Civil parishes in South Yorkshire

A map of South Yorkshire, showing the Metropolitan Boroughs: (1) Sheffield; (2) Rotherham; (3) Doncaster; and (4) Barnsley.

A civil parish is a country subdivision, forming the lowest unit of local government in England. There are 93 civil parishes in the ceremonial county of South Yorkshire, most of the county being unparished. At the 2001 census, there were 360,191 people living in the 93 parishes, accounting for 28.4 per cent of the county's population.

History

Parishes arose from Church of England divisions, and were originally purely ecclesiastical divisions. Over time they acquired civil administration powers.^[1]

The Highways Act 1555 made parishes responsible for the upkeep of roads. Every adult inhabitant of the parish was obliged to work four days a year on the roads, providing their own tools, carts and horses; the work was overseen by an unpaid local appointee, the Surveyor of Highways.^[2]

The poor were looked after by the monasteries, until their dissolution. In 1572, magistrates were given power to 'survey the poor' and impose taxes for their relief. This system was made more formal by the Poor Law Act 1601, which made parishes responsible for administering the Poor Law; overseers were appointed to charge a rate to support the poor of the parish.^[3] The 19th century saw an increase in the responsibility of parishes, although the Poor Law powers were transferred to Poor Law Unions.^[4] The Public Health Act 1872 grouped parishes into Rural Sanitary Districts, based on the Poor Law Unions; these subsequently formed the basis for Rural Districts.^[5]

Parishes were run by vestries, meeting annually to appoint officials, and were generally identical to ecclesiastical parishes,^[6] although some townships in large parishes administered the Poor Law themselves; under the Divided Parishes and Poor Law Amendment Act 1882, all extra-parochial areas and townships that levied a separate rate became independent civil parishes.^[7]

Civil parishes in their modern sense date from the Local Government Act 1894, which abolished vestries; established elected parish councils in all rural parishes with more than 300 electors; grouped rural parishes into Rural Districts; and aligned parish boundaries with county and borough boundaries.^[7] Urban civil parishes continued to exist, and were generally coterminous with the Urban District, Municipal Borough or County Borough in which they were situated; many large towns contained a number of parishes, and these were usually merged into one. Parish councils were not formed in urban areas, and the only function of the parish was to elect guardians to Poor Law Unions; with the abolition of the Poor Law system in 1930 the parishes had only a nominal existence.^[8]

The Local Government Act 1972 retained civil parishes in rural areas, and many former Urban Districts and Municipal Boroughs that were being abolished, were replaced by new successor parishes; urban areas that were considered too large to be single parishes became unparished areas.^[9]

South Yorkshire showing the former local authorities

The current position

Recent governments have encouraged the formation of town and parish councils in unparished areas, and the Local Government and Rating Act 1997 gave local residents the right to demand the creation of a new civil parish.^[10]

A parish council can become a town council unilaterally, simply by resolution;^[9] and a civil parish can also gain city status, but only if that is granted by the Crown.^[9] The chairman of a town or city council is called a mayor.^[9] The Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 introduced alternative names: a parish council can now choose to be called a community; village; or neighbourhood council.^[11]

