Public artwork celebrates 200 years of Parkgate

Three sections of steel have with cut-out shapes have been placed on Parkgate roundabout, showing scenes of industry and a present-day view.

The roundabout marks the gateway into Parkgate and Rawmarsh – once an industrial heart of Rotherham and home to the town’s first steelworks in the town.

Tony Dodsworth, from History Focus, said: “It’s great to be able to see such an evocative reminder of Parkgate’s outstanding history as you travel into Parkgate from Rotherham.

“The ‘cut-out’ shapes provide pictures of the area’s great past in coalmining and iron and steel manufacture.

“The people of Parkgate have much to be proud of, based on the last 200 years.”

The artwork was funded through the Rawmarsh East ward allocation of Rotherham Council’s Towns and Villages Fund project. It was devised by RMBC’s landscape design and structures teams and is made from weathering steel, which will rust to a rich burnt orange colour.

Rawmarsh East member Cllr David Sheppard said: “It is great to see the artwork in pride of place on the roundabout. The area has a rich history, some of which you can still see today, but we also wanted to commemorate two hundred years of people in the area. Today, Parkgate and Rawmarsh is a very different place but many families have roots to the area and we wanted to pay tribute to this with this artwork.”

Ward colleague Cllr Rachel Hughes added: “The Towns and Villages Fund project has allowed us to create this fantastic piece of history for the area. It looks right at home, made out of metal to pay homage to the materials created in the area. As time goes on, I hope the artwork will be a iconic feature of the area, much like the Heart of Rotherham in the town centre.”

The panels and structural framework were manufactured and installed by Avanti Steel Fabrications Ltd, and the council’s Highway Delivery team constructed the foundations and managed the overall construction of the artwork.

Last year, the Towns and Villages Fund project saw new planters being installed along Broad Street in key areas – all featuring the Parkgate 200 logo.

Visit www.facebook.com/groups/rawmarshandparkgatefamilyhistory for more on the area’s history.