Friends of the Loxley Valley are celebrating the installation of new heritage and nature signs along the valley bottom footpath between Malin Bridge and Rowell Bridge.

We’ve put up interpretation boards at key points on the path so that people can learn more about the water power remains and nature along the valley.

The signs feature maps of the footpath. And they have photos and artwork of the wildlife and heritage you’ll see as you wander along the river.

We’ve placed them next to the river by the Lidl supermarket, at the start of the footpath near Malin Bridge, and at Rowell Bridge.

We’ve also put up four posts marking the remains of historic industrial sites along the path. QR codes on the signs and posts link to the “Water Power” pages on this website, where you can learn more about the heritage sites and view old photographs of them.

How we created the signs

The beautiful signs have been created by local graphic designer Anna Pethven. They include some of her own drawings of wildlife and plants.

We also had invaluable help from the Sheffield and Rotherham Wildlife Trust, and from the Rivelin Valley Conservation Group who inspired us with the signage they’ve put up along the River Rivelin.

Funding came from generous grants from the Bradfield Parish Council Participatory Budget and from the Sheffield City Council North Local Area Committee, plus a contribution from Friends of the Loxley Valley members.

We’d also like to thank the Bradfield Parish Council archivist Malcolm Nunn for sharing his encyclopaedic knowledge and photographic archives.

Thanks too to Tony Ball of the South Yorkshire Industrial History Society for his kind permission to reproduce images and photos from their excellent book on the history of Sheffield water power.

The idea for the signs came from a talk at the FoLV AGM by local history author Peter Machan. Peter wondered why there were no information boards in the valley to enlighten visitors about its fascinating history. Thank you for getting us moving Peter!

We hope that you like the signs and the web pages, and that you find them interesting and useful.

The photograph at the top of this page is of the new sign at Rowell Bridge, with some of the people who made it happen. From left to right are Elesha Searles of the Sheffield and Rotherham Wildlife Trust, Nick Blaney and Diana Conheeney from Friends of the Loxley Valley, and Bradfield parish councillors Tom Vickers and David Chinchen.

How Friends of the Loxley Valley are helping to improve the lovely little footpath alongside Ughill Brook.

Great news for the Loxley valley – our historic water power sites along the valley have received official recognition on the South Yorkshire Local Heritage List.

Inclusion on the List reflects the local historic significance of the water power sites in the valley bottom, where numerous dams and water wheels powered industry for hundreds of years.

The listing provides details of twelve separate water power sites along the River Loxley and Storrs Brook, between Stacey Bank and Malin Bridge.

Together they made up an integrated water power system stretching the entire length of the valley.

Remains of most of them still exist in the form of weirs, dams, goits (water channels running adjacent to the river), mill buildings and some of the historic wheels and wheel pits.

Some of these sites are already recognised nationally as “Grade Two listed buildings”, reflecting their wider significance in the emergence of water power.

There are nationally listed water power buildings at Olive Mill, Low Matlock (which is also a Scheduled Ancient Monument), and Malin Bridge Corn Mill.

The South Yorkshire Local Heritage List identifies heritage features that do not enjoy national protection, but still contribute to the distinctiveness and history of the local area.

Adding the whole valley to the South Yorkshire List means local historic significance should be taken into account in any planning decisions that affect the water power remains, although it won’t provide the same level of protection as national designation.

How can I see details of the new South Yorkshire listing?

The South Yorkshire Local Heritage List has a dedicated website run by the South Yorkshire Archaeology Service.

All the heritage features that have been placed on the Local Heritage List can be viewed there.

This link will take you directly to listing for the Loxley valley water power assets, where you can read the full submission and see the photographs that accompany it: https://local-heritage-list.org.uk/south-yorkshire/asset/10391

How did the Loxley valley water power listing come about?

The listing submission was prepared by a heritage working group including members of Friends of the Loxley Valley, Friends of the Loxley Cemetery and the Bradfield Historical Society.

We began work last year, basing our research on local knowledge and observation, and also drawing extensively on the “Water Power on the Sheffield Rivers” book that was published by the South Yorkshire Industrial History Society.
Our submission was approved and officially placed on the list this month (September 2023).

It joins similar listings for the Rivelin valley that were submitted by the Rivelin Valley Conservation Group.

Together, the two valleys played a huge role in Sheffield’s emergence as a major industrial city.

We hope that these local heritage listings will help us to achieve further recognition and protection for our unique and fascinating local water power heritage.

The Olive Wheel weir near Rowell Bridge in the Loxley valley