Editing River Don, Yorkshire (section)

==Course==
[[File:RiverDonSouthYorkshireWinscarRes.jpg|thumb|right|The hydraulic jump pool at the foot of Winscar Dam]]
The River Don rises in the Peak District, on Great Grains Moss, a [[millstone grit]] moorland area between {{convert|1480|and|1570|ft|m}} above sea level. A series of small streams, including Great Grains and Black Grough join up, and within {{convert|1.2|mi|km}} enter Winscar Reservoir. Reaps Dyke rises within {{convert|500|yd|m}} of the source, and flows in a semicircle to the north, through Snailsden reservoir and Harden reservoir, to flow into another arm of Winscar reservoir. Just {{convert|100|yd|m}} from the source, Withens Brook rises, but flows westwards, to supply the [[Longdendale Chain|reservoirs of Longdendale]] and the people of [[Manchester]]. To the south of Winscar reservoir, other streams supply Upper Windleden and Lower Windleden reservoirs.<ref name=os-ol1>Ordnance Survey, 1:25000 map, Sheet OL1</ref>

All of these reservoirs were built in the late 19th&nbsp;century for the Dewsbury and Heckmondwike
Waterworks Board. Lower Windleden was the first to be completed in 1872, with Upper Windleden following in 1890. Winscar, Snailsden and Harden were all completed in 1899, although Winscar was called Dunford Bridge at the time.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.barnsley.gov.uk/multimedia-library/Documents/Development%20-%20Planning%20%26%20Transportation/Planning%20Policy/LDF/preferred/underpinning_documents/_id5ebd95_ |title=Barnsley Borough Landscape Character Assessment, Final Report |date=May 2002| access-date= 11 July 2010}}</ref> A new dam was built at Winscar between 1972 and 1975, and replaced the earlier earth dam. To fit it in, without destroying the village of Dunford Bridge, the dam is built of rock fill, which allows the faces to be much steeper than those of an earth dam, and the inner face is covered with two layers of asphaltic concrete, the first such use of this material on a dam in Britain. The dam is {{convert|174|ft|m}} high and contains around {{convert|1180000|cuyd|m3}} of rock fill. Another innovation in its construction was the use of a hydraulic jump pool at the foot of the overflow chute, which dissipates the energy of the cascading water. The reservoir supplies drinking water to the Calder Valley, some {{convert|12|mi|km}} to the north,<ref>{{harvnb |Rennison |1996 |p=202}}</ref> and is also the base for Pennine Sailing Club, who offer basic training in sailing skills, on courses certified by the [[Royal Yachting Association]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://paladin-systems.co.uk/pennine/index.htm |title=Pennine Sailing Club, overview| access-date= 11 July 2010}}</ref>

The Don flows from the foot of Winscar Dam, close to the eastern portal of the [[Woodhead Tunnel]], through the Hamlet of Dunford Bridge, and continues, first east and then south-east, on its way to Sheffield.<ref name=os-ol1/> Near Penistone, the river is joined by Scout Dike, which flows from the Ingbirchworth, Royd Moor and Scout Dike reservoirs. The [[Little Don River]] or River Porter, on which there are three more reservoirs, joins the Don near Deepcar, while at Wharncliffe Side, the [[Ewden Beck]] joins, after flowing through [[Broomhead Reservoir|Broomhead]] and [[More Hall Reservoir|More Hall reservoirs]]. By the time it reaches [[Oughtibridge]], the river is below the {{convert|300|ft|m|adj=on}} contour.

===Industrial sites===
{{River Don South Yorkshire map}}
Below Oughtibridge, the course of the river is marked by a series of weirs, which were used to impound water, so that it could be used to power mills, hammers and grinding wheels. The gradient of the river bed is less than that of most of the Don's tributaries, which required the weirs to be spaced further apart, to prevent water from one mill backing up and preventing the next mill upstream from operating. The river falls by {{convert|160|ft|m}} between Oughtibridge and Brightside, a distance of {{convert|8|mi|km}}, and by 1600, there were sufficient weirs that no new ones were built subsequently, although there were cases where additional mills were built, which used water from an existing weir. Most of the mill buildings have long since gone, but the weirs remain.<ref>{{harvnb |Ball |Crossley |Flavell |2006 |p=2}}</ref> All of the weirs on this section of the Don followed a similar pattern, with a weir built at an angle across the river, and a goit or channel leading from the lower edge to a reservoir or dam running parallel to the river. After the works, a tail goit returned water to the river. Water supply to the dam was controlled by shuttles which could be raised to allow water to enter the head goit.<ref>{{harvnb |Ball |Crossley |Flavell |2006 |pp=xviii–xx}}</ref>

