2.1 Inherited City

Historical Events and Their Impact on Urban Form

The city’s first settlement developed at the confluence of the Rivers Don and Sheaf, around the 12th century. Waingate, Market Place and High Street). Since the time of settlement Sheffield profited from its location near the waterways, with the earliest water powered mill dating from the 12th century. Sheffield was also developed as a market town at this time and both of these functions have continued to shape the city to the present day.

Since the middle ages, Sheffield’s access to abundant natural resources has made it an ideal centre for a thriving iron and steel industry. By the late 14th century Sheffield was famous for its metal knives and its role in this industry strengthened through the ensuing centuries. The prosperity of these early trades and subsequent growth and expansion of the city meant that by the late 18th century all available sites on the rivers were developed.

The growing industrial reputation of the town was strengthened by major engineering works throughout the 19th century, the advent of the railways and the development of its transport network. Sheffield became the principal location in Britain for large steel works and saw Sheffield achieve City status in 1893.

The city’s success also created hardship for many living in overcrowded conditions. However, in an attempt to control the city’s congestion and continuing expansion, a report by Abercrombie containing many far reaching proposals was published in 1924 and aimed to comprehensively review the city planning of Sheffield. However, only the new City Hall (1932) and Central Library were built.

Air raids during World War II had a devastating impact on the urban form of the city with over 3,000 houses and shops destroyed and thousands more badly damaged. In addition to the physical damage, nearly 600 of Sheffield’s residents lost their lives during the blitz. The economic and social stability of the city was significantly undermined as a result.

Post war rebuilding saw the redevelopment of individual city sites as well as large scale civic planning and road development schemes. In many cases these developments have had a negative impact on the city’s urban form. Most notably, the post-war road network fragmented much of the city and the slum clearances in the 1950s resulted in the loss of much of the original grid street pattern which has effected the legibility and permeability of the city.

The decline of the steel industry in the 1980s further changed the character of the city blighting the urban landscape by leaving redundant industrial buildings and vacant sites.

The 1990s saw major public realm improvements to the city centre with projects such as the pedestrianisation of Barker’s Pool and Tudor Square which have injected life back into the city centre.

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