History
Rotherham has been a successful market town for over 800 years - its original royal market charter was granted by King John in the year 1207. The town grew on the banks of the River Don and was placed on the map by the Archbishop of York, Thomas Rotherham in the 15th Century. In 1480 he founded the Chapel of Jesus within the Parish Church and in 1482 he created the red brick college of Jesus to rival the colleges of Oxford.
The Chapel on the Bridge in Rotherham is one of only four surviving examples of a medieval Bridge Chantry. It was built in 1483 with money from local people. It is possible that much of the cost came from Thomas Rotherham.
The industrial revolution saw Rotherham dominated by the heavy industries of coal and steel. The population of the present borough grew from 17,000 in 1801 to 120,000 in 1901.
In 1754, Samuel Walker leased land from the Earl of Effingham to build a forge on what we now know as Forge Island in the town centre. As well as being famous for making the earliest iron bridges in the country, the Walkers also made the best and most reliable cannon in the land. Between 1744 and 1815 they made 13,000 tons of cannon for the Navy and Army which included the guns on HMS Victory, the flagship of Vice Admiral Nelson.
The Guest & Chrimes Foundry stood on Don Street from 1847 to 1999. Inventions such as the screw-down tap gave this internationally famous firm a monopoly of several water-handling items like taps, pumps and meters.
For those interested in exploring Rotherham’s historic sites, self guided walk leaflets are available. Titles include Town Centre Trail, Medieval Trail, Victorian Trail and Industrial Trail.
