The Rise And Fall Of Holly In The Sheffield Region

[Bayleaf]

This article first appeared in the transactions of

The Hunter Archaeological Society

THE RISE AND FALL OF HOLLY IN THE SHEFFIELD REGION

By MARTIN SPRAY and DENNIS J. SMITH

In this district, as may be inferred from the will of Henry de Birley, the franklin, in 1391, every man's wealth was in sheep, and these during the greater part of the year required but little attention. Once, or sometimes twice a week, the owner rode out through chase or moorland, to look over his stock. . . . For the most part, even in winter, they fended for themselves, eating the last year's grass, finding herbage and roots amongst gorse and heather or beneath the thorn bushes, breaking ash boughs and peeling them from top to bottom, feeding greedily upon the bark and smooth leaves of the holly branches, lopped for them by the shepherd's axe. [1]

A look at the Ordnance Survey maps of South Yorkshire shows that the holly is represented in several local placenames. It is quite frequent, also, in parts of Derbyshire and north Cheshire. The names, however, are mostly derived not from the commoner form of the plant's name, but from the older forms, "hollin" and "holling".

As any good naturalist is to some extent a detective, and as almost all but the geology of our countryside is man-made, a knowledge of the history of a locality is most useful, when investigating an area's natural history. This article is an attempt to see how one particular historical development might have influenced some aspects of natural history and the appearance of the landscape, by affecting the distribution and abundance of one plant species.

Holly is probably not native over the whole of Britain. [2&3]In the Northumbrian and Scottish Highlands, as well as along parts of the east coast, it is fairly scarce. In much of the eastern lowlands of England it is probably an introduction. It is commonest in the damper and milder west of Britain: holly prefers an oceanic climate. It occurs commonly in scrub, and as an_understorey in woodlands. Occasionally it forms a pure stand, "whose origin and status are not known". [4] It has been widely planted in many places, especially in hedgerows. Holly grows on a variety of substrates, from peat to chalk. Around Sheffield, it occurs in most of the oakwoods, and it is common on the drier soils.

Although it grows in west Scotland up to about 1,700 ft., and in the Peak District to 1650 ft., we know from Scandinavian work, [5] and from British studies, [3] that holly is limited in the north and east by low temperatures. It does not fruit well, and often suffers frost damage here - a curious feature for a plant now symbolic of our Midwinter Feast. In the Pennine foothills, bushes in exposed situations rarely seem to flower or seed.

PLACENAMES

There is much evidence that holly is less abundant than it was formerly, through­out Europe. [6&7] The pollen record shows a decline since the Boreal Period (c. 7600-5500 BC), and there is good historical and literary evidence for a greater abundance in more recent centuries.

Holly was once of considerable economic importance, especially in the later Middle Ages, and the evidence of placenames is of great interest here.

The etymology of the plant's name itself is of interest. "Holly" is recorded from at least the 12th century, but was perhaps not common until the 16th or 17th centuries.

This is a shortened form of the commoner earlier forms "hollin" and "holling", which are recorded from before 1100. "Hollin", "hollen", "hollum", and "holm" are still heard in some northern dialects.

Placenames including the element "holly" or "hollies" are probably mostly of comparatively recent origin. A search of the standard English Placename Society volumes suggests that they were not recorded commonly until after perhaps 1500.

"Hollin(g)" and "hollin(g)s" names are commonly recorded in deeds, maps, letters, etc., much earlier. Many of the older names have, of course, been updated. An interesting local example is Sheffield's Blind Lane or Hollin Lane, which was changed to Holly Lane in 1830.

The distributions of these several forms of the holly's name are of considerable interest. An examination of the O.S. Seventh Series one inch maps of England and Wales showed that English names for holly virtually disappear (at the 1"scale) north of Newcastle (although "hollin" is known to remain in Scottish dialects), and in east Wales "holly" and "hollin(g)" names are very scarce. No search was made for Celtic holly names, although the Welsh "celyn" is derived from the same rootword as "hollin", as are some of the Galloway "'coll/in" names.

The distribution of "holly" names is wide, and includes areas in eastern England where the plant is an introduction. The pattern of "hollin(g)" names is different in three important respects: the names are not so widely scattered; they tend to be concentrated in the northern uplands; and they do not occur in the eastern lowlands. There are also rather more of these "holly" names on the 1"' maps.

