Heritage buildings photographer

Heritage buildings photographer Historic buildings through a different lens. Photographer and heritage buff looking for a new angle.

Retired heritage professional with time on his hands to photograph historic buildings and places.

Doncaster’s historic pubs: Market PlaceI couldn’t resist one more list of the pubs in 1856. At that time the Market Plac...
24/07/2026

Doncaster’s historic pubs: Market Place

I couldn’t resist one more list of the pubs in 1856. At that time the Market Place we know now was subdivided into Market Place and Magdalen’s due to the church that once stood there before the Corn Exchange etc

Mrs Challenger – Charles Buckley – Little Red Lion

William Thompson – William Thompson – Black Bull

Mr Parkinson – Thomas Rich – Masons Arms

Corporation of Doncaster – Mrs Johnston – Lord Nelson

Corporation of Doncaster – Joseph Machin Axe – Plough Inn

George Boothman – Richard & Sarah Clemets – The Dolphin

Ann Auckland – Ann Auckland – Red Lion

Robert Hoyland – Laurence & Ann Smith – Wellington

Not many really.

Doncaster’s Historic Pubs St Sepulchre Gate Carrying on from the 1856 census of pubs, their landlords and tenants, here ...
24/07/2026

Doncaster’s Historic Pubs St Sepulchre Gate

Carrying on from the 1856 census of pubs, their landlords and tenants, here are those of St Sepulchre Gate (inside the inner ring road).

A lot of these pubs were lost through the street widening schemes over many years. When you read the history of Doncaster, you come to the conclusion that the Corporation was made up of Highway Engineers who loved a bit of highway design🤣. Seriously, the population grew bigger, transport changed from feet, to horse, to horse and carriage and trolley buses etc. so streets needed to be wider along with the odd shopping centre that demolished a few.

Here they are:-

Mr Robinson – William & Mary Bennett – Three Legs of Man
John Hewitt – John Abdy – King’s Arms
John Elwiss – John Elwiss – Elephant
Burgin’s Trustees – Sarah Hudson – Nag’s Head

Unlike Frenchgate, none exist as pubs

Doncaster’s Historic Pubs:FrenchgateAs the project now comes to a natural conclusion, ie I have run out of pubs in the t...
24/07/2026

Doncaster’s Historic Pubs:Frenchgate

As the project now comes to a natural conclusion, ie I have run out of pubs in the town centre, I thought I would share two posts.

There is a record of all pubs, their landlord and the tenant, in 1856. Over the years many pubs have been lost either through road widening, the inner ring road or the Frenchgate Centre.

So for Frenchgate alone here are the pubs:-

George Laurence Shackles – Thomas & Mary Ann Pye – The Royal Hotel
Robert Johnson’s Trustees – Edward Eland – White Hart
John Brabiner – John Brabiner – Bay Horse
Broughton Boston – Joseph Goulthorpe – Mail Coach
Corporation of Doncaster – William Wray – Brown Cow
George Harrison (Leased from Corporation) – Thomas Draper – Volunteer
F. W. Fisher – Joshua Watts – Royal Lancer
Richard Lambert Pilley – Richard Lambert Pilley – Black Boy
John Pigott – Benjamin Bloomer – White Swan
Mrs Drake – Thomas Morton – Duke of York
George Bunning – John Welborn – Green Dragon

Almost like Blackpool with a pub every 10 yards in them days 😂

Doncaster’s modern churches: St Edmund’s, SprotbroughA typical GG pace church? Yes but not typical on how it came about....
24/07/2026

Doncaster’s modern churches: St Edmund’s, Sprotbrough

A typical GG pace church? Yes but not typical on how it came about.

St Edmund's Church and youth centre originated as farm buildings standing on the north side of Anchorage Lane, Sprotbrough. The first edition 1:10,560 Ordnance Survey map published in 1851 is labelled 'Site of Ancres Chapel Anchorage'. It shows a linear row of buildings set back from the road with an L-shaped building fronting Anchorage Lane, suggesting a roadside farmhouse with agricultural buildings to the rear of a yard.