Brierley

Penistone

Askern

Bawtry

Edlington

Hatfield

Stainforth

Thorne

Tickhill

Dinnington St John's

Maltby

Stocksbridge

Civil parishes with town status

List of civil parishes and unparished areas

Image	Name	Status	Population	District	Former local authority	Refs
	Barnsley	Unparished area	65,188	Barnsley	Barnsley County Borough	[12] [13]
	Billingley	Civil parish	177	Barnsley	Hemsworth Rural District	[14] [15]
	Brierley	Town	5,973	Barnsley	Hemsworth Rural District	[14] [15]
	Cawthorne	Civil parish	1,108	Barnsley	Penistone Rural District	[16] [15]
	Cudworth	Unparished area	9,099	Barnsley	Cudworth Urban District	[17] [18]
	Darfield	Unparished area	7,178	Barnsley	Darfield Urban District	[19] [20]
	Darton	Unparished area	21,596	Barnsley	Darton Urban District	[21] [22]
	Dearne	Unparished area	22,070	Barnsley	Dearne Urban District	[23] [24]
	Dodworth	Unparished area	5,742	Barnsley	Dodworth Urban District	[25] [26]
	Dunford	Civil parish	627	Barnsley	Penistone Rural District	[16] [15]
	Great Houghton	Civil parish	2,261	Barnsley	Hemsworth Rural District	[14] [15]
	Gunthwaite and Ingbirchworth	Civil parish	400	Barnsley	Penistone Rural District	[16] [15]
	High Hoyland	Civil parish	142	Barnsley	Penistone Rural District	[16] [15]
	Hoyland Nether	Unparished area	14,419	Barnsley	Hoyland Nether Urban District	[27] [28]
	Hunshelf	Civil parish	324	Barnsley	Penistone Rural District	[16] [15]
	Langsett	Civil parish	161	Barnsley	Penistone Rural District	[16] [15]
	Little Houghton	Civil parish	618	Barnsley	Hemsworth Rural District	[14] [15]
	Oxspring	Civil parish	1,048	Barnsley	Penistone Rural District	[16] [15]
	Penistone	Town	10,101	Barnsley	Penistone Urban District	[29] [15]
	Royston	Unparished area	10,038	Barnsley	Royston Urban District	[30] [31]
	Shafton	Civil parish	2,840	Barnsley	Hemsworth Rural District	[14] [15]
	Silkstone	Civil parish	2,954	Barnsley	Penistone Rural District	[16] [15]
	Stainborough	Civil parish	399	Barnsley	Penistone Rural District	[16] [15]
	Tankersley	Civil parish	1,414	Barnsley	Wortley Rural District	[32] [15]
	Thurgoland	Civil parish	1,801	Barnsley	Penistone Rural District	[16] [15]
	Wombwell	Unparished area	16,522	Barnsley	Wombwell Urban District	[33] [34]
	Worsbrough	Unparished area	13,284	Barnsley	Worsbrough Urban District	[35] [36]
	Wortley	Civil parish	579	Barnsley	Wortley Rural District	[32] [15]
	Adwick le Street	Unparished area	18,656	Doncaster	Adwick le Street Urban District	[37] [38]
	Adwick upon Dearne	Civil parish	351	Doncaster	Doncaster Rural District	[39] [40]
	Armthorpe	Civil parish	12,630	Doncaster	Doncaster Rural District	[39] [40]
	Askern	Town	5,434	Doncaster	Doncaster Rural District	[39] [40]
	Auckley	Civil parish	3,266	Doncaster	Doncaster Rural District	[39] [40]
	Austerfield	Civil parish	571	Doncaster	Doncaster Rural District	[39] [40]
	Barnburgh	Civil parish	1,979	Doncaster	Doncaster Rural District	[39] [40]