The weir by Station Lane, Oughtibridge served the Upper Middlewood forge, described as a tilt in the sources, as it had a tilt hammer which was raised up and allowed to drop to shape the metal. The weir is in good order, although much of the original structure has been replaced by concrete steps. Next came Middlewood Works, which was a rolling mill and slitting mill, splitting bars of iron into thin strips for the manufacture of nails. Four water wheels were recorded in the 1820s, and water power was still being uses in 1900. The site was cleared after 1985, but the stone weir, with its nine bays, remains.<ref>{{harvnb |Ball |Crossley |Flavell |2006 |pp=2–5}}</ref> Beeley Wood or Nova Scotia Tilts was a sizeable operation, with eight water wheels operating in the 1830s, four wheels driving two forges, another two driving the bellows for the forges, and the final two driving two tilt hammers. The works was recorded as derelict by 1895. In February 2016 the [[Environment Agency]] removed the middle two-thirds of Beeley Wood Lower Weir as part of a scheme to allow the free migration of fish and let the river return to a more natural form.<ref name="BW Weir">[https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/398011/EIA_Advert_R_Don_Weir_Removals.pdf  Environment Agency] Partial removal of Beeley Wood Lower Weir.</ref> The next works was Hawksley or Clay Wheels which employed 54 men in 1794, and was still using water power in 1895. The site was used to make scythes until after 1941, when a film, which can be seen at the [[Kelham Island Museum]], was made of its activity. The weir has five bays, but is deteriorating.<ref>{{harvnb |Ball |Crossley |Flavell |2006 |pp=5–8}}</ref>

Wadsley weir supplied a series of works which were situated to the east of the river channel. Wadsley Bridge paper mill was operational by 1709, and a tilt was also working by 1806. The wheel was {{convert|16.5|ft|m}} in diameter and {{convert|6.83|ft|m}} wide when it was surveyed in 1855, by which time the works had become Niagara Works. It was recorded as a forge which was still using water power in 1907. The weir remains, together with the shuttles which controlled the flow into the head goit, although the channel itself has been built over. Wadsley Bridge corn mill, which became a forge around 1800, originally took its water supply from the head goit of the paper mill, but was later connected to the tail goit. Wadsley Furnace was also located in this area. It was built for the Earl of Shrewsbury by 1583, but the blast furnace is thought to have been defunct by the 1670s. The final works in this section was Wadsley Forge or Wardsend Steel Works, which was operational from 1581 to the late 19th&nbsp;century, although the precise function varied. In 1819, there were two wheels supplying power to 69 troughs, where blades were ground. By 1849, it was described as a forge, and a high pressure steam engine was operational in 1855, to supplement the {{convert|15|ft|m|adj=on}} water wheel. The dams were out of use by 1892,<ref>{{harvnb |Ball |Crossley |Flavell |2006 |pp=8–13}}</ref> and parts of the site are now occupied by [[Hillsborough Stadium|Hillsborough Football Stadium]].

Near the tail goit of the Wadsley works, the Don was joined by a small tributary, on which was located Rawsons Mill or [[bark mill|Bark Mill]]. The mill building was separated from its dam by the building of the railway. The mill housed grinding wheels in 1862, but was used for milling corn in 1934. The dam remains full, overflowing through a culvert which passes beneath the railway. Owlerton Rolling Mill was next, located on the west bank, but was destroyed by fire around 1883. It had been reconstructed by 1907, when steam power assisted the water wheels, and was demolished in 1936. Only a small part of the weir remains.<ref>{{harvnb |Ball |Crossley |Flavell |2006 |pp=13–15}}</ref> The next weir supplied Old Park corn mill, which was built around 1673. In 1807 a lease was issued to a group of 32 tenants, which included a miller, grinders, cutlers, a button maker, a scissorsmith and an ivory turner. In the early 20th&nbsp;century, it was known as Old Park Forge, and so had presumably changed its use. Old Park paper, silver or rolling mill followed. In 1795 it had a {{convert|12|ft|m|adj=on}} undershot wheel for rolling copper plates, and another of {{convert|18|ft|m}} for rolling silver. The River Loxley joins the Don opposite the mill site, and the building was badly damaged by the great flood of 1864. The tenant claimed £1,932 in compensation, and received £1,720. A steam engine replaced the large water wheel in 1875, and the rest of the works was electrified in 1920. Sheffield Steel Rolling Co. continued to work the site until 1980.<ref>{{harvnb |Ball |Crossley |Flavell |2006 |pp=15–16}}</ref>

