Thurlstone, South Yorkshire: The village that spreads a little happiness

While some have laid claim to Sheffield being the home of football, with the establishment of Sheffield FC in 1857 and Hallam FC three years later, researchers have found the sport was popular in Thurlstone before that. Thurlstone villagers issued a challenge in 1845 against local opponents insisting that it must be: “a game of foot-ball and not hand-ball”. The village’s footballing credentials have been furthered by Manchester City and England defender John Stones, nicknamed the Barnsley Beckenbauer, who was raised in Thurlstone and attended the village primary school.

The far reaching views from the football ground across high pasture and drystone walls towards Royd Moor, Scout Dike and Ingbirchworth reservoirs are superb. It’s not the only scenic entrance to the village – Folly Lane, Hornthwaite Hill and Royd Moor Road are equally impressive, as is the tree-lined Bankings Lane beside the River Don. As such, Thurlstone, which is believed to have been formed around a farmstead belonging to a man called Thurulf, remains well rooted in its agricultural past, with farms marking the northern gateways to the village and buildings such as the early 18th century grade II listed coursed squared rubble barn at the heart of the village on Towngate.

Historically, other than farming the principal occupations in the village were associated with corn and flour milling and in particular the wool trade. Close to the river, at Leapings Lane, remains a good and complete example of a late 18th century weavers’ cottage and on the other side of the Don still stand the buildings of Plumpton Mills, which made spat cloth and drab cloth, for coachmen and servants. At the west end of the village there are numerous well preserved properties where workers at the mills once lived. Overlooking the A628 Manchester Road, on Tenter Lane, there’s a row of five late 18th century houses and there’s a row of weavers houses on the east side of Towngate.

Alongside an East Midlands Gas Board concrete marker, opposite the junction with Towngate, there’s a diminutive Barnsley to Manchester milestone, which is thought could date back two centuries. A long-time popular stop-off on the busy route is The Huntsman, which its current licencees describe as “a good old fashioned drinking pub”, boasting a choice of six hand pulled ales and serving up everythingf from specialist Thai menus as well as Sunday lunches.

Nearby, on the road leading to the historic mill buildings, Saville Lane, stands the head office of James Durrans and Sons, which was established in 1863 when blacking ink was used to shine shoes and doorsteps. The firm has grown into one of the world's leading producers of carbonaceous materials, such as synthetic graphite products used in brake pads. Today the group has annual sales of nearly £63 million and employs hundreds of staff. Alongside the business, stand many gritstone terraced properties where staff from the industrial hub worked as well as a former Wesleyan Methodist Chapel, which held services for 96 years until 1985, since when it has been converted into a grand home. Methodism has long had a strong following in the village and while there’s another well conserved former chapel, built at a cost of £170 in the 1860s for Primitive Methodists, further up the hill on Manchester Road. In addition, there’s Thurlstone and Millhouse Green Methodist Church further along the main thoroughfare at the entrance to Milhouse Green which continues to hold services on Sundays.

Beside the former Primitive Chapel is the grade II listed St Saviours Church, which was built in 1905 on land donated by the owners of Plumpton Mill. It features a bishop’s chair, with symbols depicting the Last Supper, such as grapes and corn, carved into the oak and a chancel roof with diamond ribbing and carved bosses highlighting the skill of the local craftsmen who completed it.

Meanwhile, St John’s Church in Penistone, is said to have been where Thurlstone’s most eminent son, Nicolas Saunderson, learnt to read, having been blinded after contracting smallpox as a baby. Saunderson, who went on to be rated among the greatest mathmaticians and counted Isaac Newton and Edmund Halley among his friends, is said to have learned to write by running his fingers over the surface of gravestones in the late 17th century. His was born in a property in Towngate which bore a latin inscription ‘hic nastus est’ – he was born here- in the stone above the door, before it was moved to a wall in a small garden at nearby Townend when the property was demolished in the 1950s.

As well as having a noteable academic and sporting history, Thurlstone boasts a distinguished musical heritage, with a brass band which first formed in 1854. The 21st century incarnation of the band features players of all ages and abilities. Venues vary from the Crystal Palace pub on Towngate to the National Coal Mining Museum and Penistone Gala. The village’s musical reputation was bolstered by its handbell ringing group, which was established just a year after the brass band. It won the Yorkshire Handbell Ringers Association Shield and Cup in 1930, 1931 and 1932 and first prize in the English Championships of 1930. However, following a drop in membership, the group disbanded 2012.