	Barnby Dun with Kirk Sandall	Civil parish	8,524	Doncaster	Doncaster Rural District	[39] [40]
	Bawtry	Town	3,204	Doncaster	Doncaster Rural District	[39] [40]
	Bentley with Arksey	Unparished area	20,545	Doncaster	Bentley with Arksey Urban District	[41] [42]
	Blaxton	Civil parish	1,179	Doncaster	Doncaster Rural District	[39] [40]
	Braithwell	Civil parish	1,056	Doncaster	Doncaster Rural District	[39] [40]
	Brodsworth	Civil parish	2,875	Doncaster	Doncaster Rural District	[39] [40]
	Burghwallis	Civil parish	278	Doncaster	Doncaster Rural District	[39] [40]
	Cadeby	Civil parish	203	Doncaster	Doncaster Rural District	[39] [40]
	Cantley	Civil parish	2,830	Doncaster	Doncaster Rural District	[39] [40]
	Clayton with Frickley	Civil parish	208	Doncaster	Doncaster Rural District	[39] [40]
	Conisbrough	Unparished area	15,575	Doncaster	Conisbrough Urban District	[43] [44]
	Conisbrough Parks	Civil parish	385	Doncaster	Doncaster Rural District	[39] [40]
	Denaby	Civil parish	326	Doncaster	Doncaster Rural District	[39] [40]
	Doncaster	Unparished area	75,273	Doncaster	Doncaster County Borough	[45] [46]
	Edenthorpe	Civil parish	4,752	Doncaster	Doncaster Rural District	[39] [40]
	Edlington	Town	8,276	Doncaster	Doncaster Rural District	[39] [40]
	Fenwick	Civil parish	113	Doncaster	Doncaster Rural District	[39] [40]
	Finningley	Civil parish	1,442	Doncaster	East Retford Rural District	[47] [40]
	Fishlake	Civil parish	628	Doncaster	Thorne Rural District	[48] [40]
	Hampole	Civil parish	187	Doncaster	Doncaster Rural District	[39] [40]
	Hatfield	Town	16,184	Doncaster	Thorne Rural District	[48] [40]
	Hickleton	Civil parish	290	Doncaster	Doncaster Rural District	[39] [40]
	High Melton	Civil parish	339	Doncaster	Doncaster Rural District	[39] [40]
	Hooton Pagnell	Civil parish	211	Doncaster	Doncaster Rural District	[39] [40]
	Kirk Bramwith	Civil parish	200	Doncaster	Doncaster Rural District	[39] [40]
	Loversall	Civil parish	128	Doncaster	Doncaster Rural District	[39] [40]
	Marr	Civil parish	138	Doncaster	Doncaster Rural District	[39] [40]
	Mexborough	Unparished area	14,269	Doncaster	Mexborough Urban District	[49] [50]
	Moss	Civil parish	290	Doncaster	Doncaster Rural District	[39] [40]
	Norton	Civil parish	4,381	Doncaster	Doncaster Rural District	[39] [40]
	Owston	Civil parish	170	Doncaster	Doncaster Rural District	[39] [40]
	Rossington	Civil parish	13,255	Doncaster	Doncaster Rural District	[39] [40]
	Sprotbrough and Cusworth	Civil parish	12,166	Doncaster	Doncaster Rural District	[39] [40]
	Stainforth	Town	6,342	Doncaster	Thorne Rural District	[48] [40]
	Stainton	Civil parish	269	Doncaster	Doncaster Rural District	[39] [40]
	Sykehouse	Civil parish	438	Doncaster	Thorne Rural District	[48] [40]
	Thorne	Town	16,592	Doncaster	Thorne Rural District	[48] [40]
	Thorpe in Balne	Civil parish	176	Doncaster	Doncaster Rural District	[39] [40]
	Tickhill	Town	5,301	Doncaster	Tickhill Urban District	[51] [40]
	Wadworth	Civil parish	1,229	Doncaster	Doncaster Rural District	[39] [40]
