This village [Sandall] is two miles east of Doncaster, and in it’s parish. The corporation of Doncaster has 1100 acres of land here, which is let upon an average of twenty shillings per acre. The soil is generally sandy loam, and the village inhabited by respectable farmers. Brick kilns are erected in this parish from which Doncaster is chiefly supplied both with brick and tile.
-Dr Edward Miiller, The History and Antiquities of Doncaster and Its Vicinity – 1804
..there appears to be evidence to show that another Roman road ran from Rossington Bridge to Wheatley alongside the side of Sandall Beat Wood to the bank of the River Don. This may have been the original roman route to Castleford.
– 1970’s Doncaster Museum Publication
In the 1086 Domesday Book, Long Sandall was shown as having 2 villagers, 2 freemen and 3 small holders with 3 ploughlands and 2 men’s plough teams.
Entries in 1861 shows Sandall as a busy site with eight separate households containing thirty-three individuals under the heading ‘brick-yards’.
Between 1890-1930, the brickworks ceased to exist and fell into disrepair. In 1938 we have the first records of the Doncaster Corporation making plans to transform the former brick site and quarry into community use.
At a meeting at the Mansion House on 4th August 1938, the Parks and Cemeteries committee discussed a report about Sandall Park. This report they looked at various options for it’s future. On 23rd March 1939, consent was given by the Minster of Health for the corporation to borrow £2,500 for works at Sandall Park with approval to “the proposals of the Town Council for the construction of the boating lake, boat-house and landing stage at Sandall Brick yards”
That same year, finishing was permitted in the quarry lake, fencing purchased, and in 1940, pleasure boats were purchased and rented.
After six decades of enjoyment, by the 2000’s Sandall Park was in disrepair and a regular victim to anti-social behaviour. In 2003, Friends of Sandall Park was founded to renew Sandall Park and make it again, the best park in Doncaster, with an emphasis on improving the park and reducing anti-social behaviour.
You can find more information about the history of Sandall Park in Symeon Mark Waller’s fantastic book about the history of Sandall Park.
