8 members of Sheffield Fulwood NWR have visited All Saints Church at Silkstone, 4 miles east of Barnsley, South Yorkshire.
We had a guided tour and discovered that there was probably a church here in Saxon times, the current one has 12th century origins and one Norman arch still remains. In the mid 19th C a local benefactor paid for extensive renovations and alterations.
Three large local estates fall within the medieval parish and these landowners have endowed a side chapel, box pews and impressive stained windows.
Joseph Bramah, was born in Silkstone and baptised in Silkstone Church. He was a leading inventor of the industrial revolution, patenting over 18 new ideas, including a new valve for the water closet (toilet), and the first known high-security lock.
The village has always had a cloud hanging over it since the 1838 Huskar mine disaster. Heavy rain meant that a swollen local river flooded one of the mine entrances and drowned 26 children, aged 7 to 17, trying to escape.
A large memorial stands in the churchyard close to the graves of the children and in 2010 local parishioners designed and crafted a memorial stained glass window in one of the side chapels.
It was an excellent day, some fascinating local history and a tasty lunch in the nearby Potting Shed café.