Sheffield Castle

[RichardB]

http://jimsdesk.co.uk/

John Bright, who'd been promoted to Colonel, took part in the battle of Marston Moor in July of that year. This was the decisive battle which gave Parliament the final victory in the North of England. All that remained now was the mopping up of any pockets of resistance, including Rotherham and Sheffield. So on the 8th August 1644, the Earl of Manchester sent an army of one thousand two hundred foot-soldiers and a regiment of horse, under the command of Major-General Crawford, to take the two small towns. Taking Rotherham proved more difficult than expected, for the people had blockaded the streets, but superior forces soon won the day. Before the main body of the Parliamentary army advanced on Sheffield, a scouting party consisting of Colonel Bright and Major-General Crawford came to survey the castle and its defences. Considering the castle poorly defended, Colonel Bright wanted to attack immediately, but General Crawford was more cautious so the party returned to Rotherham to report to the Earl of Manchester. The Earl told General Crawford that he could begin an attack, but that he was not to endanger the soldiers any more than necessary. Colonel Bright, in the meanwhile, was sent to York to obtain some heavy artillery for the siege and thus the march on Sheffield began.

When the Parliamentary army entered Sheffield they were welcomed by the townsfolk and they assisted the troops in setting up a large camp on the edge of Sheffield Park. To start the siege, ramparts of sods and stones were built within yards of the castle moat. The builders were fired on and one captain and a master gunner were killed.

In an account written at the time, the next move was described as follows:

'Our Forces being come near this castle, sent three great shot which did execution in the castle; after which they sent a summons to the castle, who shot three times at the trumpeter, two of which shots hardly missed him; and they flourishing their swords, cried out they would have no other parley.'

General Crawford then decided to try and drain the moat, but was unsuccessful. He followed this by employing a number of local miners to dig a tunnel under the moat, but they struck solid rock and had to give up.

The Parliamentary artillery barrage was having little effect, due to a shortage of cannon balls, so the Earl of Manchester set local ironworkers busy making more ammunition. The small cannons used were called 'culverines' and 'sakers', but their shot did little damage to the MASSIVE walls of the castle.

More help arrived in the form of Colonel Bright, who brought with him two extra cannon. One was a demi-cannon and the other a very large piece called a 'Queen's Pocket Pistol'. Their first shots caused a large breach in the castle walls, and the contemporary account goes on to say

'. . . and these did great execution upon one side of the castle, and brought the strong walls thereof down into the trenches [moat] and made a perfect breach.'

Major Beaumont, commanding the forces in the castle, then decided to seek terms , but after hearing them, he and Lady Saville were reluctant to surrender. A further bombardment was ordered and six more shots breached the castle walls, causing all resistance to collapsed. Further talks were then held to draw up terms of surrender.

The terms were quite generous to the besieged and after handing over the castle, the officers of the garrison were allowed to go where they pleased, keeping their horses, swords and pistols. The ordinary soldiers, providing they laid down their arms, could go to their homes and families and a week was allowed for the evacuation of wives, children and goods from the castle.

Lady Saville, and her children, could either stay in the castle or have safe conduct to leave. By the 11th August 1644, all the soldiers had gone, except for about thirty men, who, on finding some stocks of ale, had got drunk and refused to surrender. A swift Parliamentarian attack soon made prisoners of them all.

Sheffield Castle was then made a Parliamentary stronghold with Colonel John Bright as governor. However, because of his fine record as a soldier, he was soon fighting again at the Siege of Pontefract. Later, he was appointed Governor of Hull and York and Captain Edward Gill, of Norton, took command of the castle.

Though four years later the Earl of Arundel was allowed to buy back the castle and estate for six thousand pounds, a resolution was passed by the House of Commons that the castle must be destroyed. So in 1648 demolition began and various parts of the castle were sold to local people. Records of these sales still exist and some are quoted below for that year:

To: Nicholas Atkinson, the slate of the hall ... ... ... . £1 10s 0d

To: William Birley, 6 stones ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...1s 0d

To: Henry Bulles, 1 door ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...1s 10d

To: Nathaniel Crewick, I ceiling ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...10s 0d

To: William Saunders, for ye little kitchen ... ... ... ... £3 0s 0d

To: Edward Wood, 2 planks ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...10s 0d

[Bayleaf]

Wasn't some of the stone from the castle later used to build the boys' grammar school?

[RichardB]

Wasn't some of the stone from the castle later used to build the boys' grammar school?

I've read that somewhere, can't for the life of me remember where .... etc

[Bayleaf]

I've read that somewhere, can't for the life of me remember where .... etc

Same here, I was hoping you'd remember Richard!

[RichardB]

Same here, I was hoping you'd remember Richard!

