History of site
From a medieval agricultural meadow through to a car park and now home to country’s most technological advanced office park for the digital and creative industries, the site has reflected the fortunes of Sheffield across the centuries.
One thing that has remained constant at the site is the Old Queen’s Head. The pub – originally thought to be a small banqueting house on the edge of the agricultural land – has seen 600 years of changes (including the prices of beer).
The meadow land was quickly paved over in the 18th century to form the basis of a colliery and coal yard to feed the emerging industries in the region. From coal to cutlery, the focus of industry at Sheffield Digital Campus’ site shifted once again in the early 1800s. Cutlery remained the principal effort on the site for over 150 years before becoming the Sheaf Valley Baths, a car park and the old bus station. Apart from a few lost swimming goggles, most of the remains on site include grinding wheels, crucible furnaces and foundations for other heavy equipment from the cutlery days.
The really interesting finds – such as pieces of the grinding wheels – will be incorporated into the design of the first two buildings that are currently under construction at the site. Who knows, in 200 years time the state-of-the-art technology we are creating at Sheffield Digital Campus may be used as special interesting features what ever comes next in Sheffield’s development.