Placenames are a primary derivation, usually from some feature of a locality. There are secondary derivations, equally interesting - though much more nebulous­ that also contribute evidence to the interpretation of an area's history. Family names are often derived from the names of localities; and there are many "Holly" and "Hollin(g)" surnames in Britain. Although the historical interpretation of surnames is difficult, there are some very intriguing data, gathered from a survey of the 1972 and 1973 telephone directories, that seem to suggest distributions of holly surnames similar to those of the placenames.

STOCKREARING IN BRITAIN

Throughout Europe, from the Neolithic period onwards, stockfarmers tended to feed their cattle on tree and bush leaves; indeed, the importance of forest grazing has been great, although now little appreciated, until comparatively recently. Even in the Middle Ages, "the cow appears, in the 12th century, to be mainly associated with forests and upland ranges, where it is found recorded as being kept in large numbers.... This was still true at the end of the 13th and beginning of the 14th centuries. . . ." [8] Most estates, including the monasteries [9], carefully exploited their woodlands.

European oxen are derived from forest animals; and our pigs are essentially woodland foragers. Sheep, however, cannot survive on woodland herbage: they require open grazings, and hence were not important in most early settlements in Britain. [10]

The early stockrearers appear to have kept their animals in stockades, and to have brought fodder to them. Elms were very suitable, and the regular pollarding of elms was widespread. [7] Such pollarding may have been a very important development: it has been estimated [10] that 2sq.km. of forest browsing might have supported only 20-30 head of cattle. Elm is favoured by cattle, and Roman commentators often referred to this. As late as the end of the 19th century, same Norwegian farmers fed their animals largely on dried leaves in the winter. [7] Ash provides another useful fodder for cattle, and was often used in Britain. [11]

Only when extensive areas of grassland had replaced forest, and techniques of grass conservation had been developed, could farmers winter most of their stock. The ones that were kept were fed on whatever plant material could be found. Tenants of forest lands often cut browsewood-stems less than one inch in circumference - although most of this was reserved for the deer. It seems [12] that at least in most of the Royal Forests, the browsewood was mostly oak twigs. Browse was usually cut in late autumn, and stored until required. Besides this, and the occasional use of the inner bark of trunks, the only significant source of winter forage was evergreens. In Britain, palatable evergreens are few: ivy, mistletoe, gorse, broom, juniper-and holly.

Ivy seems to be palatable to some animals. Evidence for its use as a fodder is not widespread, although it was much used by the Romans_, [11]and was sometimes valuable in northern Europe. [7] It has been used in Britain. [13] More particularly, it has been used medicinally, especially with oxen, and in some parts of the country this use persists. [14] Mistletoe is recorded as an occasional fodder in western and northern Europe, [7] and it has been used for breadmaking in times of famine.

Gorse, particularly Ulex europaeus, was a very widely used fodder, [15] and some local records are noted below. It was important in some parts of Britain until quite recently. It may not be native to the country, [6] and it has certainly been extensively sown in upland Wales [4] and in Ireland, [16] during the last few centuries. It is now regarded as a weed, although it has even been used as a short-term rotation crop. [11] Broom was sometimes used as a winter fodder for sheep, but it is rather purgative. Juniper was occasionally important, particularly in the Lake District, where as a browse it is still a major part of the diet of red deer. [17]

The importance of the heaths, particularly heather (ling), in British vegetation, is associated with forest clearance and the loss of fertility in acidifying soils, such as those of the southern Pennines. They provide a rather limited winter bite, even when managed by periodic burns.

The use of holly as a winter fodder is surprisingly little known, although it is fairly well documented. Indeed, this use of holly has, in some parts of the country, been important, and is still sometimes practised in winter, especially as a relief for deer. This use of holly is discussed in a paper by Radley, [18] which provoked the present survey. Some observations on its importance in particular areas have been published recently, for example for the New Forest; [19]where it was (and is) valuable for deer and ponies, and the Lake Diszrict,[20] where it was important for deer and sheep.

THE NATURAL HISTORY OF HOLLIN

The survey of "hollin(g)" placenames showed a cluster of such names in the Sheffield area. A crude pattern is apparent in the maps. The "hollin(g)" - but not the "holly" - names seem to be associated with certain parts of England: they are abundant in some of the upland areas, with acidic rocks that produce infertile soils and poor pastures; they are scarce in the lowlands (very scarce below 400 ft.), and in most of the limestone areas where grass pasture (and winter bite) is more abundant. The southern Pennines is one such acidic area, with soils less fertile than most in England.

