Doncaster is an historic place and the county town of South Yorkshire, it is not a place I know every inch of but I know the bits I like. It is easy to get there by train or coach or car (45 miles), but the first site to mention is a bus-ride from the bus and train station. Sandall Park is a municipal park in the north-east part of the town and if driving there by the A19 is reached soon after the edge of town. The ‘hills and holes’ of the park are a result of the site once being where clay was dug for a local brickyard, the lake with its couple of islands forms a main feature. The western section of the park, almost certainly a later addition to the other half, was mostly open grass and peripheral trees but this year the Doncaster City Council have left most of the ground uncut except for paths through and the variety of wild flowers that have sprung-up in just one year is surprising. There is a quite large cafe on site which serves good English dinners but disappointingly closes at 1-30pm. Currently, work is ongoing to reinforce the edge of the serpentine lake so there is a lot of HERAS fencing (see above). It is worth noting that there are quite a few benches strategically placed around the site (Hull Parks Dept. take note).
Like in Kingston upon Hull, for most of its modern history Doncaster’s civil authority has prioritised economic development over heritage retention, but I’m sure that’s changed. Doncaster has had a rich industrial history being a central town for a coal mining region and in becoming a major railway and railway engineering centre, both in the 19th century. During the second Industrial Revolution it transformed to a car and agricultural vehicle manufacturing centre. Although still on the East Cast main Line (rail) the other industries have become part of history.
Prior to the Industrial Revolution (first) Doncaster, being a county town like Beverley, was a prosperous social centre located astride the old Great North Road. So where can evidence of Georgian Doncaster be found?
To be continued).