Whiston Area
Guilthwaite - Upper Whiston - Whiston
The village of Whiston is situated to the south east of Rotherham Centre. One of the old routes from Rotherham to the Great North Road and thence south to London ran along Moorgate and through Whiston. The village is situated on higher ground well clear of the floodwaters of the River Rother but with its own stream so I expect that there was settlement here from ancient times. You can find a bit of information about the nearby villages below.
Guilthwaite
At Guilthwaite there are a few houses, a farm and a nursery. The climb up Guilthwaite Hill better known as Pleasley Road is a real killer on a push bike I can tell you. The 'thwaite' in Guilthwaite means a clearing but I am unsure of the meaning of 'Guil' which might be the personal name Guy or it might not. Further reading suggests that it could be a corruption of the Norse 'Gill' meaning a steep valley.
Scanty Roman remains were found on Guilthwaite Common when it was inclosed including quantities of spurs, stirrups, and battle-axes. Also found by labourers levelling part of the common was a pavement was exposed, into which were inserted posts with attached rings probably for tethering horses. Historians generally agree that that the road here was part of the Roman Road called Rickneild Street. Nearby a clay pot containing a hoard of small Roman coins, mostly from the reign of Constantine, was found in 1826. In the Domesday Book it was called Gilthwaite and in 1190 was recorded in the name John de Gilwohat. A document exists from February 1580 when John Burrows, yeoman, of Gilthwayte exchanged land at Upper whiston with George, Earl of Shrewsbury. A spring there was developed in the 1660s as a medicinal spa called St Gregory's Well but it fell into disuse in the 18th Century.
Upper Whiston
Upper Whiston consists of a few houses and a farm separated from the main village by Royds Moor. Basically it hasn't changed a deal through the centuries. The area was called Over Whiston in 1580 when land there was exchanged John Burrows, yeoman, of Gilthwayte and George, Earl of Shrewsbury. The land was in Stowgate Field at Gilthwayte and Over Whiston, in exchange for land at Plonk Hill.
In 1717 there was a farm house, land and 2 cottages at Upper Whiston owned by Margaret Dolby. In 1818 this is recorded as being owned by the Corporation of the Sons of the Clergy, a charity which provided assistance and support to needy clergy and their families. At the time of the 1891 census there were 8 households totalling thirty-eight people living there, one independent lady and her servant, three farmers (two with additional occupations) and their families and servants, and four families of agricultural labourers.
