Wincobank Hill

 

Wincobank Hill dominates the skyline of the Lower Don Valley, offering superb views over Sheffield.  This diverse site is made up of ancient semi-natural woodland and heathland, recent plantation woodland, scrub, open ground and playing fields.  This site includes an Iron Age Hill Fort which is a Scheduled Monument, which occupies a commanding position on the hilltop and many other archaeological features have been recorded within the woodland.

 

 

Occupying the western slopes of the hill is Wincobank Wood, the remains of an ancient coppice woodland, which is listed in the South Yorkshire Inventory of Ancient Woodland (Nature Conservancy Council 1986).

 

The woodland is of city-wide value for nature conservation, supporting several UK Biodiversity Action plan priority species, for example Meadow Pipit, Willow Warbler, Blackcap and Song Thrush, with important habitats such as lowland heath and ancient semi-natural woodland.

 

The hill was first recorded in 1442 as 'Wincowe' and appears to be derived from Wineca, an Anglo-Saxon personal name and the Old Norse haugr meaning a mound or hill and so meaning ‘Wineca’s hill’.  At the summit of the hill are the remains of an Iron Age Hill Fort, an oval defensive enclosure of about one hectare consisting of a single rampart and ditch.

 

Since 2000, the woodlands have benefited from a range of site improvements, and a related education and interpretation programme, funded as part of the Heritage Lottery Fund project called 'Fuelling the Revolution' within the South Yorkshire Forest area.  The Heritage Woods website has further detailed information on the history of Wincobank Hill.  An education pack covering activities within the woodland is available to download at the bottom of the page.

 

The Parks and Countryside Service manage Wincobank Hill.  A new Management Plan for the site is currently being produced, which aims to safeguard the site as a special place for people and wildlife, and will open to public consultation towards the end of 2009.  The plan will pull together the known information on the site for recreation, wildlife, and archaeology amongst other things, and set out management objectives for the long-term and a programme of maintenance and improvement works for the next five years between 2009 - 2014.

 

If you wish to make comments or suggestions regarding the site, please contact Adam Goodall, Woodlands Project Officer at adam.goodall@sheffield.gov.uk or Tel: 0114 250 0500.

 

If you are interested in the Wincobank area why not join the 'Friends of Wincobank', a group of volunteers who meet regularly for practical work on the hill with the Ranger Service, and also plan events to collect and promote the knowledge of the history of the area and its wildlife.  If you would like to find out more please ring Ken on Tel: 0114 236 9819 or visit the website.

Access to the hill, including the hill fort and the wood, is free and unrestricted at all times.  There is a good network of dedicated public rights of way (footpaths), and trails within the woodland, including surfaced and un-surfaced footpaths.

 

A downloadable map showing the location of Wincobank Hill and other key parks and green spaces in Sheffield is available.

 

Wincobank Hill is served by public transport for Wincobank.  Further details are available from South Yorkshire Traveline, Tel: 01709 515151.

 

There is no formal car parking facilities at this site.