A survey of local maps revealed a surprising number of holly-derived names. These are recorded on Map 1. Many names do not appear on the O.S. 6" sheets, particularly field and street names, and most of these are not represented. Doubtless, some names were missed, especially on the First Edition 1" sheets [21] originally published for this area between about 1840 and 1890.

Their relationship with the local geology and topography is fairly clear. The names are mostly concentrated on the Millstone Grits and Coal Measure sandstones and shales. There is a particular concentration in the valleys of the Don and its tributaries, and of the Ashop and Derwent. No names were found (in a search of the 6" maps: this does not mean that no such names occur in the area) on the Carbon­iferous Limestone, and there are few on the Magnesian Limestone and Bunter deposits.

There seem to be three correlations with topographic features. Most of the sites shown on the map lie above the 400 ft. contour. Few lie above 1000 feet. Land below 400 ft. is largely to the east of the survey area and in the Pennine foothill valleys, where land has been used for grassland and some arable farming. Conditions above 1000 ft. are inhospitable for holly, and include most of the area's bog vegetation.

Examination of the O.S. maps suggests that more holly names are associated with moderate slopes than are found on steep or level ground. The steeper slopes, of course, would be rather difficult for tree growth, either having unstable soils or being at relatively high altitudes in moorland. Gentler slopes are associated with the valley bottoms and the eastern lowlands. It is interesting to note that the microclimate of the middle of a valley side is often warmer, in cold periods, than the top and bottom of the slope, which tend to suffer frosting. [22] Holly, being sensitive to frost, perhaps fares better, in the Sheffield region, on such middle slopes, and may have been deliberately encouraged in this situation.

Finally, holly names seem to be associated with certain aspects. Graphs of data from the Sheffield area and for mid-Yorkshire both suggest a slight preponderance of names on the southwest-facing slopes, which are warmer than other aspects; and a correspondent in Bowland suspects a similar pattern there.

Besides maps, a most important source of locality names is archive documents. Several types of material are of interest in the present search, particularly deeds, rentals, and records of fines. A few examples are used to elaborate comments below.

An early record - from outside the immediate area being studied - notes that in 1358-59 8d. was paid for winter holly (Mediaeval Latin "husseiam") for certain weak animals belonging to Macclesfield Manor, and another records that someone was fined for cutting holly ("hus") without licence, near New Mills in 1361-62. [23] There is an abundance of Hollin map names in north Cheshire.

Of particular interest to Sheffield is a comment by the diarist Abraham de la Pryme. An entry for November 20, 1696, reads:

In the South west of Yorkshire, at and about Bradfield, and in Darbyshire, they feed all their sheep in winter with holly leaves and bark, which they eat more greedily than any grass. To every farm there is so many holly trees; and the more there is the farm is dearer; but care is taken to plant great numbers of them in all farms thereabouts." [24]

Holly was, indeed, commonly planted in this region. Glover's survey of Derbyshire in the early 19th century [25] records that the Millstone Grit and shale hills of Rawlee­-in-Hope (upper Derwent) "formerly abounded with holly pollards", planted as in orchards. The local antiquarian Addy himself speculates that:

a tract of land at Bradfield moors goes by the name Hollin-dale or Holling­dale. Here probably some of the Bradfield men fed their sheep during the snows of winter. [26]

Indeed, we know, for instance from a record of 1441-42, that holly was regularly sold to shepherds in the Bradfield area. [27]

Holly locally, as elsewhere in Britain, was of value not only for sheep. There are references to a Thomas Creswick of Stannington, in connection with hollies at "'Allow [Hollow] Meadows & Hollins [? New Hagg] ". In 1668 and 1669 he was disbursed for holly "which is for the red Deare of the High Mores"."' The first payment was £1. 6. 8d.

