Record of FULWOOD HISTORY GROUP MEETING 29th MAY 2025
Present: J.B., A.H., M.L., C.M., D.M.
This month’s meeting took the form of a walk to explore ideas for September’s Heritage Open Days theme of architecture. This is the route we took:
- Old Fulwood Road: former Hammer and Pincers/smithy c. late 18th century cottage?
- Woofindin Road: comparison with modernist building[1] and attitudes towards ‘old’/’modern’ architecture (p. 63 Pitchforth 2024[2]), urban exploration and its contribution to heritage, former NHS building fire 23rd May
- Across road to Slayleigh Lane:
- wooden supports under eaves of houses lining Fulwood Road (modillions?)
- Newfield Court (date?) on site of former parsonage
- Stumperlowe Mansions (late 1930s) modernism e.g. clean lines, use of steel & brick (from local brickworks?), symmetry, verandas with S decoration, design of entrance and windows; concierge and vicarage wall/remains of garden (pp 168-9 Pitchforth 2024[3])
- Continuing along Slayleigh Lane up to Stumperlowe Lane: houses in very similar style to Stumperlowe Mansions scattered around this area – built at same time/same architect?
- Moving up Stumplerlowe Lane into area of former farmland, farms and cottages
- Stumperlowe Grange – view of long driveway; Broom Lawn built on its land
- Onto Stumperlowe Hall Road with an entrance to Stumperlowe Hall – design carved into gateposts based on castle arrow slits; differences in brickwork suggesting changes to entrance; guardstones
- Side of Stumperlowe Grange with stained glass and date of 1863; its outbuildings e.g. Appleby House
- Across road and complex of buildings which were part of Stumperlowe Hall estate: Stumper Lea, cottages – one with cruck, gateposts
- Noted frequency of buildings in area names referencing trees
- Tall chimney of Deepdene
- Demolition and rebuild of houses in area
- Pause at junction of Stumperlowe Crescent Road: view of range of architectural styles – Arts and Crafts; original distinctive style of trellis
- House set back in trees near crest of hill: similar style to Stumperlowe Mansions; view of Ranmoor spire somewhere here?
- Following Stumperlowe Hall Road round with Griffin Sick over wall in grounds of Stumperlowe View Farm
- Range of architectural styles visible from this junction of Stumperlowe Hall Road and Chorley Road, incl. contemporary, 2-year-old house which follows earlier styles – details of brickwork
- Following Stumperlowe Hall Road a little further up to catch site of Stumperlowe View Farm and gennel which follows old footpath which leads into Upper Ranmoor
- Back down to dip of road junctions and then follow ascent of Chorley Road with new builds
- Great Gilling with its stone face; Highlow; Stone Delf referencing former quarry
- Towards junction with Slayleigh Lane and on Slayleigh Lane itself: houses reminiscent of Metroland style with their arched doorways
- Down Slayleigh Lane with Fulwood Sports Club and Bowling Club Pavilions c.1911
- House with raised roof
- Meeting junction with Stumperlowe Hall Road and view of Stumperlowe Hall main entrance – note avenue of trees leading up to entrance,
- Down Stumperlowe Hall Road towards Fulwood Road: herringbone brickwork, former Bowling Green House at number 97
- Windy Corner/Arthwadson House which was showhouse for 1930s Arthwadson estate (pp 166-8 Pitchforth 2024[4])
- Good view of Guild Hall and Storth Cottage from this finishing point
Architectural info: terrace, cottage, villa, semi-detached, detached, Tudorbethan – beginning in the Edwardian era, continuing through the 1920s and 1930s, ‘debilitated Queen Anne style’[5], Illustrated Glossary of Architectural Terms, Glossary of Architectural terms,
Next month’s meeting 19th June at Broomhill Library tbc.
[1] For information about Sheffield’s modernist buildings: https://modernmooch.com/
[2] Pitchforth, K. (2024). From Village to Suburb. A History of Fulwood between 1880 and 1940. Arc Publishing
[3] ibid
[4] ibid
[5] Page 21, Edwards, A. 1981. The Design of Suburbia. Pembridge Press