Cawthorne

infobox UK place
country = England
latitude= 53.5674
longitude= -1.5719
static_

static_image_caption=The post office in Cawthorne
map_type= South Yorkshire
official_name= Cawthorne
population = 400
metropolitan_borough= Barnsley
region= Yorkshire and the Humber
metropolitan_county = South Yorkshire
post_town= BARNSLEY
postcode_district = S70-S75
postcode_area = S
dial_code = 01226
os_grid_reference = SE284079
constituency_westminster = Barnsley West and Penistone

Cawthorne is a village in the metropolitan borough of Barnsley in South Yorkshire, England. The village was once the centre of a localised iron and coal mining industry, though today it is the centre of a very affluent commuter belt, west of Barnsley.

It has a choral society, a "brass band", [http://www.cawthorneband.wanadoo.co.uk/news.htm] a village museum, a stately home (Cannon Hall), and a Young Farmers Club. The local charitable club "Cawthorne wives" (previously Cawthorne young wives) holds regular meetings and constantly raises money for local and national charities. Young people are catered for by the thriving drama club, "Grass Roots", which produces an annual play ranging from comedy to Shakespeare. Every four years the village also produces a "Community Drama" in the grounds of Cannon Hall involving the band, choral society and 100 actors from the village. In 2000 this was "One Breath" and in 2004 "Time and Chance". [http://www.lhi.org.uk/projects_directory/projects_by_region/yorkshire_the_humber/barnsley/grass_roots_theatre_group/index.html] The next production is scheduled for 2009. The village pub, the "Spencer Arms" is so-called in recognition of the village's association with the "Spencer-Stanhope" family who once owned large swathes of the local area: Their family home was situated at Cannon Hall, the park of which borders the village. Cannon Hall is now a museum run by Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council.

There are many locations in the village that afford spectacular views of the surrounding countryside. A restaurant in the village, "Beatson House", offers fine quality cuisine. Cawthorne is frequented by ramblers as many excellent walking routes start from the village.

The village is home to a museum which contains (amongst other things) a boot worn by a man struck by lightning, native American smoking devices and a twin headed cow. It was built to commemorate a visit by Queen Victoria.

All Saints church overlooks the village, and there is a Methodist church on Darton Road.

The population of Cawthorne is roughly 400; although recent property developments means this is steadily expanding.

Most of the upkeep of Cawthorne is carried out by local residents.

Cawthorne is also the name of a farmstead in North Yorkshire at grid reference SE 775891, the start of the Roman Road Wade's Causeway.

References

* , by Charles Tiplady Pratt (1882)