The
Unofficial Website
Over the River
Just to the west of the town centre you can cross the River Don and/or the Sheffield and South Yorkshire Navigation Canal by a footbridge behind Tescos at Rotherham Lock or by one of the three road bridges, Chantry Bridge, Corporation Bridge and Bow Bridge.
If you cross by Chantry Bridge you come to a little tangle of streets on your left hand side. It is very contrary I know but I've excluded most of those streets unfortunate enough to be on the right hand side where they run under Centenary Way (the ring road) and to the industrial areas around Beatson Clark Glassworks. Included are College Street, Masbrough Street, Railway Terrace, Chapel Walk, Hall Street, and Cupola Yard. As far as I know the only building of note is the Malthouse on Chapel Walk which is part of the old Mappins Brewery. For the first time ever I took a stroll this way in late 2005 and there is very little that can be said in praise. I understand that this was once an area of terraced housing but these were demolished to make way for the ring road. Now there is a clutter of small firms, a mosque (previously the chapel of Chapel Walk) and a supermarket.
Chapel Walk
I did wonder if this old stone building under a tile roof was part of Mappins Brewery. However I've done a bit of investigation and knowledgeable people think that is actually part of the last remaining bits of the various Walker Iron Mills that once covered large areas of Masbrough. The first works were founded in 1746 and expanded through the Eighteenth Century. The various Walker Brothers partnerships ceased in 1833 and their assets were taken over by other companies.
Masbrough Street
The Malthouse is part of the the remains of Mappins Brewery. It is a very nice old stone building with what may possibly be the original tin roof still in situ. It must make a racket when it rains. I believe that it is now used as a gym and as offices.
This a is another old building in red brick with a tin roof near the Malthouse. It looks as if it has been subject to much alteration and part demolition over the years. I know nothing about it.
More about Mappins Brewery at The History of Rotherham >> Trade & Industry in Rotherham >> Brewing, Wines & Spirits#Mappins Masbrough Old Brewery.