So extensive was this culturing of holly, that there is a well-established local dialect name for localities where the plant was abundant and grown for fodder. Thus a famous rental of 1624 refers to "'hagges" in Loxley and Rivelin, and "haggs of hollin" are recorded in documents elsewhere in the district. [19] Hunter recorded that:

a "hag of hollin" was the holly trees growing upon a certain portion of ground in the commons of the manor of Sheffield. The lord was accustomed to let or sell them by the hag [30]

The enclosures themselves, within which these hollies were grown, seem to have become known as "hollins", and this may explain some local field names. "Hag(g)", however, has two etymologies. In most cases it means an enclosure, or merely a hedge boundary. The second root is in the verb "hag", to cut or hack, which came to mean a portion of woodland marked off for cutting, and, in some northern areas, "a wood into which cattle are admitted". [31]

In the mid-17th century, Loxley was "overgrown with Holly trees, which were rented by several persons who had every one a hag. . . ." [28] An observer in 1741 noted that few of these trees still survived; they had been grubbed, along with much other woodland, in about 1670. [28] Indeed, the Ronksley papers [29] show "hollen" rentals from 1604 to 1638, but several were not being paid at the later date. A report suggests that in about the 1620's, hollies were very prominent:

[Loxley] Chase was silva pastoralis, forest "so free from undergrowth as to be fit for the purpose of pasturage . . .", and in the neighbourhood of the various hamlets which lay upon the border were innumerable hollies, serving for winter feeding of the sheep.[1]

Much earlier, however, as can be seen from the opening quotation, holly was locally important. The right to local pasturage on the "moors, herbage and foliage" of Loxley Chase was apparently formalised by the third Thomas de Furnival (1280­ - 1332).

An analysis of hagg rents has not yet been made, but the following may indicate their value:

In 1574, "one hage of hollen at Bell hagg [Rivelin] letten to Phillipe Morton of ye Cloughe feilde for Vs. a yeare . . ." [32]

In 1604, Thomas Smith paid 5s. for hollin in Bell Hagg, [29] although the 1574 list noted "one hagge lyeing in Stannington Wood . . . which was before Vs. a yeare nowe ys IXs. . . ."

In about 1690, "one messuage called Belhag and a hag of Hollin" were rented for £15. [33]

In the early 17th century, individual haggs seem to have ranged in value from about 4s. to £3. 10. Od. a year. Further examples from the Ronksley rolls are quoted in Addy. [26]

The local distribution of "haggs" can be seen from Map 1. There are rashes of Hagg names in Hope Woodlands (Rowlee), and in the Rivelin Valley. Map 2 shows the Hagg names preserved in the latter area, immediately to the west of Sheffield. In the 1624 Ronksley rental, seven "'Rivellinge hagges" are listed. Four Hagg locality names are preserved, besides road names, and the Hollins and Coppice names perhaps indicate the locations of the other haggs. Holly bushes are abundant in the oak and birch wood at Fox Hagg, and also in Coppice Wood, where they form a dense storey beneath some of the beech.

It must be remembered, however, in interpreting these Rivelin names, that "hagg" has two etymologies. The documentary evidence [34] suggests that the early forms of Bell Hagg-"Bel(l) haye/hagge"-recorded in the 16th century probably derive from the Old English "bel-haga", a "beacon (signal) enclosure". The recent forms of the name have been influenced by the common word "bell", and "-haye" has been replaced by the dialect "hagg", a '"copse".

Besides these localities where Hagg names are preserved, many of which coincide with Hollin names, there are several places, mostly to the west of Sheffield an agri­culturally marginal land, where holly is locally abundant and there are Hollin locality names. Often the plants are markedly localised, and grow as bushes, rather than trees, which appear to have been coppiced.

The Bolsterstone area provides at least two of these, at Hollin Busk ("bush") (SK 274.974) and Hallin Edge ('SK 287.964), bath of which were recorded as discrete parcels of land at the time of the Bolsterstane Inclosure, 1778. The latter was "Hollen Edge" in a sale record of 1601, which also notes a "parcel of wood-ground called the Hagg containing by estimation 10 acres" [35] There are Great and Little Hollins Woods at Wharncliffe-Beeley, in the Don Valley; and an interesting newspaper item of 1902 refers to this locality:

There are still a number of hollies in Wharncliffe and other woods nearby, where thousands of trees must have existed not so long ago. . . . Many old people have told the writer that they could remember the time when holly was much more abundant in the vicinity of Sheffield than it is now, and the causes of its disapp6arance are not far to seek. They are rabbits, and the common bracken.... [36]

There are, moreover, several localities where holly is abundant, but where "hollin" placenames - at least official ones - seem to be missing. An excellent example, and one of the clearest examples of a surviving hollin hagg, is the boulder-strewn edge of Wadsley-Loxley Common (SK 308.905). Here are numerous old trees and bushes that presumably constitute one or more of the Loxley "hollens" rented in 1624. One or two sites in Ewden, opposite the Bolsterstone hollins, are likewise probable haggs.

