Sheffield History

It was in the suburb of Dore in 829, that the kingdoms of Northumbria and Wessex were joined under one ruler, effectively creating the realm of England. Sheffield got its first Norman Lord, William de Lovetot, in the early 12th century and he built a castle and founded a Parish Church on the site where the citys cathedral stands today.

Mary Queen of Scots was held prisoner in Sheffield for 14 years at the Castle & Manor Lodge. Though the castle was destroyed by Parliamentarians during the Civil War the Castle Market marks the spot where it once stood.

By Tudor times Sheffield was known for its knives, scissors, scythes and shears and it is this trade, which gives Sheffield United Football Club their nickname, 'the Blades'. The manufacture of knives also meant that Sheffield was well placed to support metal industries, and in the 18th century large-scale steel production shaped the town and the silver and silver plate industries flourished too.