Green & Virtual Plaques Heritage Walk

Plaque Map VP BG Highlights

The Clergy House

Dr Miller, was appointed organist of St George's Minster Doncaster in 1756 and continued in the post for 50 years. He resided at the Clergy House, Dr Miller moved to Church Hill, a house near to the old parish church, in 1765 and lived there for the rest of his life. More

Subscription Betting Rooms

The Subscription Betting Rooms are located on the High Street, the second building on the left of the Mansion House, more

Penny Savings Bank

The Yorkshire Penny Bank building was built in 1843 and built by William Hurst.

The Mansion House

Click here for information about the mansion House.

Lockwood House

Joseph Lockwood, the younger (1823-1842) His home is located on Hall Gate. He was a member of a prominent Doncaster family, who produced stonework for buildings in and around Doncaster, including the portico for the Subscription Betting Rooms. More

The Pillar House

The Pillar House is a distinctive Georgian building with a raised ground floor forming a colonnade. it was originally three houses. The building was designed by William Lindley for his own occupation.

in 1795 Lindley also acquired some other building plots on the west side of the Bawtry Road, where the houses in South Parade now stand. The site known as Sand Pit Close, had been put up for sale in building plots in 1791, but had failed to find purchasers, Lindley bought one plot north of the Salutation where he built the large house with a pediment and pilasters now housing the Borough Architect and his staff. Lindley (also bought two adjoining plots further north where he erected the distinctive Pillared Houses, so called because the lower two storeys are recessed, and the upper part of the frontage is supported on columns. This property was erected at some time between 1801 and 1804 and comprises three houses; the middle one of which was occupied by Lindley.

On their attendance at the Races in 1806 the Prince of Wales (later George IV lodged at Mr Lindley’s house and the Duke of Clarence at Dr. Chorley’s (next door).

"On the appearance of the Prince at the window each day he was greeted with every demonstration of loyalty and respect, by an immense concourse of people."

In 1957 the Pillared Houses were purchased by Charles Farran, a civil engineer and for many years’ chairman of the Doncaster Civic Trust, for use as professional chambers.

6 Regent Terrace

William Hurst was born in 1787, his father being the landlord of the Salutation Inn. William Hurst was articled, as a young man, to a respected local architect, William Lindley, of the Pillared Houses, South Parade, William Lindley had been an assistant to John Carr of York for many years before he moved to Doncaster to establish his own practice.

Hannah Clarke

Hannah was elected in 1920, becoming Doncaster’s first woman councillor.

jn 1925 she is listed at Briarcliffe. In the Electoral Roll for 1930 at 101 Thorne Road and in 1937 she moved to 5 Lawn Avenue, living with Oswald Clark, her younger brother, who owned the house, until her death in 1963.

Corn Exchange & Concert Hall

Our beautiful Market Hall and Corn Exchange was built in three phases, 1847, 1873 and 1930. The fish market extension (phase 3) was added in 1930/31. Phase 1 was built in 1847 by Doncaster Corporation's architect, Joseph Butterfield, on the ruins of the Mary Magdalen Church, The Corn Exchange (phase 2) was added in 1873 by Lincoln-based architect William Watkin, whose most revered structure is the beautiful Grantham Town Hall (1867-69) Sir Edward Elgar conducted the London Symphony Orchestra here on October 28 1909.

Denison House

Doncaster's trade benefited greatly from the town being on the great north road but in May 1840 a new route to the north was opened - it was a railroad from London to York via Rugby, Derby, Rotherham and Normanton. Traffic quickly deserted the old highway and took to the new. The outlook for Doncaster looked bleak as the town's coaching trade dwindled away. However 12 years later the town was entering a new era of prosperity - a new railway had been constructed from London, at King's Cross, to Doncaster with links to York and the West Riding.

The man behind the Great Northern Railway Company, which had constructed the new line, was Edmund Denison. He was the youngest son of Sir John Beckett, a Barnsley man who had moved to Leeds and had built up one of the country's leading banks, Beckett's Bank. In 1814 Edmund Beckett married Maria, daughter of William Beverley, of Beverley, and two years later his wife inherited a large fortune from a great aunt, whose surname, Denison, he assumed. In 1818 they moved from Carlton Hall, near Newark, to 41 Hall Gate, Doncaster.

Denison continued to reside in Doncaster, moving from Hall Gate to the Hall, South

Parade in 1855. He was appointed one of the trustees of St. Thomas' s Hospital in

1854 and he remained an M. !', until 1859, In 18l;7 Edmund Denison became connected with the banking firm of lleckett & Co. but took no part in the management of the bank, His son William became senior partner in the bank and in 1867 the bank of Sir William Cooke, High Street, Doncaster was taken over by Beckett & Co.