There are, of course, old haggs where holly no longer grows. There seem, for instance, to be none in the Bradfield Hollingdale. There must, however, be numerous other derelict hollin haggs, which can still be traced. And there are two ways of searching: in the field, and in the archives.

THE DECLINE

Perhaps the comment about the Wharncliffe hollies is very pertinent:

Many old people have told the writer that they could remember the time when holly was much more abundant in the vicinity of Sheffield. . . .[38]

Remembering that holly in the Pennine foothills is perhaps not in its optimum conditions, if the old bushes of Wharncliffe, Loxley, Rivelin, and other areas, once so carefully managed, are remnants of old rented haggs, it is likely that these local clusters of holly are declining rapidly. Some of the local haggs were probably important up to the middle of the 17th century (cf. de la Pryme's entry, and the Ronksley rental). They must, however, have fallen into disuse quite quickly, as methods changed in this period of agricultural experiment.

Hollins were listed in estate records into the early 18th century. At Christmas 1712, for example, the woodward of the Duke of Norfolk's estates paid 4s. to

Hen: Broomhead for him and horse going 2 days in the Great Snow to see if anyone Cropped Holling.[37]

The estate's tenantry record books seem to have a scattering of holly entries throughout at least the first third of the century. There were Loxley, Ughill and Dungworth rents in the 1710's. Several tenants had leases from December 1719 "till the taking downe of Stannington Wood".

As late as 1737, a Bradfield man agreed "to take all that hag of Hollin called Ugghill Wood within the said Chapelry." [37*]

However, in 1710, the Duke's bailiff had recorded several haggs "unlett but most of them destroyed [30] Probably, also, many of the hilly marginal areas that had been carefully grazed, and which grew hollins, became derelict as the importance, and the fertility, of the nearby hill grazings declined. Certainly, many local fields enclosed in the 18th century have become derelict. Examples can be seen in all the valleys to the west of the city - at Fox and Bell Haggs in Rivelin, for example. As seems evident from the many Hollin and Hagg localities that no longer sport holly, many of the plants that once produced winter fodder have died out without regenerating, or were stubbed out. (A "'stubbing" is an area from which woodland or scrub has been cleared.)

By the second half of the 18th century, the regular use of hollins may have been very rare, not only locally but throughout England. One observer, travelling in 1772 near Hawkshead in the Lake District, deemed it worth noting that he:

in one place observed a Holly park, a tract preserved entirely for sheep.... [39] (He also recorded that "wild cats inhabit in too great plenty these woods and rocks"!)

The practice seems now to be scarcely remembered. Even as an emergency fodder, it is probably not commonly used. In 1976 a request for information was placed in the main South Yorkshire and North Derbyshire newspapers, and in several national farming and countryside magazines. Many interesting replies were received; but, although gorse and ivy were referred to by a few correspondents, [14] none mentioned a recent use of holly.

Woody, bushy plants, however, are often very persistent, and it is not surprising that holly still does grow in many old haggs. The cutting and ""pollarding" would have affected many bushes in a way similar to the laying of hedgerow bushes. Holly is fairly long-lived; plants of over 200 years are sometimes quite robust, and there are accurate records of trees of 250 years.[3]

The persistence of the species can perhaps be seen in some data from the Cannon Hall area near Barnsley. Besides the list of several "hollin" fields in estate records of 1648, a plan exists [40] of which the date is lost, but which is a survey of Barnby Manor, probably carried out in about 1750. A part of this plan is shown in Map 3, where three fields are named after the plant that (presumably) formed their hedges. In 1975, the pattern of fields in this area was slightly altered, but much of the 18th century pattern remains.

Map 4 suggests that same other features of the 18th century landscape have persisted, too: holly is abundant in the "'Hollin­hedges", and occurs in places along the old lane to Cawthorn Park, but is scarce elsewhere in the vicinity. The number of woody species recorded in each length of hedge, moreover, is (according to Hooper's rather dubious "theory" [41] ) highly suggestive of the relative antiquity of the Hollinhedge_. triangle.

Finally, it must be remembered that, although holly was of particular importance locally as a fodder, other evergreens were worthy of record. A survey of Eckington Manor in 1650 notes that some families have:

tyme out of mind used to have Common of herbage far all manner of cattle [grazing animals] upon all and every the Commons and Waste Grounds of the said Manor, and to dig or Cutt Clodds and Earth [perhaps for fuel], and to cutt dawn Whimmes [whins, probably broom], Hollice [holly] and Gorse upon the said Waste Grounds and Common [42]

Furthermore, from one farmer living near Rotherham:

. . . 3s. 4d. was received from the gorse of the said meadows .[27]

In 1442, this was large money.

