition.-Commonwealth of Nations:* In Australia it is a political position. Australian cities with Lord Mayors: Adelaide, Brisbane, Darwin, Hobart, Melbourne, Newcastle, Parramatta, Perth, Sydney, and Wollongong...
s, Mayors and other civic heads from Yorkshire. The day was marked with a service at Penistone Parish Church, a parade around the town and a meal for invited guests at Penistone Grammar School. Other events included free films and an evening of music at the Paramount Cinema, an exhibition at St John's Community Centre and Hartcliff Tower was open to the public again. There were Morris dance
Morris dance
Morris dance is a form of English folk dance usually accompanied by music. It is based on rhythmic stepping and the execution of choreographed figures by a group of dancers. Implements such as sticks, swords, handkerchiefs and bells may also be wielded by the dancers...
rs, a farmers' market
Farmers' market
A farmers' market consists of individual vendors—mostly farmers—who set up booths, tables or stands, outdoors or indoors, to sell produce, meat products, fruits and sometimes prepared foods and beverages...
, a shop window competition and an historic organ concert at St. Andrew's Church. The day was taken seriously by its organisers and some of the roads on the procession route were resurfaced for the event.
The new Market Cruck Barn was officially opened, jointly by Cllr Steve Webber (Penistone Mayor) and Cllr Karen Dyson (Barnsley Mayor) at 1pm on Thursday 21st July 2011.
Supermarket and town centre redevelopment
Penistone received a lot of media coverage in March 2007 after decisions were made to build a large supermarket in the town centre. It was announced that Barnsley Council had agreed proposals submitted by TescoTesco
Tesco plc is a global grocery and general merchandise retailer headquartered in Cheshunt, United Kingdom. It is the third-largest retailer in the world measured by revenues and the second-largest measured by profits...
to go ahead with building. Despite major local opposition, especially to its proposed location close to the showground, and worries that local businesses may suffer, in Spring 2010 construction of the new Tesco store began and it is now open.
Plans for the railway line
The town's railway stationPenistone railway station
Penistone railway station is a railway station in Penistone, in the Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley, South Yorkshire, England. Train services are provided by Northern Rail...
serves the Penistone Line
Penistone Line
The Penistone Line is operated by Northern Rail in the West Yorkshire Metro/ Travel South Yorkshire area of northern England. It connects Huddersfield and Sheffield via Penistone and Barnsley, serving many rural communities...
which runs between Huddersfield and Sheffield. The trackbed of the closed railway line from 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...
to Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
via Woodhead now forms the Trans-Pennine Trail. There are occasional suggestions of reopening the line, without success.
Notable people
- Kate RusbyKate RusbyKate Anna Rusby is an English folk singer and songwriter from Penistone, South Yorkshire. Sometimes known as The Barnsley Nightingale, she has headlined various British national folk festivals, and is regarded as one of the most famous English folk singers of contemporary times...
, folk singer - Grant CrookesGrant CrookesGrant Crookes was a professional footballer who played for Hartlepool United, Darlington F.C. and Willington F.C...
, footballer, Harlepool Utd & Darlington - Rolo TomassiRolo TomassiRolo Tomassi are a British mathcore band from Sheffield, England. Their name is taken from the fictional character in the film L.A. Confidential. On 22 September 2008, the band released their debut album, Hysterics, through Hassle Records....
, Experimental Rock Band - Chris Morgan, footballer, defender. Former Barnsley Captain. Current 2011 Sheffield United Club Captain.