In November 1872 Edmund Denison inherited the baronetcy and reverted to his original surname as Sir Edmund Beckett. his wife died in March 1874 and his death followed eight weeks later. The town's shops were closed and the workmen from the Plant Works lined the way as the funeral procession moved from South Parade to Christ Church where Sir Edmund Beckett was buried opposite the southwest corner of the church.

6 Regent Terrace

Doncaster Railway Station

Doncaster's main line railroad station was built in two stages from 1848-52, with additions in the 1870s as lines and services massively increased. Only minor changes were then made for many years, and here's the station and frontage in 1910. The new entrance hall took up much of this space in 1938, but most of the historic station buildings seen here still stand.

The Grand Theatre

The Grand Theatre pictured after its completion in 1899. A one story circus hall, known as the People's Empire Palace, had originally stood on the site (1884-1898). During 1898/99, two more stories were added, and Luke Bagshaw photographed the Grand upon its completion in 1899. The brickwork can be seen here, before the facing was added.

The Buttercross

The Buttercross

Demolished in the 1840s to make way for the building of the new Market Hall.

Site of Roman Wall Remains

Site of Roman Wall Remains are found next to the Clergy House near the the Minster of St George Church.

Nether Hall House

This house, within the township of Doncaster, and closely bordering upon the town, was for many generations the seat of one part of the great Yorkshire

family of Copley, who acquired this and other estates from the Harringtons and Sewers....On the death of Mr. Copley in 1810 the Nether Hall estate descended, pursuant to settlements which had been made of it, to Edward Wolley, then of York, a son of the rev. Godfrey Wolley, who had been rector of Thurnscoe and Warmsworth, and grandson to Edward Wolley, formerly rector of Sprotborough.

Mr. Wolley assumed the surname of Copley. On his death, on 15 November 1813, Nether Hall descended to his only son, Edward Thomas Copley, esq. who has lately married Emily, daughter of sir John Peniston Milbank, of Halnaby,

baronet''....

Hall Cross House

Hall Cross House
Demolished in 1910
Princess Victoria visited the house on her way to see the St Leger horse race in 1835

Harold Arnold Building

Harold Arnold was a joiner who established himself in business in 1850 on Silver Street. He became a house builder but soon took on other work including various chapels in the area. In 1879 he erected the building on Printing Office Street.

The building is interesting for its fine display of ornamental brickwork as well as the tiles. By 1881 the firm employed 75 people but Harold Arnold died the following year. His son, William Sayles Arnold, took over the business.

W S Arnold built himself a house on Printing Office Street in 1883. The firm’s yard was located between the house and the workshops. Arnold continued to live in his house until 1888 but eventually he built another much grander residence, Edenfield, in 1894. The house stands at the top of the Town Field and today it is used as a conference centre.

Parkinsons - High Street

The building at 50/51 High Street dates back to at least 1775, when it was the home of a draper. In May 1817 Samuel Parkinson took the premises, trading as a grocer and tea dealer. He also made confectionery and eventually Parkinson’s was to become famous for one of its specialities, butterscotch.

In the 1890s the family sold the business to Samuel Balmforth and Alec Wilson, although the name ‘Parkinson and Son’ was retained. Balmforth was a good businessman who introduced many innovations, one of which was the restaurant.

16th Century Buildings - High Street

This Plaque on No 6 High Street, above what was the Taste of Cornwall, refers to it as being one of Doncaster’s oldest buildings, dating back to the 16^th Century.

John Frederick Bentley

An ancient narrow alley wound its way mysteriously from French Gate until - at last - it unfolded itself before the great west front of the parish church. An antiquated house with a frontage to French Gate abutted the alley on its southern side. For many years the house was known by the sign of the Barrel; in its later years it was the Old Barrel Cafe, until it was swept away at the hands of the post war • improve rs•.,

It was in this house that Doncaster's most famous architect spent his childhood days. John Bentley was born nearly 150 years ago, on January 30, 1839, the son of Charles Bentley and his wife, Ann, who was a daughter of John Backus of the King's Arms, St. Sepulchre Gate. John was one of 17 children, ten of whom survived infancy. Charles Bentley started his business life in a solicitor's office, in 1831 he was a sheriff's officer, and later took the old established wine, spirits and porter vaults in French Gate.

Download publication about J F Bentley

The Green & Virtual Plaque Walk was created by the
Doncaster Civic Trust.

Key to Map
Green Circle = Existing Green Plaques
Red Boxes = Virtual Plaques