Deciduous trees, of course, were still important. An agreement of 1659 allowed Benjamin Taylor of Wadsley to carry a wain load of "brawnes" [browse-wood] from Loxley each year.

On May 10th of the previous year, a number of animals were brought to forage in Rivelin : they included "calves, heifers, k'ine, steares, cows, oxen, colts, foles, mares, fillies and horses" . [43]

In the North Midlands at least, not all flesh was grass until quite recently.

Notes

1 G. R. Sitwell, The Hurts of Haldworth, Oxford, 1930.

2 F. H. Perring and S. M. Walters_, Atlas of the British Flora, London, 1962. The species' caption contains an error, and should distinguish 'recorded and probable introduction's' and `all other records'.

3 G. F. Peterken and P. S. Lloyd, 'Biological Flora of the British Isles; Ilex aquifolitam L.', Journal of Ecology, 55, 1967, pp. 841-58.

4 A. G. Tansley, The British Islands and Their Vegetation, Cambridge, 1939.

5 J. Iverson, `Viscum, Hedera and Ilex as Climatic Indicators', Geologiska Foreninqens i Stockholm Forhandlingarr, 66, 1944, pp. 463-83.

6 H. Godwnn, The History of the British Flora, second edition , Cambridge, 1975.

7 J. Troels-Smith, Ivy, Mistletoe and Elm: Climatic Indicators--Fodder Plants', Danmarks Geolagishe Undersoglelse, IV Rk. Nr. 4, 1460, pp. 1-32.

8 R. A. Donkin, `Cattle on the Estates of Medieval Cistercian Monasteries', Economic History Review, 15, 1962, pp. 31-53.

9 L..Kershaw, Bolton Priory: the Economy of a Northern Monastery, 1286-1325, Oxford, 1973.

10 J. G. Evans, The Environment of Early Man in Britain, London, 1975.

11 e.g. C. P. Johnson, The Useful Plants of Great Britain, London, 1867.

12 J. C. Cox; The Royal Forests of England, London, 1905.

13 e.g. B. Waites, `Horses were bred at Blansby Park', Dalesman, 25 (12), 1964, 976; M. Weekley, ed., A Memoir of Thomas Bewick, London, 1961.

14 Correspondence, 1975-76, with farmers in Pembroke and Bowland Forest suggests that the medicinal use of ivy is still remembered. Some of its virtues are described in a letter by G. Millar, Farmers' Weekly, 9th January, 1976, p. 45.

15 There is a fairly extensive literature, e.g. S. Elly, `On the Cultivation of Gorse as a Food For Cattle', Journal of the Royal Agricultural ^,Society of England, lst series, 6, 1848, pp. 523-28.

16 e.g. C. J. Robb, a letter -in Country Life, 15th May 1958, p. 1079.

17 J. S. R. Chard, `The Red Deer of Furness Fells', Forestry, 39, 1966, pp. 135-50.

18 J. Radley, `Holly as a Winter Feed', Agricultural History Review, 9, 1961, pp. 89-92.

19 C. R. Tubbs, The New Forest: An Ecological History, Newton Abbot, 1968.

20 W. H. Pearsall and W. Pennington, The Lake District, London, 1973.

21 Ordnance Survey 1" to a mile maps, first edition reprints, Newton Abbot, 1970.

22 R. Geiger, The Climate Near the Ground, trans. M. N. Stewart, Cambridge, U.S.A., 1950.

23 Information from Macclesfield archives, in letters from P. H. Booth, Institute of Extension Studies, Liverpool University.

24 `The Diary of Abraham de la Pryme', Surtees Society Transactions, 54, 1870.

25 S. Glover, History and Gazetteer of the County of Derby, Derby, 1831, as noted in 3.

26 S. O. Addy, The Hall of Waltheof/, Sheffield and London, 1893. Present day Bradfield shepherds seem not to remember this origin of the name.

27 `Compotus of the Foresters of John Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury, for Bradfield, Rivelin, Granow and Hallfield', Transactions of the Hunter Archaeological Society, 2, 1920, p. 74.