Ha !

http://www.omnesamici.co.uk/SPTC/SPTCbolsoverHTML.htm

Extract :

THE GRAMMAR SCHOOL IN SHEFFIELD

Formal education in Sheffield actually dates back some 500 years or more. It is noted that the Canons of Beauchief Abbey engaged a teacher in 1490 to instruct boys and novices in grammar and singing. One of the earliest of Sheffield's schools is mentioned in the books of the Church Burgesses, when in 1564, a Mr Yonge obtained a licence to keep a school. In 1604, Thomas Smith (who was probably born in Sheffield) of Crowland in Lincolnshire, left the sum of £30 per year for running a Free Grammar School. The founding of the school was permitted by King James I and he gave instructions that the school should be called the King James Grammar School.

In 1648, Sheffield Castle was demolished (see Sheffield history section) and some of the stone was used to build a new grammar school in Townhead Street and this became known as the Royal Sheffield Grammar School. It remained in use until 1825, when a new school was built in St George's Square. Many other schools were built in Sheffield during this period and some were very highly regarded, having taught some of the leading citizens of the country.

Another first for Sheffield occurred after the passing of the Education Act of 1870. The first school to be built in England under the Act was Newhall School at Attercliffe in 1873. In the same year, Broomhall School was opened, quickly followed by Netherthorpe and Philadelphia.

In 1874 a plan was produced by the Sheffield architects, Innocent and Brown, for the laying out of Leopold Street and the realignment of Church Street and Bow Street (now West Street). In 1876 the area between Orchard Lane, West Street, Orchard Street and Balm Green was covered by a huddle of old houses in two streets now gone (Smith Street and Sands Paviours). This site was bought by the Sheffield School Board (SSB) for building the Central Schools and offices for themselves. At this time, Mark Firth (of steel fame) was interested in founding an Adult Education College which he intended should become a University College, so the Board sold him part of the site at the corner of West Street. The new building, called the Firth College after it's benefactor, was opened by Prince Leopold (hence Leopold Street) in 1879.

[RichardB]

Goole search :

sheffield +grammar +school +castle +leopold +stone

Pages from UK, hit number 2 !!!

[Bayleaf]

Goole search :

sheffield +grammar +school +castle +leopold +stone

Pages from UK, hit number 2 !!!

Nice one Richard, still wish I could remember where I read it though. These CRAFT moments are starting to join up! :unsure:

[Guest tsavo]

Try this link. Scroll down see under Sheffield Castle.

Mystery solved.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education_in_Sheffield

[RichardB]

Sheffield Castle and Manor.

"For fourteen years secluded from mankind,

Here Mary lingered. Often have these walls

Echoed her footsteps, as with even tread,

She paced around her prison. Not to her,

Did nature's fair varities exist.

She never saw the sun's delightful beams,

Save when through yon high bars he pour'd a sad,

A broken splendour."

[Guest Trefcon]

In 1647 Parliament ordered that Sheffield Castle should be "sleighted and demolished."

This from 'Sheffield in Tudor and Stuart Times' -

'Wellgate, which led down to Broad Lane, intersected Campo Lane at a point where the Grammar School had been established in the mid-16th century. Below street level with steps leading down to the doorway, it was a dismal place. In 1648, the same year that the Castle was demolished, it too was taken down and rebuilt with materials from the Castle.'

[Guest Gramps]

Sheffield Castle and Manor.

She never saw the sun's delightful beams,

Save when through yon high bars he pour'd a sad,

A broken splendour."

A classic example of how history is distorted by 'Art'

Mary's confinement in Sheffield was made as comfortable as possible according to her status and she certainly never dwelt in a dungeon.

Incidentally there will be some letters by Mary on display in the forthcoming V&A exhibition at the Millenium Galleries.

[RichardB]

In 1647 Parliament ordered that Sheffield Castle should be "sleighted and demolished."

This from 'Sheffield in Tudor and Stuart Times' -

'Wellgate, which led down to Broad Lane, intersected Campo Lane at a point where the Grammar School had been established in the mid-16th century. Below street level with steps leading down to the doorway, it was a dismal place. In 1648, the same year that the Castle was demolished, it too was taken down and rebuilt with materials from the Castle.'

Link to "A quite difficult question" thread ...

[Bayleaf]

A classic example of how history is distorted by 'Art'

Mary's confinement in Sheffield was made as comfortable as possible according to her status and she certainly never dwelt in a dungeon.

Incidentally there will be some letters by Mary on display in the forthcoming V&A exhibition at the Millenium Galleries.

I went to the exhibition last week. The number of exhibits was a bit disppointing compared with the Islamic Art one a while ago, but fascinating and well worth a visit. Some of the exhibits were exquisite, and I particularly liked the local tie-ins.

[RichardB]

Wasn't some of the stone from the castle later used to build the boys' grammar school?

If only there was some kind of list of all the bits sold off from the Castle stating what the item was, who bought it and how much was paid ...

...

...

...

he said ...

Now we just need a total.