Peter Wood Farm - Mayfield?

[mike142sl]

Since the early 1930s he lived just down the road from the farm at Nether Greeen and spent many hours playing in the Mayfield Valley, his mum was born and raised in the valley so I doubt he is getting it mixed up with Hesley Woods as he has never been there.

He is still at my house and says he can deffinitly remember huts, and playing in the pool lots of times as they trecked up the river bed from Forge Dam to play in the pool. He never stayed at the camp but can clearly remember it, and the long huts, could the huts have been other farm buildings.

This sounds incredibly interesting.

Can you narrow down an era? i.e. which decade it was your dad remembers the huts. I've spoken to some of the 'old boys' and there were no huts at Peter Wood during the 50s onwards. Also the River splits just upstream from Carr Bridge and Peter Wood Fm is on the Mayfield Brook rather than the Porter, and nearly at the head of the valley some considerable distance from Forge Dam. That branch however is a bit wider and as has been said there were a couple of mill dams not far from Carr Bridge.

The description of LONG huts is also interesting. It could be that a farmer or the council had blagged some of the old POW camp huts for something, but whatever they were they must have been very temporary.

[sando]

This sounds incredibly interesting.

Can you narrow down an era? i.e. which decade it was your dad remembers the huts. I've spoken to some of the 'old boys' and there were no huts at Peter Wood during the 50s onwards. Also the River splits just upstream from Carr Bridge and Peter Wood Fm is on the Mayfield Brook rather than the Porter, and nearly at the head of the valley some considerable distance from Forge Dam. That branch however is a bit wider and as has been said there were a couple of mill dams not far from Carr Bridge.

The description of LONG huts is also interesting. It could be that a farmer or the council had blagged some of the old POW camp huts for something, but whatever they were they must have been very temporary.

Mike

I have just spoken to dad again and he thinks it was probably around the early to mid 40s when he was in his early teens. the dam could have been a mill dam but he thinks it was built for the camp as it seamed small compared with the other dams. Hope this helps, he is convinced he is correct.

[sando]

Re Hangingwater Farm photo,I don't know the date, but if you search on www.picturesheffield.co.uk for Hangingwater Road there are several pictures, some dated and some not. Comparing some of them I'd say the photo of the farm was taken between 1890 and 1905.

The photo must have been pre 1900, because the photo below is taken from the top of Hangingwater road, just to the left of the house on the the right of the main picture. the houses on the left of the picture below are not seen on the original picture.

Over the weekend I went to have a look and a number of the farm buildings are still standing including the house to the right of the original picture and a cottage along what is now Glen View, the houses directly in the middle of the picture below do not appear in the original picture.

[Bayleaf]

The photo must have been pre 1900, because the photo below is taken from the top of Hangingwater road, just to the left of the house on the the right of the main picture. the houses on the left of the picture below are not seen on the original picture.

Over the weekend I went to have a look and a number of the farm buildings are still standing including the house to the right of the original picture and a cottage along what is now Glen View, the houses directly in the middle of the picture below do not appear in the original picture.

You're probably right Sando. I thought 1890 to 1905-ish because there's another photo on Picturesheffield of lower down the road with no houses on that part, and it's dated to the 1890's.

[mike142sl]

Mike

I have just spoken to dad again and he thinks it was probably around the early to mid 40s when he was in his early teens. the dam could have been a mill dam but he thinks it was built for the camp as it seamed small compared with the other dams. Hope this helps, he is convinced he is correct.

I can only assume it must have been buildings relating to the old Fulwood Mill where there were two small dams just before Millview farm. The mill is now an animal sanctuary on Mayfield Rd which I'm sure your dad will have memories of.

I've had a look on some old maps dating back to 1938 and 1940 something, and there is no sign of any camp or huts marked on them anywhere between Forge dam and Peter Wood. If it was a camp it remains a mystery as to who set it up. I've been given the address of the farmer from Peter Wood farm in the late 40s early 50s, he still lives in the valley so I might be able to ask him if he remembers such a camp.

[sando]

I think these are the remaing building from Hangingwater farm

Hangingwater_farm_doc2.doc

Hangingwater_farm_doc2.doc

[tim99]

Hello all,

I'm the current scout leader at Fulwood and have been given some old annual reviews from 1949, 1950, 1954 and 1959. They are packed with incredibly interesting facts about the scout troop since it started in 1949, or so I thought - it turns out the first troop was set up in 1923.