28 Sheffield City Libraries (S.C.L.), Ronksley Collection vol. 159, nos. 11549, 11550. Deer naturally had precedence: the tenants of Duffield Ffrith, Derbyshire, were described in 1581 as having the right to lop holly and undergrowth for relief of the Queen's game when there were deer, and for their own cattle and sheep. (12).

29 S.C.L., Ronksley Collection, vol. 160. Some of these are quoted in Addy, op. cit.

30 J. Hunter, Notes for the Hallamshire Glossary, quoted in Addy, op. cit.

31 See New English Dictionary, and S. M. Kuhn and J. Reidy, Middle English Dictionary, Ann A bor. 1963; c.f. Scottish National Dictionary.

32 S.C.L., Ronksley Collection vol. 159, no. 12084

33 S.C.L., Arundel Castle MSS (A.C.M.) S 147. All references to the Arundel Castle MSS in the Sheffield City Libraries are by kind permission of His Grace the Duke of Norfolk, C.B., C.B.E., M.C., and the Director of Libraries, Mr. R. F. Atkins, F.L.A.

34 A. H. Smith, The Placenames of the West Riding of Yorkshire, English Place Names Society, vol. XXX, 1961

35 T.W.Hall Descriptive Catalogue of the Wheat Collection, Sheffield, p119

36 Sheffield Telegraph, 16 April 1902

37 S.C.L. A.C.M. S376,S377

38 S.C.L., A.C.M.'S158/6, f. 31.

39 T. Pennant, Tour of Scotland, 1772, London, 1774-6. Quoted by S. L. Petty, Nates and Queries, 10th series, 12, 1909, p. 494.

40 S.C.L., Spencer Stanhope Collection 121. The authors acknowledge S. W. Fraser for permission to publish part of this item.

41 M. D. Hooper, 'Hedges and Local History', National Council for Social Service, for Standing Conference for Local History, London, 1971. Hooper has subsequently modified this.

42 T. W. Hall, Descriptive Catalogue of the Edmunds Collection, Sheffield, p. 80.

43 S.C.L., Ronksley Collection, vol. 155, no. 748; vol. 157, no. 7427.

[DaveH]

My previous reply to this excellent post by Bayleaf seems to have disappeared.

The word HOLLIN meaning Holly reminded me of my own locality here in S12

We have streets with the word HOLLINsend in them (eg Hollinsend Road), and a local boozer called the Hollin Bush.

I believe there is also a Hollin House somewhere over the other side (S6 maybe) of town.

[Bayleaf]

My previous reply to this excellent post by Bayleaf seems to have disappeared.

The word HOLLIN meaning Holly reminded me of my own locality here in S12

We have streets with the word HOLLINsend in them (eg Hollinsend Road), and a local boozer called the Hollin Bush.

I believe there is also a Hollin House somewhere over the other side (S6 maybe) of town.

Nothing personal Dave, my reply to your reply went with it!

[DaveH]

Nothing personal Dave, my reply to your reply went with it!

I had noticed Bayleaf,

It's just one of those things.

The more you post, the more problems you experience.

I am sure there are a large number of members that never post that haven't even noticed that anything was wrong at all. :o

[syrup]

I had noticed Bayleaf,

It's just one of those things.

The more you post, the more problems you experience.

I am sure there are a large number of members that never post that haven't even noticed that anything was wrong at all.

I noticed that my post went missing thought i had broke something so i signed off, Does anyone know what happened??

[DaveH]

I noticed that my post went missing thought i had broke something so i signed off, Does anyone know what happened??

Don't know syrup, but ALL of the posts I made yesterday have gone, even those made earlier in the day, and not just the ones made at the time that the site went down.

I think we must currently be running using Monday's back up copy and all yesterdays stuff seems to have gone.

[syrup]

Don't know syrup, but ALL of the posts I made yesterday have gone, even those made earlier in the day, and not just the ones made at the time that the site went down.

I think we must currently be running using Monday's back up copy and all yesterdays stuff seems to have gone.

Thats alright then, Only when i signed on tonight i saw that steve had put on the picturesheffield link in the C H Preston thread stating forum member syrup,

Only i read it as former member syrup and i thought ups.

[DaveH]

Thats alright then, Only when i signed on tonight i saw that steve had put on the picturesheffield link in the C H Preston thread stating forum member syrup,

Only i read it as former member syrup and i thought ups.

No you are still with us syrup.

I think steve was just trying to restore the damage to the site and give due credit to the original poster of the lost posts.