After visiting a different location in the city we got a tip off from others about a possible entry point so decided to take a look. Having assessed the building for security we made our way to the entry point. The building is situated in the Neepsend area of the city and forms part of Kelham island one of the oldest industrial sites in Sheffield which as an heritage for producing high-quality cutlery and edge-tools and its pre-eminence in manufacturing heavy specialist steels. The victorian grade II listed building once occupied by Barnsley resides in 37 thousand Sq ft of industrial heritage and is the last significant development opportunity in Kelham island.
Today Kelham is a mixed use riverside development which compromise the creation of old and new use of buildings forming apartments, bars & restaurants, and commercial space on the riverside site of former workshops. The development is part of an ongoing regeneration of the area by AXIS and others, which started in the 1990s with Cornish place. The development is intended to create a desirable place to live with a brand new public square, and continuation of the Don riverside walk project.
Due to increasing competition from imports, Sheffield has seen a decline in heavy engineering industries since the 1960s, which has forced the sector to streamline its operations and lay off the majority of the local employment. George Barnsley's is a little like stepping back inside a time machine, most of the original machinery and features still exist and for this alone is well worth a visit before the inevitability of re development. Also noteworthy is the local artists that decorate the building with graffiti and art which gives the explore a real urban edge.
Today Kelham is a mixed use riverside development which compromise the creation of old and new use of buildings forming apartments, bars & restaurants, and commercial space on the riverside site of former workshops. The development is part of an ongoing regeneration of the area by AXIS and others, which started in the 1990s with Cornish place. The development is intended to create a desirable place to live with a brand new public square, and continuation of the Don riverside walk project.
Due to increasing competition from imports, Sheffield has seen a decline in heavy engineering industries since the 1960s, which has forced the sector to streamline its operations and lay off the majority of the local employment. George Barnsley's is a little like stepping back inside a time machine, most of the original machinery and features still exist and for this alone is well worth a visit before the inevitability of re development. Also noteworthy is the local artists that decorate the building with graffiti and art which gives the explore a real urban edge.
And to end off a pic from modern day...
I went back to this place the other day... Opening the gate to enter i didn't bother going in, the old man was right it is a dump in there and natural decay has took over... but that said if you have never been in take a look, you can get some nice shots even with a crappy iPhone :8_laughing:
