Moorgate
Moorgate is situated to the south east of Rotherham centre but I have no evidence that there was ever a village its own right. At most there would have been a farmstead or two so Moorgate is probably better described as a district rather than a village.
Gate in Old English does not mean gate, but 'gade' i.e. street or way. So this was the street to the Moor - in this case the Town Moor - an area of common land used by the people of Rotherham. Moorgate Hall has existed here since 1627. From the 1850s Moorgate was designated Moorgate Villa Suburb by town planners. Smart suburban villas, detached, semi-detached and terraced, were developed along Moorgate Road and on open grounds to either side over a period of time that stretched through the second half of the 19th Century up into the 20th. These villa suburbs (Clifton was the other one) were characterised by pleasant, often tree-lined streets, and properties with gardens and all the available amenities. They were designed to attract the burgeoning middle classes from the densely populated town centre to areas still within walking distance of town but well away from the heavy industry along the canal and rivers. Moorgate in particular was the choice of some of the posh folk in town who acquired land and built large houses to puff off their circumstances - some of them are still puffing off.
The Thomas Rotherham College, Oakwood School and Rotherham General Hospital can be found up here. Boston Park and Boston Castle leading to Canklow Woods can be found at the back of these.
Other Pages to Visit
Photographs of Moorgate
