The Field?

 

We used to play on ‘the field’ as we called it back in the fifties. It was located just off Redcliffe Road at the top of the streets mentioned.

Bonfire night celebrations also took place on the field – wondered if the area had been built on or made into a park or whatever.

Sadly I have no photos of the field, maybe some survived somewhere perhaps? I will check this area out on my next Mansfield visit.

It was a ‘popular playground’ for many of the local youngsters.

 

Comments about this page

  • Hi,

    The name Jackson, I have seen this name on an Alan Godfrey map, I think it might have been about 1910 or there abouts, (Mansfield east/west).

    Looking at the map, there was a farm called Jackson’s farm.

    That’s all I know at the minute. Maybe the last family to run the farm.

    Cheers.

    By Pete (02/01/2020)
  • Well described by Mr Allan Barham, we shared the same areas Allan way back in the fifties and yes I’m still trying to discover who this ‘Jackson’ character is. The name was never mentioned back then to my knowledge. The bit we used for sledging was called the ‘Devils Elbow’, scary with our home made sledges! The area is a vast improvement now with no sledging ?, and certainly no bonfire lighting on and around November 5th – ‘Do you or any other reader, remember those’?

    By Steeve Cee (27/12/2019)
  • I was brought up on Bentinck Street and moved away in 1957 age 13. As a youngster we had access to what we called the Top Field from the backs of houses at the top of the street. We spent many hours playing there and today out of curiosity I made a detour on my way home from town, went up Birkland Street and had a mosey round.
    So different now, what we called ‘the square’, the plot that lay between Bentinck Street, Birkland Street and Empire Street has been built on. Quimby’s transport garage at the top of Empire Street and which occupied the top part of our square has gone as has the notorious ‘death track’ sledge run which went from behind Mill Street down to a narrow pathway between King Street and Scarcliffe Street. On the plus side the site is well maintained, has a play area and has magnificent views towards Ravensdale and beyond and towards town looking in the Empire Street/Coronation Street/Redcliff Road direction.
    Now known as Jackson’s field – can anyone tell me, who was Jackson ?
    Thanks

    By Allan Barham (20/08/2019)
  • All interesting stuff and yes I did manage a visit during the Summer of this year, regrettably no photos however. Couldn’t believe how the field had changed, lovely landscaping and a credit to all involved in the ‘makeover’.
    I even had a pint in the Reindeer Inn before taking a stroll to the field via Mill Street. These memories never fade, will have another look on next visit. By the way does anyone remember Mr & Mrs Alfrees shop at the bottom of Empire Street just a couple of minutes walk away.
    Thanks again to all contributors who have helped to jog the memories of 65+ years ago!

    By Steeve Cee (22/11/2018)
  • What great news, good for the area, good for the children and all concerned. Best of luck with the judging. Will be looking out for the new sign, decades since this area was my playground. Thanks for the related update.

    By Steeve. C. (18/03/2018)
  • There certainly is a community orchard planted on Jackson’s Field now. It was done in February 2018 with the help of three classes of children from Asquith Primary School. We planted, with the support of Mansfield District Council and Greenwood Community Forest, a variety of fruit trees and an ‘edible hedge’. We hope to bring the children back to Jackson’s Field to pick fruit over the next few years. We are in the middle of judging a competition for the children to come up with a logo, for a new sign, and a name for the orchard. Look out for the new sign soon.

    By Corinna Brown (17/03/2018)
  • I believe the field in question is what a lot of local people refer to as Jackson’s field.  I recently read that the Council have fenced off a portion of the field to create a community orchard.  With regards to the old rock houses….my gt gt Grandfather, John Bramwell, was the last resident in them, he died in 1900.  Thankfully his little cave home still survives intact. It was situated further back than all the others and protected from the elements. With regards to the other’s facing Rock Hill, I know the Heritage Trust were recently involved and after an expensive survey it was mentioned that maybe a couple could be saved. I haven’t heard anymore since. 

