by Rory Dollard

Abbeydale is the one time site of a Sheffield crucible steelworks.

A tilting hammer

Where once the screech of machinery and the heat of the furnaces dominated the hamlet, nowadays Abbeydale serves a very different purpose.

It exists as a living history museum where the set up and attractions approximate the feel of a traditional steel works.

There is a dam, a working water wheel, a woodland habitat and a number of informative and insightful buildings each filled with the renovated remains of machines that were finally abandoned upon the site’s closure in 1933.

The Trust's Education Officer, Anne Marie Sandos, in Victorian clothing

Not bad for a place which is only a short bus ride from Sheffield city centre.

The site now primarily serves an educational purpose for the region's children, and if the school party who were there at the same time as me were representative, then fun is encouraged equally alongside learning.

A great deal of work has been carried out here to ensure the stuffy image of museums and industry is well and truly an anachronism; with CD ROMs, an interactive gallery and a particularly innovative audio tour all available to visitors there is a strong sense of the contemporary.

You might see a traction engine in action!

Indeed, some of the workshops are currently in use by small businesses while others are available for rent; this is remarkable for a site that’s records date back to the 18th century.

Students of industry, or those with a casual interest need not be deterred though. While much of Abbeydale is obviously devoted to kids there are also a number of portfolios which detail both the processes and the people involved in steel making.

All of this, on top of the wonderful view provided by the dam and woodland, mean that it feels not only that one has been taken back in time but also to a different part of the world (it is hard to believe that the noise and bustle of the city is only 20 minutes away).

Old farm and industrial tools are on display

A trip to Abbeydale is certainly worthwhile. Not only is it culturally and environmentally important but it also provides a genuinely fascinating insight into the area’s past.

The museum is open to the public this year until Sunday 6 October 2002.

At other times, Abbeydale Industrial Hamlet is open to pre-booked groups.