Wisewood
Encyclopedia
Wisewood is a suburb of the city of Sheffield
in South Yorkshire
, England
and situated 4.5 km north-west of the city centre. It is a residential suburb consisting almost exclusively of council housing
, some of which has been bought by tenants under the right to buy scheme
. It is bordered by the adjacent suburbs of Loxley
, Wadsley
, Malin Bridge
and Hillsborough
.
valley just before the river reached Malin Bridge and is still shown as such on the 1:25,000 Ordnance Survey
map. The former industrial sites of Wisewood Forge and Wisewood Rolling Mills are situated in the Loxley valley as is Wisewood Cemetery. However, the name was adopted for a new housing estate built in the early 1930s higher up the hillside and overlooking the valley. People have questioned over the years why the estate was called Wisewood when it was closer to Wadsley. The houses on the lower part of the estate are close to the original location of Wisewood.
miners or in the manufacturing of pocket knives.
Wisewood was transformed in the late 1920s when Sheffield City Council
made the decision in 1928 to build a large housing estate there. At a council meeting on 4 April 1928 a compulsory purchase order
was issued to purchase just over 80 acres (323,748.8 m²) of land for the building of the new council estate. Most of the land belonged to Tingle's Farm and Flander's Farmm now both demolished.
The land was bounded by Ben Lane to the north, Wisewood Lane and Hibberd Lane to the south, Dykes Lane to the east and Studfield Hill to the west. A total of £17,300 was paid to the landowners as compensation. On 7 November 1931 the final house on the Wisewood estate was completed and handed over to the new owner. The estate consisted of 901 dwellings and was built at an approximate cost of £400,000..
although this is being opposed by some parents.
In 1930, a row of shops was constructed across the road from the schools on the site of a drained pond; these still serve the estate today and include a post office, grocers, etc. The foundation stone for Wisewood Methodist Church was laid on 4 April 1970; this church in a modern style has an adjoining community hall. Dial House stands on Ben Lane; it was a country house for many years being so named because it had a sun dial
over the front door. It became The Dial House Social Club
in the 1930s, finally closing in 2005. It is a grade II listed building and is now being integrated into a new development of apartments and houses.
The only recreation area within Wisewood is the locally named Spider Park, a grassy area with very few facilities; the local community are lobbying the council to upgrade the park and provide improved amenities. One of the largest structures in Wisewood, which often goes unnoticed, is a reinforced concrete covered reservoir just off Ben Lane. It holds 4 million gallons of water and measures 68 metres by 56 metres.
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...
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...
and situated 4.5 km north-west of the city centre. It is a residential suburb consisting almost exclusively of council housing
Council house
A council house, otherwise known as a local authority house, is a form of public or social housing. The term is used primarily in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. Council houses were built and operated by local councils to supply uncrowded, well-built homes on secure tenancies at...
, some of which has been bought by tenants under the right to buy scheme
Right to buy scheme
The Right to buy scheme is a policy in the United Kingdom which gives tenants of council housing the right to buy the home they are living in. Currently, there is also a right to acquire for the tenants of housing associations...
. It is bordered by the adjacent suburbs of 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...
, Wadsley
Wadsley
Wadsley is a suburb of the City of Sheffield in South Yorkshire, England. It stands five km NW of the city centre at an approximate grid reference of...
, Malin Bridge
Malin Bridge
Malin Bridge is a suburb of the city of Sheffield, England. It is located at grid reference and stands 2½ miles north-west of the city centre where the rivers Loxley and Rivelin meet...
and Hillsborough
Hillsborough, South Yorkshire
Hillsborough is an electoral ward which includes the districts of Malin Bridge, Owlerton, Wadsley and Wisewood. It is one of the 28 electoral wards in City of Sheffield, England. It is located in the northwestern part of the city and covers an area of 4.6 km2...
.