However, there are several reports of camps at a place called Peter Wood Farm which must have been local as one reference states that it only took them 45 minutes to walk there with their trek cart*. Others refer to four tents being set up next to the river, and one about rolling kit down a steep bank. (* they met at the Guildhall)

I have checked all my maps and can find no ref to a farm called Peter Wood. I visited central library yesterday and had nearly all the staff intrigued as well, hunting high and low for maps of all ages. A thanks in one of the reviews to a Mr Woodhouse allowed us to trace him in a directory of businesses in Sheffield as the owner of Peter Wood Farm but that did not give any further address details apart from Fulwood 10. He is still listed in the 1957 directory, however by 1969 the farm is held by a B.W Broomhead who is still there in 1973. I wondered if the farm had been consumed by residential development, however as it is still listed in 1973 this is not likely to be the case.

Does anyone recognise, or know, where Peter Wood farm is - or was?

The only incling that I have is that it is the farm that is known on maps as Douse Croft Farm on Douse Croft Lane as there is a Peterwood Cottage there.

I look forward to you help.

Hi Mike, I came across this website & this post whilst searching for something quite unrelated, so have registered to respond.

Peter Wood Farm was purchased at auction a virtually derelict state in June 1993, by myself & my wife, and after some hefty renovation work, we eventually moved in, in Oct 1995. The farm (but not the current building) was originally built in 1611 when it was first known as Douse Croft (Farm), and we reverted to its original name. The present farmhouse appears to have been reconstructed in about 1813, and of course we virtually rebuilt it, in 1994/5.

The cottage (Peter Wood Cottage) was newly created (with permission of course!) during the 1994/5 reconstruction and was given that name to reflect the nearby Peter Wood, and to retain some links with the name of the farm during the 1940s-90s.

The farm has also been called West Carr House (early 1900s).

We are very interested in Local History, and would very much like to see the photos you talk about. If you would like to

get in touch, you can email me outside of this public forum.

You might also be interested to see the photos of the old Scout Hut which was used here for years as a hay store. Sadly now completely fallen down and gone.

tim

[Bayleaf]

Hi Mike, I came across this website & this post whilst searching for something quite unrelated, so have registered to respond.

Peter Wood Farm was purchased at auction a virtually derelict state in June 1993, by myself & my wife, and after some hefty renovation work, we eventually moved in, in Oct 1995. The farm (but not the current building) was originally built in 1611 when it was first known as Douse Croft (Farm), and we reverted to its original name. The present farmhouse appears to have been reconstructed in about 1813, and of course we virtually rebuilt it, in 1994/5.

The cottage (Peter Wood Cottage) was newly created (with permission of course!) during the 1994/5 reconstruction and was given that name to reflect the nearby Peter Wood, and to retain some links with the name of the farm during the 1940s-90s.

The farm has also been called West Carr House (early 1900s).

We are very interested in Local History, and would very much like to see the photos you talk about. If you would like to

get in touch, you can email me outside of this public forum.

You might also be interested to see the photos of the old Scout Hut which was used here for years as a hay store. Sadly now completely fallen down and gone.

tim

Wow, all the answers in one posting! Welcome to the forum Tim, I'll go and correct my notes now!

Bayleaf

[mike142sl]

Hi Mike, I came across this website & this post whilst searching for something quite unrelated, so have registered to respond.

Peter Wood Farm was purchased at auction a virtually derelict state in June 1993, by myself & my wife, and after some hefty renovation work, we eventually moved in, in Oct 1995. The farm (but not the current building) was originally built in 1611 when it was first known as Douse Croft (Farm), and we reverted to its original name. The present farmhouse appears to have been reconstructed in about 1813, and of course we virtually rebuilt it, in 1994/5.

The cottage (Peter Wood Cottage) was newly created (with permission of course!) during the 1994/5 reconstruction and was given that name to reflect the nearby Peter Wood, and to retain some links with the name of the farm during the 1940s-90s.

The farm has also been called West Carr House (early 1900s).

We are very interested in Local History, and would very much like to see the photos you talk about. If you would like to

get in touch, you can email me outside of this public forum.

You might also be interested to see the photos of the old Scout Hut which was used here for years as a hay store. Sadly now completely fallen down and gone.

tim

It's a gold mine this forum. Thanks for that info Tim, it will be very interesting to see the original Scout Hut - I've sent you a PM

[sando]

You might also be interested to see the photos of the old Scout Hut which was used here for years as a hay store. Sadly now completely fallen down and gone.

tim

Thanks Tim, the posts regarding there being no Scout hut were making my father think he was loosing his marbles, as he vividly remembers the hut although he did initially think they were sleeping huts, he definitely remembers the wooden hut. He had a friend lived on a neighbouring farm, that still lives in the area.

He is still also convinced that the stream was dammed, although probably in a temporary way, to be used to swim in.

Regards

[Guest Gramps]

There are a couple of books about the Mayfield Valley by Muriel Hall with maps showing the the disposition of some of the old farms etc. and sketches and photos of many of them.

