Sunshine ahead

Spring will soon be here and our lovely common will be blessed with sunshine daffodils thanks to the work of the volunteers who have been working with the North East Action Team to brighten up the neighbourhood by planting bulbs.  In the grey days of this everlasting depression flowers are a simple pleasure and joy.  Thank you.

Wincobank Lanterns Light Up the Hill 2012

 Over 250 people came together from local schools and across the area for a memorable and magical walk back through time to the days of the Roman occupation of Britain. 

Carrying willow and tissue lanterns made in school, the children and their families  set out in a procession led by drummers to seek the rebel leader King Caratacus.  

 Passing between fluttering ribbons and twinkling candle lamps, the parade entered the mysterious darkness of the ancient wood safe in the company of City Council stewards.  

Out on the hillside at the end of the woodland path, the sparkling lights of Sheffield and the Don Valley lit up the night with a warm glow. 

Turning up the south-west slope of Wincobank Hill the walkers made their way up towards a lone piper playing by a glowing brazier. 

Drawing breath, people turned to look back at the path they had climbed and gasped to see the millions of glittering lights stretching far into the distance. 

One child was overheard to exclaim: “Oh look – it’s the world!”

This view from the hill is seldom seen at night and the memory will stay with us all for years to come.

 Following the trail of candle lamps the procession moved up the hill to find archaeology students from the University of Sheffield working metal on an anvil beside the roaring flames of a reconstructed iron age forge.

The atmospheric Celtic melodies from Foxy Music instrumentalists drifted through the air and by the time the line of lantern bearers had crossed the hill fort, the children were buzzing with excitement.

 Four huge flags fluttered against the night sky. Beneath them, illuminated by torchlight and the glow of braziers, members of the 53 Theatre Group captivated the crowd with a re-enactment of the betrayal of King Caratacus by Cartimandua, Queen of the Brigantes, who according to Tacitus, delivered him to the Romans in chains.   

But some say that Cartimandua deserves to be remembered as a wise and strategic leader, determined to protect her people from the Romans.

 The crowd were immediately involved in the dilemma faced by Cartimandua who had made a trade agreement with the invaders, securing peace. Caratacus was trying to raise a rebel army and so threatened the peace of the region. 

As Caratacus was led off in chains, the weary, happy, but hungry procession continued down the dark path between the oak trees and back to the warm and welcoming Upper Wincobank Chapel for hot chocolate and cake. 

Many thanks to Catherine Nuttgens and James Smith for helping to organise this amazing event which was funded by Communities First and Natural England

The event was supported by volunteers from by Friends of Wincobank Hill, Sheffield University Department of Archaeology, 53 Theatre Group, Sheffield and Rotherham Wildlife Trust, Upper Wincobank Chapel and Wincobank Youth Group.  Thanks also to Foxy Music, Anna-Mercedes Wear and Helena Reynolds for their great contribution.  

Precious Voices at Easter

If you were up in the Wincobank woods on Easter Day you would have been surpirsed to see the geodome brought by researchers from the University of Sheffield  as part of the fascinating Precious Voices project designed to capture phrases in local dialect and how people feel about the words they use.

This project has developed out of the the "Sheffield Voices" project during which students from the University of Sheffield worked with the Sheffield Local Studies Library to create a finding guide of literary dialect items.    Watch out for the team at local events through the summer!

Wincobank Roman Ridge at risk. ACT NOW!

This is the route of Roman Ridge under threat from housing development. The actual man-made dyke, now thought to have been constructed long before the Romans even set foot on this island, has probably been destroyed by previous mining activity but that does not mean it should be disregarded as an area of historic importance.  It is the joining section between remaining parts of the Scheduled Monument and one of the few remaining sections of its 27km stretch where you can get a sense of what it was like to travel along the prehistoric causeway and pass by Wincobank Hill Fort just as today's travellers drive past Sheffield on the M1 and glance up at the tree covered hilltop and wonder what is up there.  A real and tangible connection with the past to be preserved and experienced so that we can understand the full story of technological advance and the engineering that made this country great.
Help us save this designated Open Space from the challenge to its protected status.  Make your obection now.  Email howard.baxter@sheffield.gov.uk quoting planning application reference 11/03972/FUL.  The deadline to objections to the housing development is 1st February 2012.
For further details visit our website http://www.wincobankhill.btck.co.uk/ or email friendsofwincobankhill@gmail.com

A New Year surprise

The 3rd Annual General meeting got off to an amazing start when new member John Abdullah and his daughter arrived with a very special surprise - two tiny flint tools which he had found and which have now been dated to between 1,500 and 2,500 BC. The workmanship is extraordinarily delicate and has to be seen at close quarters to be believed.

John has kindly loaned them to the Friends of Wincobank Hill.

Lord Mayor Cllr Dr Sylvia Dunkley and her husband stayed for the evening to hear a round up of the year's FoWH activities and plans by the Woodlands Heritage team for a new information and archive website, the restoration of paths, interpretative signage and maps for walks on the hill. 

Terry Howard, Chair of Sheffield Ramblers, introduced to us the longer walks he has developed that incorporate the hill and he also talked about his Great Grandfather's connection with Grimesthorpe Colliery.   

Ron Clayton gave an update on the campaign to reveal the ruins of Sheffield Castle and Lewis Sadler from Sheffield Astronomy Society offered to lead star-gazing sessions on Wincobank Common near the Cartimandua Star-Crossed Queeen monument which shows a winter sky star map. 

Finally David Anson brought us up to speed on the threat of further development on the Sandstone estate, on the south side of the hill just a stone's throw away from the monument. 

The following day news reached us that the application has now been lodged.

The Council has received a Full Planning Application that you may want to comment on.

To comment on an application you can either

• Go to our website www.sheffield.gov.uk/planning and follow the links to search for the planning application 11/03972/FUL.

 You can view a paper copy of the application, but you must make arrangements in advance by contacting the Records team on (0114) 20 39183.



Things that go... bump!

There were strange goings on today on Wincobank Common. Stories to be told, flying ghosts, some truly frightful face-painting and crunchy toffee apples, delicious and sufficiently sticky to give a dentist nightmares.

The sun was shining and families came from up around and abouts to join in the fun. Little witches and wizards, Dracula, a portly Friar Tuck and a scattering of skeletons turned up to make their own lucky broomsticks, to learn to juggle and thensip hot chocolate around the
cosy fire.

Many thanks to the Park and Woodland Ranger Team, Storyteller Andy Messers, The Great Mostachio from Greentop Circus, Anna-Mercedes Wear for her creepy crafts and especially the volunteers from Friends of Wincobank Hill who were first to arrive and last to leave. A wonderful autumn afternoon was had by all.

Down our way

At our last meeting we were taken on a fascinating tour down memory lane with Wendy Booth, a local resident who has lived in her house since it was built in 1962. Overlooking the Don Valley, Wendy has seen the view from her window change greatly over the years as heavy industry has given way to commerce and entertainment.

Each slide was greeted with appreciation as individual memories flooded back and the last half hour of the meeting was taken up with anecdotes and debate prompted by sights unseen for sometime. We were all touched to see once more the twin towers of Tinsley, for so long the landmark for travellers speeding past Sheffield on the motorway. Now the towers are no more, just look to the east of the motorway and northward to see Wincobank Hill standing guard over the Don Valley. Indestructible.