The Town of Doncaster
A Short History of Doncaster
Doncaster is situated on a ford across the River Don and there would have been a settlement here, probably for many years before the Romans arrived. The Romans built a fort here, originally of clay and gravel, in the 1st Century AD which was called Danum and became Doncaster. The fort was garrisoned by the Roman Crispinian horse garrison, originally recruited in Hungary. The Doncaster garrison units are named in the Notitia Dignitatum or 'Register of Dignitaries', produced around the turn of the 5th century near the end of Roman rule in Britain which indicates it was an important place. Excavations at roadworks south of St. George's Church in 1969 revealed a section across the east defences and some internal buildings belonging to a Trajanic/Hadrianic fort. As far as I know there is nothing to view but the remains in the museum.
Doncaster became an Anglo-Saxon burgh, and is mentioned in the 1003 will of Wulfric Spot. The town was given to Nigel Fossard after the Norman Conquest in 1066. He refortified the town and constructed Doncaster Castle. By the 12th Century Doncaster was a busy town and it gained its markets charter from Richard I in 1194. In 1204 that Doncaster much of the old wooden town was destroyed by fire. It was quickly rebuilt and continued to flourish. Built in the Middle Ages were the Hospital of St Nicholas, leper colony of the Hospital of St James, a moot hall, a grammar school, and the five-arched stone town bridge with a chapel dedicated to Our Lady of the Bridge. By 1334, Doncaster was the wealthiest town in southern Yorkshire. By 1379, it was well on its way to recovering from the Black Death its population was around 1,500 people, and by 1547, it had over 2,000. The town was incorporated in 1461 and its first Mayor and corporation were established.
In the 18th century, Doncaster was a very wealthy town much of which had been created by the stagecoach trade. The town had become a major interchange and overnight stop. Many of the older inns and pubs still have 'coaching arches' as a result of participating in that trade. By the end of the 18th Century the industrialisation of Doncaster began and following the exploitation of coal there came glass manufacture, steel foundries and rolling mills, wire works, railway and locomotive yards, chemicals and tractor production. The produce markets, beast markets and bloodstock sales also continued as Doncaster was the centre of a fertile agricultural area.
In the 21st Century Doncaster has suffered from the closure of the mines and the decay of industry common to most settlements in South Yorkshire. It seems to be recovering from them: the markets are not as throng as they used to be but the shopping centres both in the centre and out of town seem busy.
Doncaster Minster
The Medieval parish church dedicated St George to was destroyed by fire in 1853. A new church was built upon the same site by Sir George Gilbert Scott. In the Victorian Gothic style it is a magnificent building with an 170ft tall bell tower. For may years it dominated the Doncaster skyline but modern developments have cut off the view from many parts of town. It became a minster the same year as Rotherham Parish Church, about 2002/3 I think. In 2008 the church is celebrating its 150th anniversary and is presently undergoing a major restoration programme. The church holds a full programme of events including musical recitals, talks and exhibitions as well as the usual services.
St James Church
The current Church of St. James on St. Sepulchre Gate West was built in 1858 because of the rapidly growing population of the town brought about by arrival of the railways. The funds largely came from from the shareholders of Great Northern Railways. I am making the assumption it was built on or near the site of the old leper hospital of St James. Much of the surrounding area is now car parks.
The Mansion House
The Mansion House was built in the mid 18th Century and opened in 1749. The only other Mansion Houses are in London and York. It cost £8,000 which in modern terms is well over 10 million quid. It is a magnificent Palladian building still used as the civic headquarters of Doncaster. It is open once a year when the Civic Mayor holds an open day in the summer and there are special events held through the year. Private group visits can be arranged on a limited number of days through the Mansion House Manager.
Address:- Mansion House Manager or the Facilities Management Office, The Mansion House, High Street, Doncaster, DN1 1BN. Tel. 01302 734032 or 01302 737600. The Doncaster government website www.doncaster.gov.uk.The Markets and the Corn Exchange
The building known as the Corn Exchange in the Market Place, consists of three buildings. An L shaped Market Hall that was opened in 1849 and a Market Hall extension and the Corn Exchange both built in 1871 and all occupying the site of the Medieval church and graveyard of St Mary Magdalene which was demolished in the 1840s when much of Doncaster was being redeveloped.
The buildings were badly damaged by fire in 1996 and have been restored. The open markets are held in the surrounding area though trade there is much decayed in the 21st Century.