Dodworth is a village in the metropolitan borough of Barnsley in South Yorkshire, England. Historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, it has a population of 5,742,[1] increasing to 5,900 at the 2011 Census (9,777 for Dodworth Ward).[2][3]

Dodworth
First World War memorial in Dodworth
Dodworth is located in South Yorkshire
Dodworth
Dodworth
Location within South Yorkshire
Population9,777 (Ward 2011)
OS grid referenceSE318051
Metropolitan borough
Metropolitan county
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townBARNSLEY
Postcode districtS70-S75
Dialling code01226
PoliceSouth Yorkshire
FireSouth Yorkshire
AmbulanceYorkshire
UK Parliament
List of places
UK
England
Yorkshire
53°32′30″N 1°31′17″W / 53.5417°N 1.5214°W / 53.5417; -1.5214

History

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Dodworth was historically a township in the ancient parish of Silkstone in the West Riding of Yorkshire.[4] It became a separate civil parish in 1866, and an urban district in 1894.[5] The urban district and civil parish were abolished in 1974, when Dodworth was transferred to the Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley in the new county of South Yorkshire. Dodworth is now an unparished area.

Dodworth is a former coal mining village with approximately 5,800 people. The land occupying the former pit is now the Dodworth Business Park. The "muck" stack from the pit is clearly visible throughout the village. The spoil heaps are now covered with grass, scrub and birch trees.[6] Over the past twenty years, trees and wildlife have flourished. Now the whole of the east, south and west side are covered with trees. The north side is occupied by farmland and the former 'muck stack' is completely invisible apart from the rise.

The crossroads between High Street, Station Road and Barnsley Road lead to Barnsley and Manchester. Dodworth's High Street acted as part of a historical trade route for salt brought from Cheshire to Barnsley, proving to be one of the oldest trading routes in the area.[7] Along High Street are a number of old weavers' cottages.[8] Opposite the library is one of the village's oldest buildings. It dates back to 1600, with evidence of this above its High Street front door.

Current development

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There are established private housing estates at Baslow Crescent and Strafford Walk. Extensive newer housing is at the eastern side of Dodworth around Water Royd Drive and Rose Hill Drive. The Water Royd Drive area is often referred to as the 'In and Out' estate by locals as many commuters from outside the village see this area as having easy access to the motorway links with house prices being reflective of their desirability.[citation needed] Further development is to the west with new housing at Champany Fields and Green Road, and luxury flats on Barnsley Road. These new homes are popular for commuters working in Barnsley, Sheffield, Manchester, Leeds and many other centres. There is employment locally at the Dodworth Business Park and at Fall Bank Industrial Estate.

In the past few years house prices have risen sharply, reflecting the popularity of living in the village.[citation needed] The soon to be[when?] relocated railway station has direct lines to Huddersfield and Barnsley. A new hotel and Toby Carvery has been built on Capitol Park close to the M1 motorway junction.

The Dodworth Bypass, near junction 37 on the M1, was completed in early 2007. The bypass allows commuters to travel from central Barnsley, or the motorway, to Silkstone and surrounding areas without travelling through Dodworth. A new business park called Capitol Park, part funded through the European Objective One scheme, is under construction along the bypass.

Pharmaceutical company Galpharm International operate from a purpose-built distribution and office complex in the village.

A memorial dedicated to the miners killed in the industry has now been erected on the High Street.[9][10] A charity music festival was held at the Dodworth Miners' Welfare on 3 June 2012 to raise money for the memorial fund.[11]

Transport

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Proximity to the M1 Junction 37 means that Dodworth has a high proportion of commuters to Sheffield and Leeds. It also has easy access to Manchester along the A628 through Woodhead. Many people also work in Barnsley town centre, 3 miles (4.8 km) away.

Dodworth railway station, on the Huddersfield to Sheffield line, provides access to Barnsley centre, Sheffield, Leeds and other nearby towns and cities.

There are two leading bus companies operating through Dodworth: Stagecoach and Tates. Recently there have been changes to service routes in the village, diverting buses from the main road to less populated areas.

The new road system linking the motorway junction to the A628 towards Silkstone and Manchester, has bypassed what was once a busy thoroughfare, producing a much quieter and sought-after retreat for villagers.[according to whom?]


Education

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Dodworth has two primary schools, Keresforth Primary School and Dodworth St John the Baptist CofE Primary Academy. Dodworth St John (formerly Dodworth Junior School) amalgamated with Dodworth CofE Infant School in 2002.

Local secondary schools are Horizon Community College on Dodworth Road, and Penistone Grammar School in nearby Penistone.

Dodworth Branch Library is situated on High Street next to the war memorial. It functions as a local library, and provides internet access and 'Study Support' for local children.

Churches

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There are three churches in Dodworth, Dodworth Methodist Church, St John the Baptist Parish Church of 1844 by Benjamin Broomhead Taylor[12] with three military graves, and Rosehill Wesleyan Reform Church on Keresforth Road adjacent to the school.

 
First DARLFC team before first ever game v Goldthorpe, Sep't 1980 (Dodworth win) - 2 x starters not shown, RU players not allowed by Union to play both codes

Sport

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Dodworth F.C. represented the village in the FA Cup during the 1920s.

Dodworth MWFC currently play in the Sheffield County Senior premier division with Ex professional footballer Darren Young as 1st Team manager

Dodworth Miners ARLFC was established by Matthew Lock in June 2018 and competes in the Yorkshire Men's Summer League; it's predecessor Dodworth ARLFC (1980–2015) initially competed in the West Yorkshire Amateur League and later the National Conference League. DARLC was the instigation (mainly) of Geoff Wake, Roger Mulroony and Andy Wade; Andy Wade was the club's first captain.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Office for National Statistics : Census 2001 : Urban Areas : Table KS01 : Usual Resident Population Archived 8 February 2007 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 26 August 2009
  2. ^ UK Census (2011). "Local Area Report – Dodworth Built-up area (E35000610)". Nomis. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 15 March 2019.
  3. ^ UK Census (2011). "Local Area Report – Dodworth Ward (as of 2011) (E05000983)". Nomis. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 15 March 2019.
  4. ^ Genuki website
  5. ^ Vision of Britain website
  6. ^ Degnen, Cathrine. "Commemorating Coal Mining in the Home: Material Culture and Domestic Space in Dodworth, South Yorkshire". Materializing Sheffield: Place, Culture, Identity. Digital Humanities Institute, Sheffield. Retrieved 21 June 2024.
  7. ^ Degnen, Cathrine (September 2003). Mining Experience: The Ageing Self, Narrative, and Social Memory in Dodworth, England (PhD thesis). McGill University. p. 39.
  8. ^ "Transcript of 1993 talk on the linen industry in Barnsley (A-964-F/2/2)". Experience Barnsley. Retrieved 21 June 2024.
  9. ^ Coyle, Hayley (2 March 2024). "Arthur Scargill joins miners' strike's 40th anniversary rally". BBC News. Retrieved 21 June 2024.
  10. ^ "Dodworth Miners' Memorial". ArtUK. Retrieved 21 June 2024.
  11. ^ "LIVE REVIEW: THE DODWORTH AND DISTRICT MINERS MEMORIAL FUND FESTIVAL". Alternative Barnsley. 5 June 2012. Retrieved 21 June 2024.
  12. ^ Colvin, Howard (1995) [1954]. A Biographical Dictionary of British Architects, 1600–1840 (3rd ed.). New Haven: Yale University Press. p. 939. ISBN 9780300060911.
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