May 2025 was hot. Ridiculously so. Following April’s unseasonal heat, the burning sun clung on tenaciously until the late May Bank Holiday weekend.
Continue readingDearne and Dove Canal
Late great starts – February 2025
After several false starts due to the weather in January, and only the stoic efforts of our regular volunteer Paul braving the elements with several small groups up until now, regular volunteers finally returned to site on Saturday 22nd February 2025 to ‘begin’ the year. And what a lovely day!
Continue readingStormy weather and soggy weekends
October brought clouds and rain. It kept volunteer activity on site at bay, at times, but the hardy crew still managed to get some valuable maintenance work done, and even enjoyed an outing at the end of this most changeable of months.
Spring ebbs and June’s Summer flows
June. A beautiful time of year. The first steps of summer, without the school holidays. When the sun’s heat brings plants, people, and other wild-life out into the longer light of day.
Levelling up? The Dearne and Dove Canal
At 10 o’clock in the morning, on Wednesday 29th August 1792, the Company of Proprietors of the Navigation of the River Dun held a meeting at the Cutler’s Hall in Sheffield.
Continue readingHope and Heritage spring eternal, April 2022
Cold comforts…
Picking up from our previous update at the end of March, you might be forgiven for thinking that the seasons had jumped, with winter returning, as snow fell on site on the morning of 31st March; the pit briefly donning a white cloak, before warmer air, and the green shoots of Spring began to emerge more fully.
Continue readingOpen Day Sat 6th July 2019
Cloudy with a chance of sunshine?
July noted
It was with a mixed bag of rain and whispers of summertime sunshine that the Friends arrived for a slightly delayed start to another busy Open Day at Hemingfield.
Saturday 7th April 2018
Time Travellers
On Saturday 7th April the Friends of Hemingfield Colliery hosted a special open day visit from members of the Sheffield-based Time Travellers group of archaeology enthusiasts. The group had arranged a day trip to the Elsecar Heritage Action Zone area, being hosted by Dr Tegwen Roberts (Elsecar Heritage Action Zone officer), and filled a busy day visiting the Newcomen beam engine, exploring the buildings of the Heritage Centre, stopping by the Elsecar Heritage Railway and reviewing the archaeological research underway in the area and supported by Historic England.
ELR Loco William passes the pit
In the afternoon, Dr Roberts led the group of around 25 members down from Elsecar to visit Hemingfield Colliery, guiding the visitors along the Dearne and Dove canal towpath, past the Hemingfield Colliery basin and on to Tingle Bridge with its surviving lock-side public house, the Elephant and Castle.
Year’s End: Open Day, 9th December 2017
The end of the year cometh, but so do the volunteers! On a cold, but beautifully light December morning at Hemingfield, the Friends of Hemingfield Colliery were delighted to welcome the regular volunteers to the pit to mark the last Open day of 2017; to celebrate the Christmas vacation ahead, and reflect on a busy and rewarding year for the Friends and the whole area.
But first, on with the discoveries!
Friends of Hemingfield Colliery 