Tag: the sportsman

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The mystery of the Crosspool tunnel

The Crosspool tunnel
Can you solve the mystery of the Crosspool tunnel?

Joe Castle writes:

Digging in his back garden a while ago, the resident of a semi-detached house on the top side of Manchester Road hit a real snag when his spade struck a sizeable stone some three feet below ground level.

Further digging at either side exposed even more stones and, in fact a line of them extending the full width of the garden.

Naturally, very curious, and with some prizing (and fortuitously great care) he was met with an unbelievable sight witnessed by his equally inquisitive 12-year old son who had arrived on the scene. More stones were lifted and there, a yard or so below, several lines of setts were revealed.

Carrying a camera the lad gingerly jumped down into the hole. His, (adult verified) findings were a circular-shaped tunnel, some 20-25 inches in diameter, constructed of irregular shaped pieces of stone and stretching both ways into the darkened distance. There was a covering of silt on the tunnel floor.

A knowledgeable resident told me the tunnel’s two terminals were: at one end The Sportsman and at the other the bottom of Coldwell Lane. Apparently, many residents who had alterations made to their houses (the tunnel passes through the back-gardens of 51 properties) had been made aware of its existence.

Why is it there, anyway? What purpose does or did it serve; any ideas? I’ll put forward my theory in the next issue of the Crosspool Clarion but your views will be very welcome.

Local historian Judith Hanson gave her views:

I have looked at the old maps of Crosspool and nothing is shown on them to indicate what the mystery tunnel can be. However I do know that there was an adit – an opening to a coal mine – just behind The Sportsman. Maybe it could have something to do with that?

There are coal seams all over this area and several of the people who lived in Clough Fields hamlet were miners. There was a Hallam coal field but where exactly it was I have not been able to find out.

An interesting addition to this is that there was a footpath from Manchester Road up to Sandygate Road- approximately where the gennel is on Manchester Rd, coming out at the top of Ringstead Crescent.

And yes, if you are from Sheffield its a gennel and not a ginnel!

What do you think? Do you have any ideas about what it might be?

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Upcoming events at The Sportsman pub

The Sportsman pub on Benty Lane is hosting three events this month:

  • Cheese & Wine night, Monday 15 August, 8pm
  • Whisky Tasting, Wednesday 17 August, 9pm
  • Summer Cocktails, Thursday 25 Aug, 8pm

For more information, call the pub on 0114 268 8011.

The Sportsman pub

The new-look Sportsman pub in Crosspool
The Sportsman pub in Crosspool
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Man accidentally drives car into Sportsman pub

A driver accidentally drove his new Mercedes into a Crosspool pub last week.

After enjoying a meal at The Sportsman on Thursday 3 February, the man left the premises at around 6pm to drive home in the car he’d collected earlier that day from the motor dealer.

Apparently being unacquainted with the layout of the vehicle, he inadvertently engaged forward drive, rather than reverse, and shot forward through the walled bay window, causing extensive damage to the front of the building .

Fortunately no one was sitting near the window at the time, and the driver walked away shaken but uninjured.

The bay window adjacent to the disabled parking spaces at the front of the pub is now boarded up on both the outside and inside.

Boarded up area of The Sportsman pub in Crosspool
Boarded up area of The Sportsman pub in Crosspool
Boarded up area of The Sportsman pub in Crosspool
Boarded up area of The Sportsman pub in Crosspool
Boarded up area of The Sportsman pub in Crosspool
Boarded up area of The Sportsman pub in Crosspool
Inside the boarded up area of The Sportsman pub in Crosspool
Inside the boarded up area of The Sportsman pub in Crosspool
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Lost tabby cat – can you help?

On Thursday 7 October a seven-year-old tabby cat called Marco went missing from his home on Barholm Road. Have you seen him?

He’s got a red collar with a disc containing his name and phone number. The owners are asking whether local residents could check garages, basements, greenhouses and sheds in case he is trapped inside.

There has been a possible sighting of him up near the Sportsman pub on the other side on Manchester Road.

If you think you might have seen Marco, please ring the owner on 230 5162.

Lost tabby cat
Have you seen this tabby cat?
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The Sportsman pub to reopen on Friday 18 September

The refurbishment of the Sportsman pub on Benty Lane is due for completion in time for its reopening tomorrow (Friday 18 September).

The new look reflects a change in the approach of the Sportsman from a bar with a restaurant, to a restaurant with a bar. On entering the premises through the main entrance, black tiles, boarded by a carpeted area to the right, and a polished wood floor dining room to the left, direct you to the bar.

Work started in earnest when the pub closed for business last Sunday teatime and this week has seen vans, machinery and workers arrive to transform the premises in time for the reopening.

The new-look Sportsman pub in Crosspool
The new-look Sportsman pub in Crosspool