This post follows the Friends and volunteers on their activities, and new adventures from July through to September 2025.

It has been a busy time, with our regular volunteers attending and assisting a wide range of events and joining with others to support and celebrate our local heritage.

New beginnings

We begin in July. On the afternoon of 10th July 2025 the Friends were excited to join Barnsley Museums, Elsecar Heritage Centre staff, Councillors and members of the local community in celebrating the official opening of the new Visitor Centre at Elsecar.

The Friends have been pleased to support the renewal and extension of the history gallery, which is part of the ongoing Cultural Development Fund project to improve and renew heritage buildings and upgrade facilities across the site in order to support future events and sustainable activities across the site for years to come.

Heritage Open Days – Preparations!

The annual national programme of Heritage Open Days in England is an important time to raise awareness of heritage sites such as Hemingfield Colliery.

Our HODs open days are an important opportunity to share the story of Hemingfield with members of the local community, heritage lovers from near and far, or just allow a quick peek at the site for curious passers by.

We owe much to the organisers for providing an excellent website and map, and supporting publicity of the Heritage Open Days programme.

In South Yorkshire there is a special focus on HODs with a Sheffield area brochure of events and on Thursday 29th August 2025 the Friends were able to join the launch of the Sheffield programme.

Wheely good fun

The following weekend the Friends gathered on site on Saturday 30th August, to prepare for Heritage Open Days, but also to preview a new and exciting event in the form of the Wentworth Grand Prix race with British Cycling. 

The main race event was on Sunday 31st August, but Saturday made for interesting viewing as many cyclists and support vehicles practiced the route.

On the race day itself, our intrepid volunteer Paul covered traversed miles of the course which consisted of being numbers of laps for the different pelotons.

It was a great day, and a smashing sight, reminding us of the Tour de Yorkshire pudding through Elsecar back in May 2018!

Heritage Open Days 2025, 12-21st Sept – Double the fun!

For the first time the Friends had a double presence during the HODs period 12-21 September 2025.

As well as opening the pit for two weekends, we were privileged to join other heritage groups down at RSPB Old Moor.

Our thanks to Alvin and Spike for being hugely kind and supportive hosts throughout the fortnight.

Heritage Highlights

The first weekend went well and was not too wet. Saturday even kicked off with some rays of sunshine as we opened early to eager visitors.

Rain sprinkled the site in the afternoon, and it was a little cold by the end of the day on Sunday.

As well as providing tours, the Friends were delighted to make new connections with families connected to the pit and help to connect visitors with our own archives and knowledge about the history of the colliery from the 1840s through to the present day. We will be following up on all of the kind contacts provided.

Down at RSPB Old Moor, our regular volunteer Janet hosted visitors viewing  our extended Dearne and Dove Canal history display, and provided information and leaflets on the Friends group.

On Sunday afternoon, our volunteer Chris gave a talk on the origins of the Elsecar branch of the Dearne and Dove Canal, and covered its story from the plans of the 1790s through to the redevelopment of the 1960s and partial restoration and recovery of the 1980s and 90s. He also gave a swift visual tour along the canal as it was when in operation in the 1890s.

The second HODs weekend on Saturday 20th started out rather cloudy and then came the torrential downpour!

Not quite apocalyptic scenes, but even wetland birds took flight and fled!

However there were brighter spots early on, and by Sunday, in stark contrast, we had our busiest day and some blue skies.

We were really delighted to greet a wide range of visitors, young and old, individuals and family groups. We chatted to former mining families, visitors from the Home Counties, and even a former mining family from embattled Ukraine whom it was a privilege to welcome to our site and share the history of mining in our area and note the connections between Barnsley and Ukraine’s industrial regions.