The Mayfield Valley, Hall, Muriel, 1972.

More about Mayfield Valley and Old Fulwood, Hall, Muriel 1974.

I have an 1850s map of the area and have managed to identify some of the properties that were not named on the map - does anyone have info on the properties with question marks at the side ?

1 - To the east of Brown Hills Farm

2 - To the west of Bennet Grange

3 - To the south of Bennet Grange

4 - To the south of Fulwood Hall - on David lane.

[Bayleaf]

There are a couple of books about the Mayfield Valley by Muriel Hall with maps showing the the disposition of some of the old farms etc. and sketches and photos of many of them.

The Mayfield Valley, Hall, Muriel, 1972.

More about Mayfield Valley and Old Fulwood, Hall, Muriel 1974.

I have an 1850s map of the area and have managed to identify some of the properties that were not named on the map - does anyone have info on the properties with question marks at the side ?

1 - To the east of Brown Hills Farm

2 - To the west of Bennet Grange

3 - To the south of Bennet Grange

4 - To the south of Fulwood Hall - on David lane.

1 is now called Swallow farm, not sure how far back the name goes.

2 is actually a row of workers' cottages called Jeffrey Green.

3 is Bennet Cottage, not a farm but possibly a smallholding at the time, now a private residence with a couple of fields.

4 is David Lane farm, also known as Hole in the Wall farm, so called because opposite the farm was a spring used by local people as their source of fresh water. When the land was enclosed under the Upper Hallam Enclosures, the commissioners stipulated that a hole had to be left in the wall to allow access to the spring. When the Redmires dams were being constructed, many farms in the Porter Valley, including this one, became ale houses used by the navvies, and they called this farm the hole in the wall, and the name stuck.

[mike142sl]

Thanks Tim, the posts regarding there being no Scout hut were making my father think he was loosing his marbles, as he vividly remembers the hut although he did initially think they were sleeping huts, he definitely remembers the wooden hut. He had a friend lived on a neighbouring farm, that still lives in the area.

He is still also convinced that the stream was dammed, although probably in a temporary way, to be used to swim in.

Regards

I still don't think these were the same as your dad remembers as this is one hut rather than several. The hut Tim mentions is, I think, the old scout hut which was removed to make way for the current building in 1967. There were very good relations between the farmer and the scout group so I suspect he inherited the old hut and used it to store hay.

I do have another theory about the huts your dad remembers though, but I still need a bit more local information to confirm it. Watch this space.

[mike142sl]

Just to add some pictures I've been sent by one of the original scouts back in 1955

[Bayleaf]

Just to add some pictures I've been sent by one of the original scouts back in 1955

Hi Mike

Very tantalising! I tried to enlarge 2 of the photos to try and pinpoint the site from the views of the hills behind, but the resolution breaks up before the detail shows! Any chance of higher resolution?

Bayleaf

[mike142sl]

Hi Mike

Very tantalising! I tried to enlarge 2 of the photos to try and pinpoint the site from the views of the hills behind, but the resolution breaks up before the detail shows! Any chance of higher resolution?

Bayleaf

I think I know where this field is, I'm meeting Tim this afternoon to go and have a look (hope the sun stays out). The top pic with the flag pole shows Fulwood Head Rd on the horizon, and the landscape pic at the bottom shows Bole Hill in the distance, which now has the observatory on it.

Hopefully will be able to put some pics up later.

[Bayleaf]

I think I know where this field is, I'm meeting Tim this afternoon to go and have a look (hope the sun stays out). The top pic with the flag pole shows Fulwood Head Rd on the horizon, and the landscape pic at the bottom shows Bole Hill in the distance, which now has the observatory on it.

Hopefully will be able to put some pics up later.

I thought the one of Fulwood Head looked like Knoll Top Farm on the horizon, but I wasn't sure of the other one. Have a good walk, looks like the weather's holding!

[mike142sl]

OK, a great afternoon and have managed to find the field with Tim's help.

So in the then and now tradition

[Bayleaf]

Brilliant matches Mike, well done!

[Guest Rosemary Bradley]

Hello, I see this was a long time ago, but I just found it. My father Peter Sylvester Bradley was Scoutmaster at Fulwood after the war, and led camps at Peter Wood Farm. I think my brother may have photos of some of the camps.

[mike142sl]

Hello, I see this was a long time ago, but I just found it. My father Peter Sylvester Bradley was Scoutmaster at Fulwood after the war, and led camps at Peter Wood Farm. I think my brother may have photos of some of the camps.

Hi Rosemary,

Indeed, your father was one of the people who re opened it in 1949. I took it on in 1999 and am about to step down after 14 years there. Not leaving scouting just the Troop Leader role.