	Warmsworth	Civil parish	3,752	Doncaster	Doncaster Rural District	[39] [40]
	Aston cum Aughton	Civil parish	13,961	Rotherham	Rotherham Rural District	[52] [53]
	Bramley	Civil parish	8,194	Rotherham	Rotherham Rural District	[52] [53]
	Brampton Bierlow	Civil parish	3,658	Rotherham	Rotherham Rural District	[52] [53]
	Brinsworth	Civil parish	8,950	Rotherham	Rotherham Rural District	[52] [53]
	Catcliffe	Civil parish	1,766	Rotherham	Rotherham Rural District	[52] [53]
	Dalton	Civil parish	9,038	Rotherham	Rotherham Rural District	[52] [53]
	Dinnington St John's	Town	9,161	Rotherham	Kiveton Park Rural District	[54] [53]
	Firbeck	Civil parish	317	Rotherham	Kiveton Park Rural District	[54] [53]
	Gildingwells	Civil parish	115	Rotherham	Kiveton Park Rural District	[54] [53]
	Harthill with Woodall	Civil parish	1,909	Rotherham	Kiveton Park Rural District	[54] [53]
	Hooton Levitt	Civil parish	110	Rotherham	Rotherham Rural District	[52] [53]
	Hooton Roberts	Civil parish	181	Rotherham	Rotherham Rural District	[52] [53]
	Laughton en le Morthen	Civil parish	1,185	Rotherham	Rotherham Rural District	[52] [53]
	Letwell	Civil parish	111	Rotherham	Kiveton Park Rural District	[54] [53]
	Maltby	Town	17,247	Rotherham	Maltby Urban District	[55] [53]
	North and South Anston	Civil parish	9,559	Rotherham	Kiveton Park Rural District	[54] [53]
	Orgreave	Civil parish	761	Rotherham	Rotherham Rural District	[52] [53]
	Ravenfield	Civil parish	2,018	Rotherham	Rotherham Rural District	[52] [53]
	Rawmarsh	Unparished area	18,720	Rotherham	Rawmarsh Urban District	[56] [57]
	Rotherham	Unparished area	117,262	Rotherham	Rotherham County Borough	[58] [59]
	Swinton	Unparished area	12,848	Rotherham	Swinton Urban District	[60] [61]
	Thorpe Salvin	Civil parish	502	Rotherham	Kiveton Park Rural District	[54] [53]
	Thrybergh	Civil parish	4,327	Rotherham	Rotherham Rural District	[52] [53]
	Thurcroft	Civil parish	5,296	Rotherham	Rotherham Rural District	[52] [53]
	Todwick	Civil parish	1,637	Rotherham	Kiveton Park Rural District	[54] [53]
	Treeton	Civil parish	2,514	Rotherham	Rotherham Rural District	[52] [53]
	Ulley	Civil parish	182	Rotherham	Rotherham Rural District	[52] [53]
	Wales	Civil parish	6,455	Rotherham	Kiveton Park Rural District	[54] [53]
	Wath upon Dearne	Unparished area	14,903	Rotherham	Wath upon Dearne Urban District	[62] [63]
	Wentworth	Civil parish	1,223	Rotherham	Rotherham Rural District	[52] [53]
	Whiston	Civil parish	5,115	Rotherham	Rotherham Rural District	[52] [53]
	Wickersley	Civil parish	7,235	Rotherham	Rotherham Rural District	[52] [53]
	Woodsetts	Civil parish	1,802	Rotherham	Kiveton Park Rural District	[54] [53]
	Bradfield	Civil parish	14,915	Sheffield	Wortley Rural District	[32] [64]
	Ecclesfield	Civil parish	31,609	Sheffield	Wortley Rural District	[32] [64]
	Sheffield	Unparished area	453,047	Sheffield	Sheffield County Borough	[65] [66]
	Stocksbridge	Town	13,663	Sheffield	Stocksbridge Urban District	[67] [64]

