How we hope to tell the Loxley valley water power story

Friends of the Loxley Valley hope to win funding from Bradfield Parish Council to help tell the story of the valley’s fascinating water power heritage.

We plan to put up interpretation boards and finger posts in the valley to increase awareness of the historic water wheel sites that thread all the way along it.

The signs will also showcase the beautiful landscape along the valley. And they will tell how nature has threaded through the old water power remains to create outstanding habitat for wildlife.

They will also feature “QR codes” linking to multimedia online materials that will tell the story in greater detail.

We’ve asked for £4,500 for the project from “participatory budget” funds that Bradfield Parish Council has set aside for community initiatives.

The winning bids will be decided by a vote of parishioners who attend an open public meeting. This is at Worrall Memorial Hall on Thursday 24^th October.

All the organisations who’ve made funding bids will make presentations at the meeting. And people who go along will have chance to ask questions before they cast their votes.

The meeting runs from 6pm to 8.30pm.

We’re urging Friends of the Loxley members and supporters to go along and support us on the night!

Thank you so much if you’re able to make it.

What’s special about water power in the Loxley valley?

The old water wheel sites in fast-flowing rivers like the Loxley and Rivelin played a vital role in Sheffield’s industrial history.

Weirs across the rivers harnessed the water for numerous grinding shops and forges. They were packed all the way along the valleys.

Many of the water power sites in the Loxley were rebuilt after the tragic Sheffield Flood of 1864, using updated engineering techniques. They now complement the earlier, smaller water wheel sites in the Rivelin.

Taken together, the two valleys contain a set of water power remains of international historical significance. Several of the Loxley valley sites contain listed buildings. The Little Matlock water power system is also a Scheduled Ancient Monument.

All the water power sites in both valleys also feature on the South Yorkshire Local Heritage List, following our successful bid last year.

Why do we need signage in the Loxley valley?

Sadly the Loxley lags some way behind the Rivelin. There’s no signage on the ground to tell the valley’s story.

The Rivelin Valley Conservation Group have worked hard to put up interpretation boards and finger posts explaining the rich industrial heritage.

We think this literally signposts why the Rivelin valley is special. And we think it helps to express local pride and sense of place.

We’d like to learn from their success and do something similar.

Joined up Heritage Sheffield are backing our funding bid. They’ve sent us a letter of support.

They say readily accessible information is important to help people to understand and celebrate Sheffield’s heritage.

Now we need your support too! Please vote for us on Thursday evening if you can.

• A reminder: the participatory budget meeting is at Worrall Memorial Hall on Towngate Road, from 6pm to 8.30pm on Thursday, 24th October. You must live in the Bradfield Parish Council area if you wish to go along and vote.

We’ve drawn inspiration from signs and finger posts along the neighbouring Rivelin valley.