How Old is Arbourthorne pond?

[duckweed]

I know the pond was a fishing pond from 1920s onward and that there was a colliery nearby earlier. Was the pond as a result of mining subsidence or is it a natural pond? What is earliest reference to it and were there other ponds in the area?

[Edmund]

From the Sheffield Independent 23rd October 1937:

Alderman to Open Sheffield Pond

Speculation runs high on the Arbourthorne estate, Sheffield, as to what will be the catch of Ald. C.W.Gascoigne, chairman of the Estates Committee, when he makes the first official cast at the Arbourthorne Community Association pond this afternoon.

Whatever he catches, however, he will not be able to take home as a trophy, for one of the rules of the Association is that all fish caught must be thrown back.

Ald. Gascoigne to-day will officially hand over the keys to the enclosure to Coun. W.J Halford, chairman of the Arbourthorne Community Association.

"They say the pond is full of fish" the Alderman told the "Daily Independent" last night. "I think they are expecting me to make the first cast.  If I do I hope I get a big one".

In the event he didn't catch a single fish. After the opening members took part in an angling competition.  Each member had to pay twopence per fishing day, and were locked in to prevent children wandering in.

[SteveHB]

1 hour ago, duckweed said:

I know the pond was a fishing pond from 1920s onward and that there was a colliery nearby earlier. Was the pond as a result of mining subsidence or is it a natural pond? What is earliest reference to it and were there other ponds in the area?

Yes, Cherry Pond

https://www.sheffieldhistory.co.uk/forums/search/?q="cherry pond"&quick=1

 

[Heartshome]

7 hours ago, duckweed said:

I know the pond was a fishing pond from 1920s onward and that there was a colliery nearby earlier. Was the pond as a result of mining subsidence or is it a natural pond? What is earliest reference to it and were there other ponds in the area?

Hi duckweed. 

Go to   -   Sheffield Forum  -  posted by   -  Thewildones  Jan 16, 2009

Title search  -   Anyone Know Anything At All About Arbourthourne Pond?  ( note spelling! )

There are quite a few replies, so something might help your quest, ok Heartshome..

[History dude]

It appears on the first OS map in the 1850's, so it's much older than that.

[duckweed]

That's helpful.  Problem is that as it was Parkland before that the only maps I've seen are not exactly detailed. Wonder if it had another name too. 

[History dude]

One thing I am certain of is that it's not connected to mining. The area can be traced back to 1637 with what could have been a woodland and some kind of garden area for walking in connected to the Manor Lodge. It's been a fish pond for sometime and that would have been useful for supplying food to the Lord of the Manor.  

[Edmund]

Good thinking HD.  Here's the relevant page from Harrison's Survey of 1637, together with Scurfield's recreation of the lost Harrison map, and a later map of 1894, though the field shapes have changed.  The Pond would have been in Pond Meadow (ref 14) though it is not shown on Scurfield's map. The buildings to the south east of the pond seem to be known variously as "Keeper's Lodge","Arbourthorne Lodge" and "Paddock Farm"

[History dude]

Hursts are Woodland, which Scurfield doesn't grasp in his map. I think he tends to rely on the later map by Fairbank to place any woods. But by the time of Fairbank the trees had been ripped out of the park and the field system put in place. Stone Hurst especially was extensive and seems to have been lined with Holly Trees on the top on what is Hutter Hill, or what later became Elm Tree Hill. The Holly trees extended out of the park all the way down to the place still called Hollinsend today. A traveller even commented on them around 1700. Skelton's lodge became Park House farm right on the boundary. And she also had Buck Wood, called Berrystorth wood back then.  The Conduit Plaine is now called Deep Pit and the conduit was Kirk Bridge Dike, which still runs through it. The plaines were open areas. And thanks to a quirk of fate we can get an idea what they looked like from Bradgate Park, which never had the landscape people working on this old park. 

[duckweed]

This is great. I am trying to work up a history of the areas along a proposed walk. South Sheffield Woodland Walk and the pond is on the route. https://www.facebook.com/groups/303109837952309 What a pity they lost Cherry Pond.    

[History dude]

8 hours ago, duckweed said:

This is great. I am trying to work up a history of the areas along a proposed walk. South Sheffield Woodland Walk and the pond is on the route. https://www.facebook.com/groups/303109837952309 What a pity they lost Cherry Pond.    

Check out Tatton.

 

[Heartshome]

Hi duckweed. this was a good post! you put on, the info found for you is most interesting.

[Edmund]

Here's the Key for Scurfield's maps.  Does the crosshatching (woodland) just west of the text "Arbourthorn Hurst 10" indicate that this was the only remaining wood belonging to the Hurst at that time?

Then there's Sidney Addy....if it's not icelandic nouns, it's Robin Hood: