Sites of Historic Interest

Shireoaks Marina and the Chesterfield Canal

The Chesterfield Canal was designed by James Brindley and completed in 1777. It runs from Chesterfield to the River Trent at West Stockwith, a distance of 46 miles. The original survey took the canal on present route as far as Shireoaks and then across country to the River Idle at Bawtry (Bawtry at this time was an inland port). However pressure from the Retford business community brought about re-routing taking the canal through Worksop and Retford. Shireoaks played a large part in the construction of the canal. A temporary branch off the canal was built out onto Shireoaks Common so that the heavy materials produced here could easily be transported to where they were required for construction. Bricks were made from the quality clay on the Common these were then loaded into workboats also made here. A smithy also produced wheelbarrows, shovels, picks and hammers. Stone from the quarries of the local landowner Mr. Hewett was also used for the building of the canal and again a side arm off the main channel was built to facilitate the easy movement of this heavy commodity. This arm was sited above the locks at Cinderhill. The canal basin at Shireoaks (now the Marina) came about with the sinking of the pit. The Duke of Newcastle, owner of the colliery was granted permission in 1861 to make a channel off the canal and construct the basin as a place for the boats to load their coal to be taken away for sale.

Shireoaks Station

Originally opened in 1849 part of the Manchester Sheffield and Lincoln Railway nicknamed Mucky slow and lazy. Used in the past by visitors to Lindrick Golf course, fishermen on the canal, as well as for holidays to Cleethorpes and business trip to London before the advent of the car. The pub was built at the same time as the railway. The Victorian station buildings are now under threat of demolition.

Shireoaks Row

A row of houses built by Duke of Newcastle for his mineworkers. It consists of 56 cottages and 2 shops. Building started in the late 1850's and by 1861 down as far as No. 40 was complete. The houses were originally 2 up 2 down plus most have an attic bedroom. The Row had no mains water until 1932 and therefore used a well to rear No 11 for drinking water. People also collected rainwater in large wooden tubs in the yard at back of house and therefore the Row was known locally as Tub Row. Originally there were open yards to the rear of the houses across which was a shared wash house and an earth closet. Behind this each miner had a pigsty and kept pigs fed with food waste to supplement their diet.

St Luke's Church

As the population of the village increased due to expansion of the pit, the Chapel of Ease became too small for all the people who used it. Therefore the Duke of Newcastle a very religious man, decided to build a church for his workforce. Following a gale in 1860, which blew down many trees in Clumber Park, the Dukes home, the Duke had £4000 to finance the building. The foundation stone was laid on 18th October 1861 (St Luke's Day) by the Prince of Wales (later Edward VII). The Prince used an ornate trowel made with silver blade and a coal handle from Shireoaks Pit. The church was dedicated on 18th October 1863 with many local gentry attending. On the 1st anniversary of this event the Duke was too ill to attend service but his agent returned to inform him of the day's events. Less than 1 hour later Duke died. As a consequence of this many of the Dukes the friends and family put memorials to his memory into the church. (Painted windows, Reredos, chancel gates etc) One window was donated by the Prince of Wales and another by William Ewart Gladstone, at that time Chancellor of the exchequer and trustee of the late Dukes estate and also a friend of the Duke from their school days together. The memorials were dedicated on 18th October 1865 when Gladstone came to visit the church. From the beginning the church was beset with structural problems, which in 1975 led to the spire being removed. The church has recently received a Heritage Lottery Grant to help with the restoration of this beautiful building.

Village Hall

Although this is now the village hall it started out as a Chapel of Ease. Built in 1810 by John Hewett, the Lord of the Manor, as recompense for his wicked uncle. It had an ornate copper dome or cupola that was taken down in 1883. The first vicar was Rev. George Saville on a wage of £90 per annum. The gravestone of John Hewett now hangs inside the Chapel. It was built as a rectangular building but was extended in 1860's (and later) when it was converted to a school after the new church of St Luke's had been built. 

Houses and Cottages - Shireoaks Road

Terrace of 4 houses was originally called St Luke's Terrace and was built slightly later than Shireoaks Row. The original occupant's were the sextant, the churchwarden, the colliery manager and the schoolmaster
Stone cottages - the cottage on the right hand side was opened as a shop, general grocery and haberdashery in 1816and only closed down in 1972. The one on the left hand side is mentioned as a Dame School prior to the building of St Luke's Church. In 1860's it reverted to full domestic occupation as the school transferred to the Chapel of Ease but was the home of a schoolmistress for many years after.
To get to Shireoaks Hall, go along Thorpe Lane and just over the bridge turn left and follow the footpath around the back of the Hall 

Shireoaks Hall

Originally Shireoaks Manor or Grange belonged to Worksop Priory. In 1458 leased to Henry Ellis and his wife Dame Lucy. During the dissolution of monasteries by Henry VIII, Worksop Priory was taken into crown ownership. It was leased in 1546 to Robert and Hugh Thornhill for annual payment of 35shillings and 4 pence farthing. The next owners were the first of a long line of the Hewett family. The Manor was sold in 1811 to Duke of Norfolk and subsequently in 1841 to Duke of Newcastle. It is now in the ownership of Mr K Godlewski who is slowly undertaking a sympathetic restoration of the building with the help of his architect son Leo. The present building is mainly Elizabethan and is thought to have been designed by Smythson.

The Mill

The present building was built (or rebuilt) about 1800. It is referred to in a publication of 1825 as a building of no great antiquity but careful examination of the building reveals that an older shell has been extended. Originally it was owned by the Hewett family, then the Duke of Norfolk and finally was in private ownership when milling ceased. After WWII at various times it has produced tapioca, potato crisps and lemonade. It was bought in 1973 and converted to domestic use, its use in the present day.

Mill Cottages

These are some of the oldest houses in Shireoaks and have had very little alteration. These are where the mill residents lived, the mill itself being purely industrial premises.

Colliery site

The search for coal at Shireoaks began in March 1854 with the Duke of Newcastle financing the sinking of 2 12ft shafts. However this proved difficult as only an inferior quality of coal was found at 264ft by the November 1855 and so the shaft had to go deeper. Further problems were then encounted as the rock below this level contained vast quantities of water. This was over come by lining the shaft with cast iron tubbing. Finally on 1st February 1859 at a depth of 1530 ft the Top Hard or Barnsley seam of 3 ft 10 inch thick quality coal was reached and coal production began.

Still available!

'A Tour of Shireoaks - Its History and Characters in Verse' 
£5.00

Available from Undercover Book Shop Worksop tel:? email:? address:?

Shireoaks Village Post Office tel:? email:? address:?