Friends Of Sheffield Castle - Events

[vox]

As requested by Ron, I've started this topic to help publicise their various events.

Mary, Queen of Scots in Sheffield
Monday 8th September

7.30 Central United Reform Church – Chapel Walk/Norfolk Street (map) Illustrated Talk by David Templeman – Friends Of Sheffield Manor Lodge. What was the life like of ‘Scotia’s Beauteous Queen’ while in capitivity in Sheffield ?

-------------------------

Beating of the Bounds of Sheffield Castle
Date changed from Sat 13th to - Sunday 14th September

12 – 2pm Meet at the Exchange Brewery The profile of the Friends of Sheffield Castle continues to expand together with the proposals for Castlegate on not only a Yorkshire but now a national basis.

------------------------------

Sheffield’s Medieval Park – a re-examination of its function
Monday 3rd November

7-9pm Manor Lodge Discovery Centre, Manor Lane, Sheffield (map) Mel Jones – Radio Sheffield’s History Man and authority on Sheffield’s ancient woodlands looks at the function and management of the medieval deer park that adjoined Sheffield Castle.

------------------------------

The Church, the Castle and the Captive Queen
Wednesday 3rd December

14:00 -15:00 Sheffield Cathedral The Church, the Castle and the Captive Queen – 200 Years of the Shrewsbury Family in Sheffield by Margaret Garner. Admission free but places must be booked by telephone (0114 263 6951) or email janet.ridler@sheffield-cathedral.org.uk

-----------------------------------

More information on the events page of their website

[vox]

Change of date from the above information:

Beating of the Bounds of Sheffield Castle
Date changed to - Sunday 14th September

[vox]

By email from ron

Further changes to:

BEATING THE BOUNDS OF SHEFFIELD CASTLE - HERITAGE OPEN DAYS-WALK

Please see www.heritageopendays.org.uk/directory/laa/sheffield

This will be held on Saturday 13th Sept 12-00-13-30 - meet Exchange Brewery
and Sunday 14th Sept 12-00 -14-00 - again meet Exchange Brewery. Some of you may wish to update your websites

Any queries please e-mail me - RON - bigronclayton@hotmail.co.uk

[Guest captive_queen]

Hi - re the talk at the Cathedral on Dec 3 - can I just correct a couple of things please? My email address to book tickets is actually: janet.ridler@sheffield-cathedral.org.uk (I have had a couple of calls from people telling me it is incorrect on this page), also the speaker's name is Margaret Garner (not Mary). It's part of our Heritage Talks Programme at the cathedral not a FOSC event but I think Ron put it up on their website as its theme touches on the castle. Cheers and thanks!

[vox]

I've edited the mistakes in the original post.

I actually just copied and pasted what Ron emailed to me.

Hope it's all correct now.

[vox]

By Email from Ron C

FRIENDS OF SHEFFIELD CASTLE OPPOSITION TO PROPOSAL TO RETAIN CASTLE MARKET TOWER

Dear All
We would ask for your support- Details will follow-please see my letter in Telegraph tomorrow.

Please stand up and be counted

Ron

[vox]

I think it worth mentioning that, although I count Ron as a friend and a valuable Sheffield campaigner, his views on certain subjects don't necessarily reflect my own.

I present his emails on SH simply because he has asked me to, as, for reasons known only to himself, he doesn't want to become a member of the forum.

[duckweed]

The problem is that the tower is over one of the most exciting sites re archaeology.

The market is not going to return as it was unfit for purpose and has really been for a number of years.

What might be an idea is that Castle Coop could become a shopping centre so bringing back some small independent traders. Personally haven't noticed any rise in prices of market goods at the Moor and Market manager has been discounting rent so not sure previous criticism is justified. Also seen that footfall for Moor market is up from the previous year when it was in Castlegate despite some stalls not filled. Just not as large as hoped.

So given all that the choice is whether to keep the tower not as a market but as an office block. The suggestion is that it should stay as a memorial/example of 20th c architecture. The campaigners do not say how much this would cost or who would do it. Certainly wouldn't be the Council. Any developer would have to take into account any castle remains as they are listed. Any work digging foundations would first have to be investigated by the archaeologists and paid for by the developer. Would the returns from restoring an old tower and building an office block round it be sufficient for a developer to take it on? I can't say. If people think the tower is important enough it is their right to support it but please don't if you think it will bring back the market or even look like the old market. It won't.

Castle remains is not all about how high the walls are. Look at Yorvik which is basically a few planks found in the ground. What the castle could be is one of the most important medieval digs in years. If you have ever watched Time Team you will know important heritage is not based on size but significance. It might be disappointing. No one can tell till it is actually done but expert opinion think the signs are good. The Council is getting funding to unculvert the Sheaf which will help stop flooding and the idea is to create a park round that so isn't just a park with stones in. In fact the remains might be covered up again depending on what is best to protect the site.

So voting for Tower will probably mean the tower stair structure left for several years while the dig works round it and will require a very patient developer, but no one can promise either that some huge castle will loom up either.