Early history Transport in Sheffield

the earliest known roads in sheffield area date roman occupation of britain between 43 , 410 ad. romans built fort @ templeborough c55. 2 roads built fort. icknield street ran south towards derby, , road ran south-west brough-on-noe near hope in derbyshire. exact course of these roads unknown both have passed within modern boundaries sheffield. in centuries after end of roman occupation sheffield area @ border of anglo-saxon kingdoms of northumbria , mercia. village of dore (literally door) lay on important route between these kingdoms.

a map of sheffield in 1736

following norman conquest of england castle established in village of sheffield c1150. sheffield began grow small town, first bridge built on river don (lady s bridge) , street pattern persist centuries laid out. lady s bridge may represent main route out of sheffield in era, travellers followed wicker , climbed spital hill follow ancient dyke called roman rig mexborough. may route sheffield described in sir walter scott s ivanhoe. route south passing through little sheffield, heeley, , newfield green, gleadless moor existed 1692, difficult route follow. there route west, known long causeway, followed old roman road toward stanage edge, sheffield remained relatively secluded, fact may have influenced choice of sheffield imprisonment of mary, queen of scots, in 1570.

in 18th century, turnpike roads built improving sheffield s connections outside world. turnpike chesterfield built in 1756 , through ringinglow chapel-en-le-frith or buxton constructed in 1758. roads built barnsley, tickhill, worksop, intake , penistone. baslow turnpike (abbeydale road) opened in 1805 , glossop road opened in 1821. in 1774 wooden waggonway laid on distance of 2 miles duke of norfolk s collieries town, later relaid cast-iron l-shaped rails john curr; 1 of earliest railways use type of rails.

a map of sheffield in 1832