The farmhouse was demolished at an unknown date, but an historic photograph of unknown date shows the range of agricultural buildings prior to conversion. The building on the left, which was to become the church, is a barn with a large threshing door under a timber lintel, by this time blocked by brick with the exception of a pedestrian doorway. The bay to its right had a first-floor window with a pedestrian doorway below. The outer gable wall is plastered with mortice holes and scarring for steps, floors and partitions indicating that there had been another building in the range, now demolished. The building beyond the barn continued the roofline, but appears to have been fully of two storeys, perhaps a stables or cowhouse with hay loft over.

During the Second World War the War Office commandeered the farm, and subsequently the buildings fell into disrepair. In 1952 the Diocese of Sheffield bought the site. The eastern part of the parish of Sprotbrough was then transferred to the ancient parish of Doncaster. The vicar of Doncaster, Canon H G G Herklots, and the Parochial Church Council of Doncaster Parish Church worked closely with the Diocesan Architect, George Pace, to convert the buildings into a church and youth centre. The Bishop dedicated the church to St Edmund on 27 February 1954.

In 1963 an extension room and vestry were added. In 1969 a gallery was erected in the church for a two-manual pipe organ, which was relocated from St Andrew's Church, Marshgate, which was demolished in December 1969. A new, lean-to kitchen extension was built against the east gable wall of the youth centre in 2005.

The church became redundant in 2009 and was put up for sale. It is presently unused. The altar, pipe organ and seats have been removed. Now converted to a house.

Doncaster’s Historic Churches: St Michael and All Angels SkelbrookeIn 1338 there is a record of an ordination in the cha...
24/07/2026

Doncaster’s Historic Churches: St Michael and All Angels Skelbrooke

In 1338 there is a record of an ordination in the chantry chapel of St John the Evangelist. It is believed for the next 200 years, the little church at Skelbrooke was served by two priests. The parish includes part of the ancient forest of Barnsdale, the celebrated haunt of Robin Hood. Robin Hood's Well, near Skelbrooke is the earliest known place name associated with the legendary outlaw.

The church suffered during the Reformation of 1549. The chantry chapel was pulled down and goods were confiscated from church. A fire in 1870 destroyed the church. It was rebuilt and reopened in 1872.
The tower was probably rebuilt in the 19th century but appears to retain much of the original stone which is unusual to use fired stone due to its weakness. Two of the bells are medieval and a third was added much later in 1730.

Above the porch is a medieval coat of arms, carved in stone. Internally there are the remains of our rood loft staircase, a medieval canopied niche, wonderful stained glass, a fine mosaic reredos featuring the Four Evangelists and the chantry chapel, decorated with typical Victorian splendour.
The churchyard is interesting and a medieval grave survives in the northeast corner.

Doncaster’s modern churches: Our Lady of Sorrows and St Francis, Armthorpe. Markham Main Colliery opened at Armthorpe at...
24/07/2026

Doncaster’s modern churches: Our Lady of Sorrows and St Francis, Armthorpe.

Markham Main Colliery opened at Armthorpe at the beginning of the twentieth century, and a number of housing developments followed in the 1920s and 1930s. With an increasing Catholic population in the area, a temporary wooden structure was built as part of Mere Lane School and was in use as a Mass centre from 1921-2, served by priests from St Peter, Doncaster. In 1929, a Motor Mission visited Armthorpe and began a fundraising campaign for a new church. The church of St Francis of Assisi was built in 1930, replacing the wooden structure, and in 1935 the parish of St Thomas of Canterbury (Armthorpe and Kirk Sandall) was erected.
In 1957 a parish reorganisation resulted in Armthorpe becoming the centre and St Thomas of Canterbury at Kirk Sandall a chapel-of-ease, a reversal of the previous arrangement. Construction of a permanent new church dedicated to Our Lady of Sorrows and St Francis began on 1 May 1958 and the completed church was opened by the Bishop of Leeds on 14 March 1959. This was designed by Evan E. Morgan FRIBA of Park Row, Leeds and built by Messrs C. Earnshaw (Rotherham) Ltd; it seated 240 and the approximate cost was £18,500.
The present external appearance of the church is very little different from that of 1959. The original appearance of the interior – the high altar and its painted canopy, the panelled pulpit and communion rails – were all removed in post-Vatican II reordering. The present appearance is described below. The church was dedicated on 14 March 1984. The former church of St Francis, which became a parish hall after the church was built, was demolished in recent years.

