Wortley, Yorkshire

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Wortley
Yorkshire
West Riding
Wortley - geograph.org.uk - 136304.jpg
Wortley
Location
Grid reference: SK307994
Location: 53°29’26"N, 1°32’18"W
Data
Population: 626  (2011)
Post town: Sheffield
Postcode: S35
Dialling code: 0114
Local Government
Council: Barnsley
Parliamentary
constituency:
Barnsley West and Penistone

Wortley is a village in the West Riding of Yorkshire. At the 2011 census it had a population of 626 at the 2011 Census.

The village appears in the 1086 Domesday Book as Wirtleie.

Wortley grew up as a village where the Sheffield to Halifax road crossed the Cheshire to Rotherham route. In 1250, a Sunday market was briefly established, but this was quickly suppressed by the monks who owned the right to hold markets in Barnsley. In 1307, the village finally received a Royal Charter to hold a weekly Thursday market and an annual three-day fair at Whitsun. The market and fair both soon ceased, and an eighteenth-century attempt to revive the fair was unsuccessful.[1]

The parish church of St. Leonard's dates back to the mediæval period, being rebuilt during the 18th century.

The village is famous for the Wortley Top Forge, which dates back to the time of the Industrial Revolution. It is most famous for the notorious highwayman Swift Nick (John Nevison, 1639 - 1684) who was born and raised there.[2] It was really he (and not Dick Turpin) who made the infamous ride on horseback from London to York in order to establish an alibi for a robbery.[3] Wharncliffe House, Wortley, was home of the Earl of Wharncliffe until his death in 1987.[4]

Wortley is home to Wortley Mens Club, the winner of the campaign for real ales (CAMRA) club of the year 2014 for the entire Yorkshire region and subsequent super regional winner for the North East, making it one of the best 4 Clubs in the UK. It has now been voted the best club in Britain by CAMRA for 2015 beating 28,000 other entrants. It hosts a variety of events including an annual charity beer festival held on or around 1 August every year to coincide with Yorkshire day.

Located in Wortley is Wortley Hall, a Grade II listed building since 1990.[5] The parish contains the hamlet of Bromley.

Outside links

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References

  1. David Hey, Mediæval South Yorkshire
  2. John Hobson's Diary, entry for 19 Aug 1727/8 (looking back): http://fretwell.kangaweb.com.au/The%20Fretwells/Links/hobsondiary_entries.htm#1727-28
  3. See John Nevison: The Glamorous Highwayman. http://www.stand-and-deliver.org.uk/highwaymen/john_nevison.htm
  4. "WHARNCLIFFE the rt hon 4th earl of Alan James Montagu Stuart Wortley Mackenzie of Wharncliffe House Wortley Sheffield died 3 June 1987 Probate Leeds 9th May £866239" in Wills and Administrations 1988 (England and Wales (1989), p. 8742
  5. National Heritage List 1000418: Wortley Hall (Grade II listing)