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Snail Hill
A small and unnamed snicket leaves High Street near Primark and joins the footpath called Snail Hill climbing up to Moorgate. How Snail Hill got its name is debatable. It might be from the slowness of the pace you need to climb up it or it might be from the Snail Inn which you can still find lurking if you look for it.
Tucked away in its own little overgrown garden are the remains of the Snail public house which I believe is one of the oldest remaining buildings in Rotherham. The Snail Inn began life as the George Wright building. George Wright & Co were stove grate manufacturers. I think somebody did it out and ran it as a cafe some years ago. However it is empty and derelict again and a right old mess. Slates have been stolen from the roof and the interior stripped of anything of value. Where it adjoins the modern brick wall the stonework is just crumbling away.
Some interested people have been rattling the bars of civic indifference but I doubt anything will get done soon. As it is out of the way and off the beaten track it looks like it is a haunt for drinks and druggies. The day I went to visit there were a couple of ratboys up to something. I didn't hang around to see what. On the evening of Saturday 26 May 2007 the roof of the grade II listed building was reduced to a charred wreck by fire; probably arson.
What can I say about the rest of Snail Hill? One of the houses has been done up rather nicely and seems to be in use as company offices. As for the rest it really is a concrete disaster area.