Rotherham Tourist Information

Lying between Sheffield and Doncaster, the Rotherham district, renowned for its iron and steel industry throughout the 18th to 20th century, is occupied by a combination of farming and old mining communities. With over 200 miles of public footpaths and cycle ways, and host to over a thousand acres of woodland, Rotherham is ideally placed to give visitors a great experience of the South Yorkshire countryside.

A district that is over 70% rural, Rotherham is home to many public parks, where lovers of the outdoors can enjoy the fresh country air and long, luxurious walks. Rother Valley Country Park, Thrybergh Country Park and Ulley Country Park are all easily accessible from the town, and located five minutes from the town centre is Rotherham’s leading urban park, Clifton Park, which occupies the 56 acres of parkland around Clifton Park Museum.

This museum houses a wealth of interesting local artefacts dating from prehistoric times, documenting the history of the borough. It also cares for a few surviving features of Rotherham’s industrial heritage, including Waterloo Kiln and Pottery Ponds and Catcliffe Glass Cone, the remains of the 18th century pottery and glassworks industry. For those more intrigued by military memorabilia, the York and Lancaster Regimental Museum, located in Rotherham Arts Centre, provides a concise look at more than two centuries of military history, with an exceptional collection of official and personal objects from the regiment.

Religious architecture is also a feature of Rotherham, with Roche Abbey, the ruins of a 12th century Cistercian abbey, the Rotherham Minster, one of the best examples of Medieval perpendicular architecture and the Chapel of Our Lady, a rare complete 14th century bridge chapel, all very much worth a visit.

If visiting with the family, the award-winning Magna Science Adventure Centre is the first of its kind in the United Kingdom, and will provide a fun and educational experience for the children. The Tropical Butterfly House, Wildlife and Falconry Centre, with its free-roaming animals, gives the younger ones a rare treat of handling birds of prey and feeding monkeys, all in a perfectly safe environment, and for the more active few, Playdales, the local large outdoor play area, boasts the largest sand pit in South Yorkshire.

From traditional pubs to international cuisine, Rotherham’s town centre provides dining to suit all tastes, and there is a great variety of wine bars and pubs, contributing to an active and exciting night life. Rotherham Oakwood Real Ale Festival is particularly famous around the region, drawing an average of 10,000 visitors every year. Another event to keep your eye out for is the Rotherham Show, the largest free show in the North of England, drawing crowds of up to 80,000.

Interesting fact: The Chapel of Our Lady, fully restored and reconsecrated in 1924, once spent time as the town’s jail, a dwelling house and a tobacconist’s shop.

Places to Visit:

Chapel of Our Lady

Clifton Park

Clifton Park Museum

Magna Science Adventure Centre

Roche Abbey

Rotherham Minster

Tropical Butterfly House, Wildlife and Falconry Centre

Boston Castle, Park and Woodlands

Playdales

Rother Valley Country Park

South Yorkshire Transport Museum

Thrybergh Country Park

Ulley Country Park

Winthrop Park

Wentworth Village

York and Lancaster Regimental Museum