Doncaster’s modern churches Carcroft Wesleyan ChapelWhen the colliery was sunk and the population increased, a larger bu...
24/07/2026

Doncaster’s modern churches Carcroft Wesleyan Chapel

When the colliery was sunk and the population increased, a larger building was needed, so a site was chosen a short distance away adjoining the Carcroft branch of the Co-operative Society. The architect was Mr. Osborne M. Thorpe, a drawing being shown in the Doncaster Gazette of 26 March 1915. The new church was to seat 260 adults, with Sunday School accommodation for 270 children. Screens arranged between the chapel and schools allowed for additional accommodation on special occasions. The large schoolroom was supplemented with a Primary schoolroom, also with six good classrooms. The chapel included a kitchen and lavatories.

Doncaster Detail Quiz 22A little later than normal but have you completed the quiz, come on it’s easy! Although you do n...
24/07/2026

Doncaster Detail Quiz 22

A little later than normal but have you completed the quiz, come on it’s easy! Although you do need to walk a little bit further from the centre and really keep your eyes open for one of them.

Answers on Monday as well as the next quiz.

Doncaster’s historic pubs: The Lockwood, HallgateBefore the pendants mount their horses and charge down their hill of bo...
24/07/2026

Doncaster’s historic pubs: The Lockwood, Hallgate

Before the pendants mount their horses and charge down their hill of boredom, the pub may not be historic but the building is most definitely even when your version of historic depends on whether it’s listed! In fact the building is so steeped in history it might well have been built out of it rather than being fronted in stucco!

The building was built, for himself, by Joseph Lockwood the younger. But before we go into the younger, his father was even more prominent in Doncaster’s history. Twice mayor, Lockwood senior was a very prosperous gentleman:- a builder, a surveyor of the Corporation buildings, lease holder for Levitt Hagg quarry and Clerk of Doncaster Racecourse.

The younger Lockwood carried on the family business following the retirement of his father. He built the Gaol in West Laithe Gate amongst many others and lived in 50 Hallgate for a number of years before his death in 1842 at the age of 56. The name Lockwood continued with the house until its sale in 1931 to the York County Bank. His son Henry was an architect who can be attributed to many works in Bradford where he set up practice. Saltaire and St George’s Hall are two of many.

The pub I believe was opened as the Lockwood in 2017 after conversion

Doncaster’s interesting buildings: Mary Woolley Centre, off Carr House Road The Mary Woollett Centre is an attractive ex...
23/07/2026

Doncaster’s interesting buildings: Mary Woolley Centre, off Carr House Road

The Mary Woollett Centre is an attractive example of 1930s municipal school architecture. It is not worthy of national significance but the quality has led to its formal inclusion on the Doncaster Constructed around a classic school architecture, enclosed around a central quadrangle featuring a garden in the middle
the building spans a footprint of roughly 53,000 square feet over a 1.6-to-4-acre parcel, combining a sprawling, unified brick façade with subsequent minor wing expansions.
The former Grammar School for girls retains distinct period features from its 1931 origin as a "Central School," reflecting the typical robust, geometric, and functional public building style of the interwar era.

Mary Woollett was a prominent local figure in Doncaster's education sector, most notably serving as a dedicated local education official and director for the borough during the mid-to-late 20th century. When the former Danum Grammar School for Girls building on Danum Road was decommissioned as a school and transitioned into municipal use, the City of Doncaster Councilrenamed the building the Mary Woollett Centre to honour her significant contributions to local public services. She was highly instrumental in developing professional teaching standards, children's services, and educational support networks across South Yorkshire. Reflecting her background, the venue was specifically designated as the Mary Woollett Professional Development Centre. For decades, it served as the principal borough hub for teacher training, multi-agency coordination, and the headquarters for the Doncaster Safeguarding Children's Partnership. I spent many hours in a Saturday morning listening to my daughter murdering the violin at the music school.

We wait to see what happens next!

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