Doncaster Ramblers visit Thrybergh and Conisbrough Parks

The park evolved out of Thrybergh Reservoir built between 1876 - 1880 to supply the borough of Doncaster with water. Throughout its history it was never entirely successful, largely due to the vast amount of water escaping from its bed. For decades the purpose of the reservoir was fraught with problems, and by the late 20th century it was no longer considered to be a viable proposition.

Thus, it was sold in 1980 to Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council who have turned the site into an admirable conservation area and country park in 1983. Today the country park provides an important habitat for birds and other wildlife.

More than 155 species of birds have been recorded as well as 20 species of mammals and 170 species of plants. During spring and autumn it is an important migration stop-over for birds and during the winter months it holds a large population of wintering ducks, geese and swans. Two public bird viewing hides are available. The cafe is currently closed as a major reconstruction takes place.

We set off around the lake in an anti-clockwise direction, leaving the park to walk up the road towards Ravenfield. We paused at an old railway bridge, the railway coming to Ravenfield in 1907 to service Silverwood colliery and a few others.

The known history of Ravenfield goes back as far as the Danes who gave Ravenfield its name in the ninth century. At the time of the 1086 Domesday Survey William de Warenne held the Manor of Ravenfield as a gift from his father-in-law William the Conqueror. It was held as part of an extensive lordship which included 28 local townships from Aston to Whiston, Conisbrough to Hoyland.

The area changed hands many times over the next five hundred years, with the Westby and Hartley families owning much of the land. In 1316, the Westby family, lords of the manor living at Ravenfield Hall, established the deer park, called Ravenfield Park. We walked through the village, taking a left turn to climb some steps to a tall stile and into an open field.

The field was inhabited by a single bull, who happily ignored us - although we did take the long route to the stile in the oposite corner of the field. We passed through a farm onto a huge field with low-growing crops but no defined footpath. We followed the correct route through the crops until we reached a narrow lane, Arbour Lane, where we turned right and followed a clear route to Ravenfield Grange. We walked along the busy road for half a mile before turning left at Conisbrough Grange Farm onto Park Lane.

Part-way along Park Lane we stopped for our refreshments and then by-passed Birk Lodge Farm and ascended through a wood onto Conisbrough Parks, about which a consultation is taking place regarding the building of a huge solar farm. The bridleway took us westwards across a another huge field.

This was a difficult crossing, the bridleway not having been reinstated following ploughing. From the highpoint we descended to the hamlet of Firsby, turning left to pass Firsby Reservoir, now a nature reserve. We climbed a short hill, Arbour Lane again, reaching the entrance to Ravenfield Park. This is a remnant of a deer park owned by the Westby family, known to be living in Ravenfield before 1200 AD.

It remained with them until 1749. In 1972 the owner at the time, Mr Heath, sold the valley to the then British Steel sports organisation, Phoenix Sports and Social Club, as an angling facility for their members. In the following years the ponds deteriorated until in 1979/80 when the angling clubs embarked on a programme of restoration and development.

Much of the effort centred on securing the ancient ponds which were in a poor state of repair or had silted up completely but in addition many hundreds of original estate boundary walls were rebuilt and new hedgerows planted. Concessionary footpaths were also established. Restoration and ongoing management work continues today.

A short distance up the lane we climbed some steps to walk due west towards a wooded area and Ravenfield Church with its one-handed clock. At the time of the 1086 Domesday Survey William de Warenne held the Manor of Ravenfield as a gift from his father-in-law William the Conqueror. It was held as part of an extensive lordship which included 28 local townships from Aston to Whiston, Conisbrough to Hoyland.

The area changed hands many times over the next 500 years, with the Westby and Hartley families owning much of the land. In 1316, the Westby family, lords of the manor living at Ravenfield Hall, established the deer park, called Ravenfield Park. In 1749, when the Westby fortune diminished the Ravenfield estate was sold to Mrs. Elizabeth Parkin, a Sheffield socialite who was rich with money she had inherited from family commerce.

In 1756 she used her wealth to replace the medieval church with a new church designed by the York architect John Carr. Mrs Parkin also employed Carr to build a new Georgian mansion on the site of the Westbys' house. The Ravenfield estate was sold off in lots in the 1920/30s and the Hall was largely unoccupied until the Second World War.

The first wartime inhabitants of the hall were returning soldiers from the evacuation of Dunkirk who were temporarily billeted there. A prisoner of war camp was built in the park and the hall was used for training purposes. The prisoners were first Germans and later Italians, and they worked, under guard, in the collieries. At the end of the war they were kept to help with the re-building of Britain and the camp did not close until about 1948.

After the War the Hall and Ravenfield Hall Farm were bought by the Heath family. However, the Hall remained empty and was used for storing straw. The Hall was burned in 1961 and the remains were demolished in 1962. Continuing our walk we located some graffiti 'POW 1945' on the wall of the estate before reaching the end of Thrybergh Lane once again and walking back to the country park, continuing our anti-clockwise circuit of the lake to the car park.

Thanks to Dave for back-marking.

David Gadd