    By Angela Bramwell (10/02/2018)
  • Hello Pete, thanks for your input there. I have passed these place countless times going up the hill there below Fittapart, and having read about these places in the old Mansfield books and the cave dwellers who lived there, have often imagined how they must have lived. It is a shame that the project you were part of has not lasted longer for more people to see, but if safety issues were a factor then I suppose one can see why, still a shame though. The steel door is still wide open on one, to reveal blockwork behind, further along it looks as though someone has incorporated part of something into their garden layout, steps etc which look old.

    By John (09/02/2018)
  • Hi John and Steeve.C. I was interested in your chat about the Rock Houses because Mansfield  District  Council did in fact do some work on one of them near the main road. I not sure if it was in the late 70s or early 80s but a steel door and a steel framed wìndow were installed for people to view inside.The floor had been slabbed and a wooden table and chairs put in along with a collection of plates, pots and pans. We installed a hidden light which was controlled from a time lag switch outside. We had to check this light every Friday morning for safety reasons. One Friday we found that some of the roof had collapsed so it was all closed down.Nothing has ever been done to rectify the problem which is a shame as it gave people some insight into how the Rock House dwellers lived.

    By Pete Higgins (06/02/2018)
  • Thanks for the info John, can’t wait to visit, hopefully in the spring. It’s sure to be an eye opener and I’m looking forward to it! Agree with your Rock Houses comment as well, maybe we’ll have to dig a bit deeper, there are no doubt many more related tales to be told!

    By Steeve. C. (03/02/2018)
  • Steeve, I think the work was done on there around 15 or more years ago by the then Mansfield District Council “CEDLO” Based at Hermitage Lane. Funny you mention the Rock Houses, I was reading about them recently, not much survives except a few frontages. You would think that a little more would actually have been made of them considering their historical significance in this area. 

    By John (29/01/2018)
  • Yes indeed John, Corporation Street is further away in the town area, otherwise all correct. ‘What year approx, were the improvements made to the field? I spent much of my early childhood around there and only a couple of minutes away from the old ‘Rock Houses’  – yet another play area in those days.

    By Steeve. C. (26/01/2018)
  • Steeve, I may have Corporation street wrong, I know there is one beginning with C around there, it tees off from Redcliffe road??? And of course Bolsover street overlooks, as does Montague street if memory serves once again. We created the basketball court and footpaths, and put the cycle barriers etc in, when this facility was created. And the name we were told for the area was indeed, Jacksons Field.

    By John (24/01/2018)
  • Birkland / Bentinct / Scarcliffe / Bolsover streets are also ‘off the field’. I thought Corporation Street was nearer town? Interesting that you worked in the area during various projects, I take your point ref the Jacksons Field tag John - you now have me wondering who ‘Jackson’ was!

     

    By Steeve. C. (19/01/2018)
  • Thanks for the interest gents, don’t recall it being referred to as Jackson’s Field /  Hill. That’s not to say it wasn’t known by the name.

    Yes we did sledge in the area and even down Coronation Street, not so many cars running about back in those days! As for the location access, this was also available from King Street as well plus a couple of other streets as mentioned above.

    It certainly has changed a bit over these many years which is not surprising. I believe we were also able to walk over the field en route to Mill Street and beyond. I’m sure the sledging area or part of it was referred to as the ‘Devils Elbow’. Definitely having a look soon (with camera to hand). 

    By Steeve. C. (17/01/2018)
  • I worked on this area when the sports/recreation facilities where put onto the field. You can access this area from Mill street, and looking downward, you can do the same from Coronation/Corporation street, and about two more if I remember rightly. Our compound was at the very end of Mill street. The name of Jackson’s Field was as it was told to me.

    By John (17/01/2018)
  • By “The Field” Do you mean by any chance “Jackson’s Field” not on Redcliffe road, but not far up, overlooked by Bolsover/Montague streets?? This is a big area, if you do mean this area, then yes, it has a large basketball court in the centre and paths running around the outside of the lower slope. If I am right, you can access this from Corporation St at the dead end, from Redcliffe road I think.

    By John (16/01/2018)
  • Maybe Jackson’s Hill. Where many good sledging times were had when the snow came.  Has now a lot of buildings built on it. But the hill is still there.

    By Alan Curtis (16/01/2018)

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