Penistone Lane

 

Weekly markets have been held at Penistone since at least the 13th century. Folk from Upper Midhope would most likely have used this old highway to travel to the market, linking up to other old highways in order to complete the journey. Today, the route ends at the A616 (once known as Wadsley & Langsett Turnpike road) but in ancient times would have proceeded to Penistone via an old bridleway, traversing up the hill passing Alderman’s Head Cote, crossing Hartcliffe Hill road (once part of an ancient Salt route) and then on to Penistone, via Brockholes Lane. The line of Penistone Lane was probably changed by the building of the WL&S Turnpike as it would once have linked directly to the Brockholes bridleway and then Northwards to Penistone.

There is now a stone and metal bridge across the River Porter (or Little Don) near to the lane’s junction with the A616. This most likely replaced a narrower, possibly wooden bridge at the time that Langsett Reservoir was constructed. A walled section can be seen, containing remnants of a stone causey, near Upper Midhope. The rest of the route has been absorbed into the surrounding pasture land. Penistone Lane appears on all published Ordnance Survey maps. It is listed in the 1903 Ordnance Survey Object Name Book and is described as ‘a fourth class road leading N from Upper Midhope to Bridge Holme’. Bridge Holme was the name of the property adjacent to the A616, now a private house/cottage. The Definitive Map reference is: BRA/145 and BRA/199.

 

Bridge over the Little Don on Penistone Lane

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Remaining walled section of Penistone Lane

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