Our History

Where it all began .....

The origin of Beighton Allotments dates back to 21 June 1876, when the site was leased by The Sheffield Coal Company from the 5th Earl Manvers, who actually lived at Thoresby Hall, near Ollerton in Nottinghamshire. However, the local 'branch' of his family (the Pierrepoints) lived in Manor Farm, the large country house, behind the imposing gates and driveway, opposite Beighton Lifestyle Centre - the local 'Lords of the Manor'.

Maps of the period show the allotments site as just a land enclosure (555 - 9.480 acres) in 1875, but by the next Ordnance Survey of 1896, 'Allotment Gardens' is clearly shown (you can also see the beginnings of B, C and D Lanes too!

Notice the houses all springing up on Orchard Lane, Allen Road and the establishment of Cooks Road and Armstead Road. If you look on the 1895 map, you will see the letters G.P. at the junction of Orchard Lane and Eckington Road. Next time you're passing, see if you can spot the 'Guide Post' on the grass verge, opposite the Belfry pub? Of course, the Belfry and the whole estate behind would not be built for another eighty years, as 'Sothall' stopped at the end of Orchard Lane!

From the establishment of the allotments, local people were keen to grow their own produce and compete at the annual shows, as can be seen in these photos taken around 1900. Not many of our gardeners today can be see gardening in a three piece suit and tie?!

On 26 January 1945, Sheffield Coal Company purchased the allotments land from 6th Earl Manvers for £1200. The title deeds show that the Earl was still allowed to fell trees for timber on the site and shoot wild fowl and game!

Our car park was a fenced off area, where in 1946, the National Coal Board sunk a borehole to a depth of 198m and erected a pumping station, to pump the water from the workings of Beighton and Brookhouse collieries. When youre next in the car park, take a look at the area in front of the wood chippings and manure pens. You can just about make out the outline of the pumping station and the foundations of the girders that supported the structure!

On aerial views from 1950, you can see the layout of our allotments, virtually unchanged right up to the present day! A, B, C and D Lanes are clearly visible, but where the two ponds are (which was an old sand quarry), Westfield School now stands. 

Both Beighton and Brookhouse collieries are long since closed and Elmwood Farm car park is approximately where Beighton colliery stood. Brookhouse colliery was across the road on the open space, parallel to the A57 and the coal reserves were dug out and the huge open cast mines were filled with water...... Rother Valley Country Park Lakes!

If you stand on the end of B Lane, next to the gate and look towards the car park, you can still see the posts and the wall shown below the pumping station, which is the wall behind the wheelchair ramp of our 'B6 Community Garden'. Most of the fence posts are stiil there and still covered in Tree Ivy!

In 1960, the NCB leased the land to Beighton Allotment Association for the princely sum of £23 per annum! Again, there were several caveats to the lease, but these concerned access to the pumping station, mining and mineral rights, rather than felling trees and shooting of game.

In 1997, Beighton Allotment Association purchased the land on the allotments site from the National Coal Board, where it has been managed in trust ever since. Once again, there were numerous conditions of the sale, but these related to the retention of the site, rather than access to the pumping station, which had been demolished ten years prior. 

Over these many years, our members have helped develop and improve the site, where we all continue to benefit from a peaceful, inclusive and relaxing space, to enjoy gardening, socialise with neighbours and other members. Above all, we share the same interests as our forebears, for almost 150 years!

....... There is lots more to come on this page and we are looking for more photos, maps and historical accounts of our allotments. if you or anyone you know has any memories, stories, photos, or any information on the history of our allotments, please let us know and we'd love to share it!