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| A view of Thrybergh from Dalton on the X78 bus |
Continuing with my investigation of mediaeval churches that are set on or near to the outcrop of Rotherham Red sandstone, the X78 bus route to Thybergh follows
its outcrop as
far as
Dalton and then crosses the Pennine Upper Coal Measures Formation sandstone (Dalton Rock); it then rises further on to
the outlier of Permian dolomitic limestone, upon which St. Peter's church and Conisbrough Castle are set, before descending into the lowland landscape of Doncaster.
Although Thrybergh is mentioned in the Domesday Book, except for a handful of agricultural buildings constructed from the local Carboniferous sandstone, which is probably Dalton Rock, there is not much evidence of Thrybergh's ancient history to be seen from the bus - and it needs an exploration on foot to discover its oldest historic buildings and ancient monuments.
Walking from Foster's garden centre to Rotherham Golf Club - formerly Thrybergh Park - long stretches of yellow Dalton sandstone walls form boundaries of various privately owned historic buildings, which usually provides a good indication of the underlying geology.
Along this very busy route from Sheffield to Doncaster, the salt that has been spread on the roads has taken its toll on the stone - the result of continuing cycles of wetting, freezing, drying and the recrystallisation of minerals contained in the groundwater.
Hidden away in a triangular plot of land that was once the old village green, but is now a small housing estate, the old Buttercross is an excellent example of stone carving in this sandstone and, although it has been severely blackened by the pollution from the steel industry along the Don Valley, it has proved to be very durable.
Having discussed the various merits of the Buttercross, and whether it should be cleaned or not, with various people that live next to it, my investigation of Thrybergh continued with a guided tour of St. Leonard's church and - following directions that I had been given - I then set off to explore some of the high ground that lies on the south side of the Don Valley...
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| An example of the use of local sandstone in Thrybergh |
Although Thrybergh is mentioned in the Domesday Book, except for a handful of agricultural buildings constructed from the local Carboniferous sandstone, which is probably Dalton Rock, there is not much evidence of Thrybergh's ancient history to be seen from the bus - and it needs an exploration on foot to discover its oldest historic buildings and ancient monuments.
 |
| A general view of walling on the A630 |
Walking from Foster's garden centre to Rotherham Golf Club - formerly Thrybergh Park - long stretches of yellow Dalton sandstone walls form boundaries of various privately owned historic buildings, which usually provides a good indication of the underlying geology.
 |
| An example of stone carving in Thrybergh |
Along this very busy route from Sheffield to Doncaster, the salt that has been spread on the roads has taken its toll on the stone - the result of continuing cycles of wetting, freezing, drying and the recrystallisation of minerals contained in the groundwater.
 |
| "Rotherham Red" sandstone and Dalton Rock |
Hidden away in a triangular plot of land that was once the old village green, but is now a small housing estate, the old Buttercross is an excellent example of stone carving in this sandstone and, although it has been severely blackened by the pollution from the steel industry along the Don Valley, it has proved to be very durable.
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| The Buttercross in Thrybergh |
Having discussed the various merits of the Buttercross, and whether it should be cleaned or not, with various people that live next to it, my investigation of Thrybergh continued with a guided tour of St. Leonard's church and - following directions that I had been given - I then set off to explore some of the high ground that lies on the south side of the Don Valley...
 |
| A view of the landscape around Thrybergh |
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