Location
The original location of Wisewood was in the LoxleyRiver Loxley
The River Loxley is a river in the City of Sheffield South Yorkshire, England. Its source is a series of streams which rise some to the north-west of Sheffield on Bradfield Moors, and converge at Low Bradfield...
valley just before the river reached Malin Bridge and is still shown as such on the 1:25,000 Ordnance Survey
Ordnance Survey
Ordnance Survey , an executive agency and non-ministerial government department of the Government of the United Kingdom, is the national mapping agency for Great Britain, producing maps of Great Britain , and one of the world's largest producers of maps.The name reflects its creation together with...
map. The former industrial sites of Wisewood Forge and Wisewood Rolling Mills are situated in the Loxley valley as is Wisewood Cemetery. However, the name was adopted for a new housing estate built in the early 1930s higher up the hillside and overlooking the valley. People have questioned over the years why the estate was called Wisewood when it was closer to Wadsley. The houses on the lower part of the estate are close to the original location of Wisewood.
History
Prior to the 1920s, the Wisewood area was a rural location of mostly farmers fields. There were scattered small cottages and farm buildings with the population employed as farm labourers, quarrymen, steel workers, ganisterGanister
A ganister is hard, fine-grained quartzose sandstone, or orthoquartzite, used in the manufacture of silica brick typically used to line furnaces...
miners or in the manufacturing of pocket knives.
Wisewood was transformed in the late 1920s when Sheffield City Council
Sheffield City Council
Sheffield City Council is the city council for the metropolitan borough of Sheffield in South Yorkshire, England. It consists of 84 councillors, elected to represent 28 wards, each with three councillors...
made the decision in 1928 to build a large housing estate there. At a council meeting on 4 April 1928 a compulsory purchase order
Compulsory purchase order
A compulsory purchase order is a legal function in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland that allows certain bodies which need to obtain land or property to do so without the consent of the owner. It may be enforced if a proposed development is considered one for public betterment - for...
was issued to purchase just over 80 acres (323,748.8 m²) of land for the building of the new council estate. Most of the land belonged to Tingle's Farm and Flander's Farmm now both demolished.
The land was bounded by Ben Lane to the north, Wisewood Lane and Hibberd Lane to the south, Dykes Lane to the east and Studfield Hill to the west. A total of £17,300 was paid to the landowners as compensation. On 7 November 1931 the final house on the Wisewood estate was completed and handed over to the new owner. The estate consisted of 901 dwellings and was built at an approximate cost of £400,000..
Amenities and landmarks
A site for a primary and secondary school to serve the estate was purchased by the council in 1927 at the junction of Ben Lane and Rural Lane at a cost of £1,350. Construction began in early 1929 with the junior school opening on 11 January 1932 at a cost of £17,000. The school originally accommodated 480 children; today it has a capacity of approximately 165. The secondary school was officially opened on 7 September 1933; today, it is called the Wisewood School and Community Sports College. It has been scheduled for closure in 2011 and merged with Myers Grove SchoolMyers Grove School
Myers Grove School was a secondary school in the north of Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. The school was bidding to become a businesses and enterprise college...
although this is being opposed by some parents.
In 1930, a row of shops was constructed across the road from the schools on the site of a drained pond; these still serve the estate today and include a post office, grocers, etc. The foundation stone for Wisewood Methodist Church was laid on 4 April 1970; this church in a modern style has an adjoining community hall. Dial House stands on Ben Lane; it was a country house for many years being so named because it had a sun dial
Sun Dial
Sun Dial is a British space rock band formed in 1990 by Gary Ramon.-History:The precursor to Sun Dial was Ramon's the Modern Art, formed in the mid-'80s with a loose lineup that never played gigs but did see the release of two studio albums...
over the front door. It became The Dial House Social Club
Working men's club
Working men's clubs are a type of private social club founded in the 19th century in industrial areas of the United Kingdom, particularly the North of England, the Midlands and many parts of the South Wales Valleys, to provide recreation and education for working class men and their families.-...
in the 1930s, finally closing in 2005. It is a grade II listed building and is now being integrated into a new development of apartments and houses.
The only recreation area within Wisewood is the locally named Spider Park, a grassy area with very few facilities; the local community are lobbying the council to upgrade the park and provide improved amenities. One of the largest structures in Wisewood, which often goes unnoticed, is a reinforced concrete covered reservoir just off Ben Lane. It holds 4 million gallons of water and measures 68 metres by 56 metres.