RichardB Posted December 14, 2007 Share Posted December 14, 2007 Of the many Pubs I've noticed missing from my research two spring to mind, not seen much mention of the Heavygate or the Stone House (Church Street). One out in the sticks (still a trade route I think), the other slap-bang in the middle of the Old Town, after a night on the pop in 1842 you could have spit a bit of Victorian kebab at the Parish Church from the Stone House ..... strange, but true(ish). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheffield History Posted December 14, 2007 Share Posted December 14, 2007 Where is the Heavygate ? I've heard the name a zillion times.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tsavo Posted December 14, 2007 Share Posted December 14, 2007 Top of Matlock Road off Heavygate Road. Only ever went in there twice. The first time (early 60s) it had bar made up of two barrels and a plank....and it went quiet when you went in. The second time it had been refurbished and looked like every other 'modernised pub. Prefered the original decor....but not the welcome! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardB Posted December 14, 2007 Author Share Posted December 14, 2007 Top of Matlock Road off Heavygate Road. Only ever went in there twice. The first time (early 60s) it had bar made up of two barrels and a plank....and it went quiet when you went in. The second time it had been refurbished and looked like every other 'modernised pub. Prefered the original decor....but not the welcome! Made very welcome last time I was in there, 2005, very interested in the history of the place, it has some history .... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ceegee Posted December 17, 2007 Share Posted December 17, 2007 Made very welcome last time I was in there, 2005, very interested in the history of the place, it has some history .... 'Gate' probably doesn't mean gate here. It's more likely to mean 'road' from Middle English derived from Old Norse 'gata'. So a 'heavy' gate is a steep road. And 'Heavygate Road' is a tautology, and the pub sign is a misunderstanding. Another explanation is that it related to the name of a field adjacent to the farmhouse, and the gate that secured it, although my preference is for the former. There is a late 17th century date stone in the porch 1696. The carving sre the names of the owners *&* Ellis if I remeber. The building was a farmhouse. The first reference to it as a pub is mid 19th century. Matlock Road (formally Wharncliffe Road), was built roughly at the same time age as the streets below it circa 1850. The old road is Heavygate Road itself, at one time known as Steel Bank. A Fairbank survey circa 1790 shows the road, the farmhouse (unnamed) and Dark Lane (now Northfield Road). Although the road by the pub isn't steep, to get to it from Commonside the only way was up the steep incline off Howard Road. The only other element of note I came across was a cutting from 1896 when the then landlord roasted an ox to celebrate the bi-centennial of the building. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tsavo Posted December 17, 2007 Share Posted December 17, 2007 Quote: Matlock Road (formally Wharncliffe Road), was built roughly at the same time age as the streets below it circa 1850. The old road is Heavygate Road itself, at one time known as Steel Bank. A Fairbank survey circa 1790 shows the road, the farmhouse (unnamed) and Dark Lane (now Northfield Road). Although the road by the pub isn't steep, to get to it from Commonside the only way was up the steep incline off Howard Road. Am slightly confused, Ceegee. If we are talking about the present road, the top of Matloch Road, is very steep, especially where it joins Heavygate Road just opposite Aldred Road. I know as I walked down it every day on my way to work. Cars used to come up the final bit in first gear and on a bike? Forget it. Far too steep. Maybe you are refering to an original road? Thanks for the info about the name's origin though. Makes you realise just how many languages are mixed into what we call 'English'! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ceegee Posted December 17, 2007 Share Posted December 17, 2007 Quote: Matlock Road (formally Wharncliffe Road), was built roughly at the same time age as the streets below it circa 1850. The old road is Heavygate Road itself, at one time known as Steel Bank. A Fairbank survey circa 1790 shows the road, the farmhouse (unnamed) and Dark Lane (now Northfield Road). Although the road by the pub isn't steep, to get to it from Commonside the only way was up the steep incline off Howard Road. Am slightly confused, Ceegee. If we are talking about the present road, the top of Matloch Road, is very steep, especially where it joins Heavygate Road just opposite Aldred Road. I know as I walked down it every day on my way to work. Cars used to come up the final bit in first gear and on a bike? Forget it. Far too steep. Maybe you are refering to an original road? Thanks for the info about the name's origin though. Makes you realise just how many languages are mixed into what we call 'English'! Sorry for the misunderdstanding. I know Matlock Road (formally Wharncliffe Road), is very steep esp near the Old Heavygate Inn. Unlike the "Commonside" section of Heavygate Road, the Crookes side of Heavygate Road where it joins Northfield Road, is reasonably flat for Crookes hence "the road by the pub isn't steep." Any road from Commonside to Crookes is steep :-)) I also seem to recall that someone told me a few years that the old unmodernised Heavygate had an unusual window that looked out over Walkley but was destroyed in the "renovations" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tsavo Posted December 17, 2007 Share Posted December 17, 2007 Thanks for the explanation, Ceegee, my misunderstanding. There was some waste ground below the pub, (bordering on Hadfield Street) and an old uncovered well that we, as kids, enjoyed dropping rocks down. Assume that it's all been built over by now. Haven't seen it for 15 years or more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ceegee Posted December 18, 2007 Share Posted December 18, 2007 I went to Walkley Library last night and found "A Short History of Walkley" by Albert Stacey (1985). Sadly he does not give a source, evidence or exact dates for the following statement "Later the road that went over Steel Bank became a turnpike road and a heavy gate was placed at the point where Heavygate Inn was later built. The first licensee of the Heavygate Inn was John Webster. He was keeper of the Tollgate. His family had farmed Steel Bank Farm years before. In the time before the Heavygate Inn was built in 1698 a survey was made by Harrison in 1637 and a view from Steel bank was mentioned where one could look down on the town of Sheffield....." I'm not at all convinced by this statement but at least there is a name. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tsavo Posted December 18, 2007 Share Posted December 18, 2007 Good work, Ceegee. As you say, at least we have a name. Must admit, I do miss my visits to Walkley Library. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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