Penistone

Template:Infobox England place UA

Penistone is a small market town in the metropolitan borough of Barnsley, in South Yorkshire, England, with a population of 8,727 inhabitants (according to 2001 Census). It lies about eight miles west of the town of Barnsley, in the foothills of the Pennines.

History

Place-name meaning

The meaning of Penistone is Old English tun "farm, village" (not stone!) with an uncertain first element, possibly Celtic penn meaning hill - similar to Penn in the West Midlands. Records of the name as Penstun (1143) and Penstone (n.d.) prove the second element is Old English tun "farm, village" (not Old English stan, stone, as might be suggested)

The history of Penistone can be dated back to 1066 when it was known to be owned by Ailric. However, following the Norman Conquest it was razed to the ground in 1069 in what became known as the Harrying of the North; the Domesday Book described the settlement in 1089 as 'wasted'.

The town was of little importance until the coming of the railway in 1845, although several pre-19th Century buildings survive. The oldest still standing is the Grade I listed mediaeval parish church, Saint John the Baptist Church. The White Hart pub in the town dates from 1377. Penistone has had a market since 1699, although its livestock market has recently closed.

Penistone grammar school was founded in 1392. Famous former pupils include mathematician Nicholas Saunderson - a close friend of Isaac Newton and Anne Campbell - MP for Cambridge (to May 2005)

Today

Although the town still has a railway station, the main line through the town to Manchester, via Woodhead, is presently only used by the Trans-Pennine Trail. There are plans to reopen this route to trains. The current railway station serves the Penistone Line.

The Penistone Show is an annual agricultural show which draws in crowds from across the county. It is always held on the second Saturday in September. As well as ordinary agricultural categories for sheep, cows, goats, and chickens entries are also received in horticulture, handicraft, show jumping, pigeons, dogs, photography and many more categories.

Penistone Farmers' Market is a monthly farmers' market on the second Saturday of every month. Local farmers and producers of foods and crafts bring local produce direct to the public. The market is open to all traders selling more than 50% of their own produce and based within a fifty mile radius of Penistone. The market is held on the Penistone town market.

On Yorkshire Day, August 1st 2006 , Penistone will play host to the now annual gathering of Lord Mayors, Mayors and other civic heads from across Yorkshire. The day will be marked with a service at St John's Church, a parade around the town and a meal for invited guests at Penistone Grammar School. Other events include free films and an evening of music at the Paramount Cinema, an exhibition at St John's Community Centre and Hartcliff Tower will open to the public again. There will also be Morris dancers, a farmers market and a shop window competition. There is also a historic organ concert at St. Andrew's Church.

The day is being taken very seriously by the organisers and some of the roads where the procession will go along have been resufaced. Also, local residents along the path of the procession have been asked to decorate the fronts of their houses and gardens for the day.

Trivia

Penistone Crag, as featured in the Emily Bronte story, Wuthering Heights has no relation to the Town of Penistone. The actual Penistone Crag is thought to be Ponden Kirk, near Haworth, West Yorkshire.

Places of interest

External links