See also

• List of civil parishes in England

References

1. Angus Winchester, 2000, Discovering Parish Boundaries. Shire Publications. Princes Risborough, 96 pages ISBN 978-0-7478-0470-3
2. RAC Foundation : What Went Wrong? British Highway Development Before Motorways Retrieved 2009-08-22
3. The Victorian Web : The Poor Law : Introduction Retrieved 2009-08-22
4. Staffordshire University : Poor Law Unions and Registration Districts Retrieved 2009-08-22
5. A Vision of Britain Through Time : Status Details for Rural Sanitary District Retrieved 2009-08-22
6. Robert Tittler, The Reformation and the Towns in England, 1998, Oxford University Press, 395 pages, ISBN 978-0-19-820718-4
7. Modern British Surnames : Selected Events in the History of Civil Registration and Boundary Changes 1801-1996 Retrieved 2009-08-22
8. Alex MacMorran and T R Colquhoun Dill, The Local Government Act 1894 and the Subsequent Statutes Affecting Parish Councils, 1907, Butterworth and Co, London, 626 pages
9. Office of Public Sector Information : Local Government Act 1972 Retrieved 2009-08-22
10. Office of Public Sector Information : Local Government and Rating Act 1997 Retrieved 2009-08-22
11. Office of Public Sector Information : Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 Retrieved 2009-08-22
12. A Vision of Britain Through Time : Barnsley County Borough Retrieved 2009-08-26
13. Office for National Statistics : Census 2001 : Table KS01 : Usual Resident Population Ardsley; Athersley; Central; Cudworth (part); Monk Bretton; North West; Park; Royston (part); and South West wards. Retrieved 2009-08-26
14. A Vision of Britain Through Time : Hemsworth Rural District Retrieved 2009-08-26
15. Office for National Statistics : Census 2001 : Parish Headcounts : Barnsley Retrieved 2009-08-26
16. A Vision of Britain Through Time : Penistone Rural District Retrieved 2009-08-26
17. A Vision of Britain Through Time : Cudworth Urban District Retrieved 2009-08-26
18. Office for National Statistics : Census 2001 : Table KS01 : Usual Resident Population Cudworth (part) ward. Retrieved 2009-08-26
19. A Vision of Britain Through Time : Darfield Urban District Retrieved 2009-08-26
20. Office for National Statistics : Census 2001 : Table KS01 : Usual Resident Population Darfield (part) ward. Retrieved 2009-08-26
21. A Vision of Britain Through Time : Darton Urban District Retrieved 2009-08-26
22. Office for National Statistics : Census 2001 : Table KS01 : Usual Resident Population Darton; and Dodworth (part) wards. Retrieved 2009-08-26
23. A Vision of Britain Through Time : Dearne Urban District Retrieved 2009-08-26
24. Office for National Statistics : Census 2001 : Table KS01 : Usual Resident Population Dearne South; and Dearne Thurnscoe wards. Retrieved 2009-08-26
25. A Vision of Britain Through Time : Dodworth Urban District Retrieved 2009-08-26
26. Office for National Statistics : Census 2001 : Table KS01 : Usual Resident Population Dodworth (part) ward. Retrieved 2009-08-26
27. A Vision of Britain Through Time : Hoyland Nether Urban District Retrieved 2009-08-26
28. Office for National Statistics : Census 2001 : Table KS01 : Usual Resident Population Hoyland (part); and Hoyland East wards. Retrieved 2009-08-26
29. A Vision of Britain Through Time : Penistone Urban District Retrieved 2009-08-26
30. A Vision of Britain Through Time : Royston Urban District Retrieved 2009-08-26
31. Office for National Statistics : Census 2001 : Table KS01 : Usual Resident Population Royston (part) ward. Retrieved 2009-08-26
32. A Vision of Britain Through Time : Wortley Rural District Retrieved 2009-08-26
33. A Vision of Britain Through Time : Wombwell Urban District Retrieved 2009-08-26
34. Office for National Statistics : Census 2001 : Table KS01 : Usual Resident Population Wombwell North; and Wombwell South wards. Retrieved 2009-08-26
35. A Vision of Britain Through Time : Worsbrough Urban District Retrieved 2009-08-26
36. Office for National Statistics : Census 2001 : Table KS01 : Usual Resident Population Hoyland (part); and Worsbrough wards. Retrieved 2009-08-26
