Stephanie Oldershaw, Engineering & Process Support at Aldwark Cast Products, LIBERTY Steel UK – Rotherham, gives SPOKE a personal tour of her historical town, with centuries of tradition and stories, natural beauty and the hidden gems, that make this South Yorkshire town so unique.

Rotherham: Feel the flavour of the British steel town

If you ever visit LIBERTY Steel UK, you’d be faced with a very difficult choice – which town to start with, as LIBERTY in the UK spans across 10 sites in England, Scotland, and Wales. Each has its unique flavour, history, and even accents but all are united by a common passion for steel.

We’d like to welcome you to the beginning of the journey, which undoubtedly starts at Rotherham, where the two electric arc furnaces, N and T, are situated. This marks the beginning of the greenest steel production in the UK and even worldwide, as this is the place where scrap is transformed into steel that later finds its way into airplanes, helicopters, cars, bridges, buildings, the oil and gas sector, and many other markets.

Our guide on the tour of Rotherham is Stephanie Oldershow, Engineering & Process Support at Aldwark Cast Products, where the mentioned above furnaces are located.

Steel Heritage

Rotherham is a market town in South Yorkshire, England, and it is the largest settlement in the Metropolitan Borough of Rotherham. The town is named after the River Rother, one of two major rivers flowing through it. Rotherham has a rich history dating back to the Roman era. Prior to the industrial revolution, traditional industries included farming, glass making and flour milling. In the late 18th and 19th centuries, Rotherham became known for its coal mining and, later, steel industries.

It’s worth noting that this year marks the 200th anniversary of the Parkgate area in Rotherham, where ironworks and small steelworks were established. This area is now home to the LIBERTY site.

The name Rotherham often brings to mind the town’s industrial past. However, it’s not just about coal, iron, and steel. A little exploration reveals a place teeming with attractions for the whole family. In 2021, the town had a population of 265,807, making it one of the most populous districts in England.

Rotherham is a classic British town, known for its traditional red-brick buildings and marvellous historic architecture. One notable landmark in the town is Rotherham Minster, also known as All Saints’ Church.

It’s situated in the very centre of the town, boasting a 15th-century tower and a Grade I listed building. The Minster is a prominent example of Perpendicular Gothic architecture, highly regarded by various architectural historians.

Rotherham is also famous for its sports. Primarily, it’s home to the Rotherham United Football Club, nicknamed the Millers, the town’s professional football team, and the Rotherham Titans, the town’s rugby union team.

Rotherham United’s nickname of the Millers comes from Rotherham’s strong industrial history of flour milling. Millmoor, Rotherham’s home for decades, was so named because it was built in the hub of the flour milling industry in Rotherham. Thus, when Rotherham moved to Millmoor, they became the Millers.

Rotherham Rugby Union Football Club, or Rotherham Titans, well supported in the town has experienced success, having achieved multiple promotions within the league structure in the 1990s and early 2000s.

When asked about famous facts about Rotherham, local people often recall The Chuckle Brothers. This English comedy double act, comprising Barry David Elliott and Paul Harman Elliott, was known for their BBC children’s program, ChuckleVision, which aired from 1987 to 2009. It celebrated its twenty-first series with a 2010 stage tour titled “An Audience with the Chuckle Brothers.” Their comedy usually featured slapstick, visual gags, wordplay, and catchphrases such as “To me, to you!” and “Oh dear, oh dear!”

Things to do in Rotherham:

• Your first priority should be to visit LIBERTY Speciality Steels.
• If you want to learn more about the steel heritage, head to the Magna Science Adventure Centre. It’s located in the former Templeborough steelworks in South Yorkshire, housed in a vast building that’s a third of a mile long and 150 feet high. Four pavilions feature over 100 hands-on exhibits themed on Air, Earth, Fire, and Water; the ‘elements’ needed for making steel. You can discover science, technology, and the region’s industrial heritage. The spectacular Big Melt Show recreates the story of the steelworks, and there are fabulous outdoor play facilities for a great day out. The centre offers insights into steel heritage through exhibitions, audio-visual displays, and steel tours. The Templeborough steelworks was once the largest electric melting shop in the world, and its industrial history dates back to Roman times.

• Don’t miss the opportunity to explore the legendary backstage where popular Netflix TV shows like “The Crown” and “Downton Abbey” were filmed – Wentworth Woodhouse. Even Hollywood star Kate Winslet was part of the cast of the HBO title ‘The Regime,’ filmed at Wentworth Woodhouse. It’s locally known as ‘the House’ or ‘Wentworth House’ and is the largest private home in the UK. The facade, which is the most predominant front facing an open space in architecture, is the longest of any country home in Europe, measuring 600ft long. It’s twice the length of a standard football pitch and twice the length of Buckingham Palace. If you were to walk every inch of the mansion, it would take nearly two hours, as there are over five miles of corridors and over three hundred rooms. There’s some debate about the true number of rooms, as some argue whether cupboards should count and the like, but it covers a vast 250,000ft of floorspace. It is currently owned by the Wentworth Woodhouse Preservation Trust and is one of the finest and grandest Georgian houses in England. The house is now open to the public, Tuesday to Sunday, for morning tours, afternoon free-flow exploration, and events. It’s just a 10-minute drive from the LIBERTY Speciality Steels site.

• If you’re in the mood for some natural beauty, head to Rother Valley Country Park. It spans 3 square kilometres (740 acres) and features four artificial lakes, recreational activities, and nature reserves. Most of the park was open cast for coal, and the main excavation sites have been transformed into artificial lakes. The Park was officially opened on 27 May 1983, with a cost of £4 million, aiming to provide an area for recreational pursuits, encourage wildlife to return to the area, and provide a flood protection plan for the areas downstream, which had been severely impacted by floods in the past. The Park was once a mixture of meadows and marshy bullrush beds before open-cast excavation began. At the eastern side of the lake stands the Bedgrave Mill courtyard, where the visitor centre is located, displaying the flood defence map and the original mill mechanism “flour into grain” exhibition from when it was a water mill. There is also a craft centre and “The Stables” cafe.
• If you’re up for some extreme fun, you’ll enjoy a visit to Gulliver’s Valley Theme Park. While it’s not Disneyland, it offers a decent alternative with hundreds of ways to relax and get your adrenaline pumping.
• And last but not least, let’s talk about where to eat out while you’re in Rotherham. For breakfast, you should definitely try a full traditional British English breakfast, which includes sausages, bacon, eggs, fried tomatoes and mushrooms, and beans. You can have it just around the corner from LIBERTY at Toby Carvery (https://www.tobycarvery.co.uk/).

• For lunch, grab some sandwiches at Miele Delicatessen (5 stars on TripAdvisor), located at 22 High Street, Rotherham S60 1PP. And for tea (don’t confuse with American supper!), try traditional fish and chips at any local pub, for example, at the Earl of Strafford or go for Italian cousin at W Italian Bar and Restaurant, delicious steaks at Brazilian restaurant Rancheros Rodizio Bar And Grill, or a themed café the Garrison Wickersley serving local food.

Rotherham has an ancient history dating back to old times, a rich steel heritage, and, at the same time, it’s a modern, vibrant town with immense potential for the future. You’ll enjoy your time here!