Sandbed wheel was built in 1723, and by 1794, there were three water wheels supplying 52 grinding troughs. A steam engine was supplementing the wheels by 1886, but the wheels remained in use until at least 1907. The weir and the shuttles controlling the flow in the head goit remain. Below this, Morton wheels are known to have existed in 1581. The works became the Philadelphia Works around 1807, and a claim for £6,204 was made and received for damage caused by the 1864 flood.<ref>{{harvnb |Ball |Crossley |Flavell |2006 |pp=17–21}}</ref> Next came Kelham Wheel, which was used as a cutlers wheel, a silk mill, and a cotton mill. Following fires in 1792 and 1810, the mill was rebuilt to use steam power, and became the Britannia Corn Mills after 1864. The buildings were demolished in 1975, but the weir remains in good order, and is one of the largest in Sheffield. Below this were the Town Corn Mill and wheel, which was water powered until 1877, and was the subject of an archaeological investigation in 1999, which uncovered the remains of the wheel pits.<ref>{{harvnb |Ball |Crossley |Flavell |2006 |pp=21–26}}</ref>

Wicker Tilts and wheel was really two works, a grinding wheel known to have been working in 1581, and a tilt forge built in the 1740s. A second tilt was added near Lady's Bridge by 1752. The grinding wheel, which supplied 36 troughs, was replaced by a wire mill in the 1870s, and was still using water power in 1895, by which time the tilts were using steam power. The weir was close to Lady's Bridge, and the head goit flowed through one of the arches of the bridge. It is thought that there are several goits in culverts near Blonk Street, but their exact extent is unknown.<ref>{{harvnb |Ball |Crossley |Flavell |2006 |pp=27–28}}</ref> The culverted [[Porter Brook]] joins the [[River Sheaf]], which is also culverted, below [[Sheffield station|Sheffield Railway Station]], and the combined flows join the Don between Lady's Bridge and Blonk Street bridge.

===Five Weirs Walk===
The section of the river from Lady's Bridge to Meadowhall and the junction of the river with the Sheffield Canal has been designated as the Five Weirs Walk, by the creation of a footpath which closely follows its course. It contains the final five weirs before the navigable section is reached.

Walk Mill weir supplied the Upper and Nether Walk mills and wheels. The Nether Walk mill is thought to have been the site of a fulling mill mentioned in 1332, and was still operating as a fulling mill in 1760, when there were also two cutlers wheels at the lower site and one at the upper. The use of water wheels ceased in 1853, and both sites were recorded as the Albion Iron and Steel Works in 1864. Burton Weir supplied Royds mill and wheels, which also operated on two sites, and included a corn mill and cutlers wheels. Steam power was used from 1860, although a redundant water wheel remained in situ until 1950.<ref>{{harvnb |Ball |Crossley |Flavell |2006 |pp=28–31}}</ref>

[[File:Attercliffe - Sandersons Weir.jpg|thumb|top|left|Sandersons Weir]]Sanderson's weir provided water for the Upper Hammer, on the south side of the river, which was converted into the Attercliffe slitting mill in 1746. By 1802 it was described as being in a decayed state, and the dam and goit were filled in by 1818. The weir also supplied the Nether Hammer on the north side of the river, which was first recorded in the 1580s. The forge was sold in 1869, one part to the Midland Railway, and the other to Sandersons, who had six water wheels in 1895, but the works was running on steam power by 1907. In addition to the weir, the head goit is still visible, passing under the railway twice, to disappear into a culverted drain.<ref>{{harvnb |Ball |Crossley |Flavell |2006 |pp=31–34}}</ref>

Brightside weir supplied a corn mill from before 1383 until 1690. Two cutlers wheels were added in 1706, and the works had become a forge by 1789. Four wheels were recorded in 1895, and a set of tilt hammers from the site were rescued and moved to [[Abbeydale Industrial Hamlet]]. Hadfields Weir is the final weir on this stretch, which supplied Parker Wheel initially, and then a paper mill from the 1750s. At various times there were two flour mills, two forges and then a rolling mill. The precise location of the works is difficult to trace, as the river has been straightened below the weir, but the weir itself can be seen from [[Meadowhall Centre|Meadowhall Shopping Centre]].<ref>{{harvnb |Ball |Crossley |Flavell |2006 |pp=34–38}}</ref>