37. A Vision of Britain Through Time : Adwick le Street Urban District Retrieved 2009-08-28
38. Office for National Statistics : Census 2001 : Table KS01 : Usual Resident Population Adwick; and Bentley Central (part) wards. Retrieved 2009-08-26
39. A Vision of Britain Through Time : Doncaster Rural District Retrieved 2009-08-26
40. Office for National Statistics : Census 2001 : Parish Headcounts : Doncaster Retrieved 2009-08-26
41. A Vision of Britain Through Time : Bentley with Arksey Urban District Retrieved 2009-08-28
42. Office for National Statistics : Census 2001 : Table KS01 : Usual Resident Population Bentley Central (part); and Bentley North Road wards. Retrieved 2009-08-26
43. A Vision of Britain Through Time : Conisbrough Urban District Retrieved 2009-08-28
44. Office for National Statistics : Census 2001 : Table KS01 : Usual Resident Population Conisbrough; and Southern Parks (part) wards. Retrieved 2009-08-26
45. A Vision of Britain Through Time : Doncaster County Borough Retrieved 2009-08-28
46. Office for National Statistics : Census 2001 : Table KS01 : Usual Resident Population Balby; Bessacarr; Central; Intake; South East (part); Town Field; and Wheatley wards. Retrieved 2009-08-26
47. A Vision of Britain Through Time : East Retford Rural District Retrieved 2009-08-27
48. A Vision of Britain Through Time : Thorne Rural District Retrieved 2009-08-27
49. A Vision of Britain Through Time : Mexborough Urban District Retrieved 2009-08-28
50. Office for National Statistics : Census 2001 : Table KS01 : Usual Resident Population Mexborough (part) ward. Retrieved 2009-08-26
51. A Vision of Britain Through Time : Tickhill Urban District Retrieved 2009-08-28
52. A Vision of Britain Through Time : Rotherham Rural District Retrieved 2009-08-28
53. Office for National Statistics : Census 2001 : Parish Headcounts : Rotherham Retrieved 2009-08-28
54. A Vision of Britain Through Time : Kiveton Park Rural District Retrieved 2009-08-28
55. A Vision of Britain Through Time : Maltby Urban District Retrieved 2009-08-28
56. A Vision of Britain Through Time : Rawmarsh Urban District Retrieved 2009-08-29
57. Office for National Statistics : Census 2001 : Table KS01 : Usual Resident Population Rawmarsh East (part); and Rawmarsh West wards. Retrieved 2009-08-26
58. A Vision of Britain Through Time : Rotherham County Borough Retrieved 2009-08-29
59. Office for National Statistics : Census 2001 : Table KS01 : Usual Resident Population Boston; Broom; Central; Greasbrough; Herringthorpe; Kimberworth; Park; and Thorpe Hesley wards. Retrieved 2009-08-26
60. A Vision of Britain Through Time : Swinton Urban District Retrieved 2009-08-29
61. Office for National Statistics : Census 2001 : Table KS01 : Usual Resident Population Rawmarsh East (part); and Swinton wards. Retrieved 2009-08-26
62. A Vision of Britain Through Time : Wath upon Dearne Urban District Retrieved 2009-08-29
63. Office for National Statistics : Census 2001 : Table KS01 : Usual Resident Population Brampton, Melton and Wentworth (part); and Wath wards. Retrieved 2009-08-26
64. Office for National Statistics : Census 2001 : Parish Headcounts : Sheffield Retrieved 2009-08-29
65. A Vision of Britain Through Time : Sheffield County Borough Retrieved 2009-08-29
66. Office for National Statistics : Census 2001 : Table KS01 : Usual Resident Population Beauchief; Birley; Brightside; Broomhill; Burngreave; Castle; Darnall; Dore; Ecclesall; Firth Park; Hallam; Handsworth; Heeley; Hillsborough; Intake; Manor; Mosborough; Nether Edge; Nether Shire; Netherthorpe; Norton; Owlerton; Park; Sharrow; Southey Green; and Walkley wards. Retrieved 2009-08-26
67. A Vision of Britain Through Time : Stocksbridge Urban District Retrieved 2009-08-29

External links

• Office for National Statistics : Geographical Area Listings
• Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council : Parish and Town Councils in the Barnsley Borough
• Doncaster Council : Town and Parish Councils
• Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council : Rotherham Parish and Town Councils