Dore to Door internet edition

Local organisations - Spring 2001

Support Group - Sheffield Marathon - Dore Art Group - Flower Festival - Ecclesall Woods archeology - Abbeydale Industrial Hamlet - Gilbert & Sullivan

Support Group

The Totley & Dore support group for the visually impaired hold regular monthly meetings. Forthcoming dates are March 21st; April 25th; and May 23rd.
Meetings are held at 4 Grove Road, Totley, starting at 11am. For more information phone Mrs Turner on 255 0758.

Sheffield Marathon

This years marathon takes place on Sunday 29th April, closing date for entries the 19th April.
Starting at the Don Valley Stadium, the marathon fill follow a completely new course heading east towards Rotherham. There will also be a half marathon, family fun run and schools relay. You can find out more details from the marathon office on 230 8429.

Dore Art Group

Dore Art Group will once again be holding their Annual Exhibition in the recently renovated and extended Old School. We hope that everyone will visit the Exhibition, which gives the chance to view and purchase varied paintings in all mediums. This is also an excellent opportunity to see first hand the excellent extension to the Old School. Admission is free and refreshments will be available.
The Exhibition is on Friday 20th April from 2pm - 7pm and on Saturday 21st April 9.30am - 5pm.

Flower Festival

Saturday 12th - Sunday 13th May 2001
Sat 11am - 5pm and Sun 1pm - 5pm
Beauchief was founded about 1176 by Robert FitzRanulph, in expiation for his involvement in the murder of Thomas a Becket on the 29th December 1170 at Canterbury. He was not one of the murderers and no-one is quite sure what his role was, if at all. Did he know of the plot and turn a blind eye, was he actively involved or was he just swept up in the general feeling of guilt current throughout the kingdom after the murder of the Archbishop? Maybe we will never know, but we can be thankful to him for the founding of the Praemonstratensian Abbey at Beauchief, the remains of which still stand today.

In May this year we will be holding a flower festival in the Abbey commemorating important milestones in the life of Thomas, from the son of a Norman immigrant, through the splendours and power of Chancellor to Henry II, to Archbishop of Canterbury. There will also be guides available throughout the weekend to give more information on the diverse history of the Abbey through the centuries. There is no admission charge for the festival but light refreshments will be on sale.

Our normal communion service will take place on the Sunday at 11.00am using the Book of Common Prayer.

Ecclesall Woods archeology

Several archeology surveys have taken place in the woods and FEW (Friends of Ecclesall Woods) recently applied for money from the heritage Lottery Millennium Fund to hire an independent expert to assess the features discovered. His report confirms that the archeology in the woodland is of considerable interest, particularly with respect to features dating from the medieval period. Along with earlier remains, possibly dating from the Romano-British era, this makes Ecclesall Woods of regional importance from an archeological perspective.
FEW has set up an archeology section led by Geoff Hartland, who would like to hear from anyone interested in the subject. You can reach him on 236 8569.

A guided walk introducing DVS members to the history and archeology of the woods will take place on Sunday 4th March. See diary for details.

Abbeydale Industrial Hamlet

Recent visitors to the Hamlet will have noticed that the large waterwheels and machinery, such as in the tilt forge, have not been in operation. Major repair and restoration work is needed to make them safe to operate. Fortunately the campaign to raise funding for this project has been successful and from mid?January to May a specialist firm based in Glasgow, Heritage Engineering, will be carrying out these works.

The project is complex. The careful restoration of the wheels and machinery will take 3?4 months and cost over £150,000. The Project is being funded by English Heritage, Sheffield City Council and The Science Museum's PRISM grant.

At the same time Sheffield City Council have undertaken to repair the leak from the dam into the grinding hull at the Hamlet which is damaging the buildings. £150,000 has been allocated towards this project. During the work to repair the dam at the Hamlet the water levels will be dropped, so a temporary home has been found for the fish. The swan was moved to a swan sanctuary in Doncaster.
Work is also starting to restore the buildings, beginning with the repair of the crucible forge chimney, and the roof of the Manager's house outside toilet.

A new visitors gallery will be located downstairs for ease of access. It will contain information about the site and what happened on the site using up?to?date methods of interpretation. There will also be new signs around the site to help orientation and interpretation and hand held audio guides to assist your visit.

Public Opening dates for 2001 are: Sunday 15th April? Sunday 29th Oct 2001. Closed Fridays & Saturdays. Open all year round for Educational Visits.

Gilbert & Sullivan

The next Dore Gilbert & Sullivan Society production will be "Ruddigore", performed at the University Drama Studio Glossop Road from 24th ? 28th April.

The story of Ruddigore is set in a Cornish village. The main characters are Sir Despard, lord of Ruddigore and living under a curse to perform a crime every day, Robin Oakapple who is really his younger brother Sir Ruthven but living under an assumed name, Richard, Robin's foster?brother who returns from the sea, Rose, Robin's beloved and Mad Margaret, driven crazy by Sir Despard. Later we meet the ghosts of their ancestors, led by Sir Roderic, whose task is to see that the curse is obeyed.

Following two acts of melodrama and wonderful music, all ends satisfactorily, with most of the lovers pairing up with their intended partners.
The society has a mixture of established 'stars' and some very promising newcomers in the principal roles. The company has grown during the past year and many new singers have joined us, making the ladies' chorus much stronger, so the show looks like being a very successful production of one of Gilbert & Sullivan's favourite operettas.

Performances are at 7.30pm each evening with a 2.30pm matinee on Saturday. All tickets £6 concessions £5.

Ticket secretary's tel no is 236 6592.

Mike Cox