Scholes Copice - a figment of my imagination?

[Nigel Womersle]

I was told that it was built by Admiral Keppel who used it as an observation tower to track deer for hunting. Makes sense as it is a fantastic view up that area. Years ago you could go up it but it is in need of restoration now but still worth a look

 

No, I assure you that POP T is absolutely correct in what he has written about Keppel's Column. A hundred percent spot on. It's looking a bit jaded now - indeel some parts of it have iron bands around it. It is the only one of the 'Fitzwilliam Follies' that does not belong to the Wentworth Estates. Its owner is Rotherham Council. I can see it from my living room window. Having said that, it must have been very well built. It has survived storms and gales for over two hundred years. It survived the horrendous gale of February 1962.

[SputnikBoy]

I read (somewhere on the net) a few months back that the cost to repair the column would be so exorbitant that it probably would never happen. So, it apparently stands there for no apparent purpose other than as a conversation piece. Does anyone see the day when it will be dismantled? I mean, it will only deteriorate further if suitable action isn't taken.

 

I only remember this monolith from way back in the past when I was taken to see it as a toddler by (I think) my mother. In fact, as I mentioned in my original post, I thought I might even have dreamed up the event and the actual column. And yet, I find something SO compelling about this rather unattractive looking tower since it has been 'brought back into my life', so to speak. The thought that it is perhaps considered to be so unworthy of restoration bothers me even though I'm on the other side of the world and probably won't get to see it again anyway. I guess that it's a link to my past that I'm unwilling to let go.

[geetee]

hi i went up keppels column with a few friends in 1983 illegally mind managed to sqeeze through a sheet of metal boarding up window fantastic views

[geetee]

I remember as a kid, biking from Wincobank to Keppels column, we also used to go down to Woolley Woods, and I too remember all the bluebells and bracken, is the woods still there, if so, is it safe these days for kids to play in.

 

I never went up the column, but went to Wentworth also on the bikes, it was like an adventure, as there was still countryside in late 60's, we used to sledge down Concord Park also, a bit off the subject.

 

wooley woods got a bit of a motorbike problem i ride through on my mountain bike then up to scholes coppice allthough you never see any kids playing like we all did very sad (playing nintendo or something)

[Nigel Womersle]

The column was originally intended to be much higher than it is, with a large statue of Admiral Keppel at its top. That is why it is such a strange shape. No planning permission in those days - the rich pleased themselves. The field nearby was used for horse racing in the late 1700's. Must have been hell on earth for the horses, unless of course the ground was much flatter then. There is a booklet on the 'Rockingham Relics/Fitzwilliam Follies' on sale at Rotherham Library. It is really interesting and that is where my information comes from.

[Nigel Womersle]

I was told that it was built by Admiral Keppel who used it as an observation tower to track deer for hunting. Makes sense as it is a fantastic view up that area. Years ago you could go up it but it is in need of restoration now but still worth a look

 

Are you getting confused with The Ladies' Folly at nearby Tankersley? This is another of those 'Rockingham Relics'. Nothing to do with Admiral Keppel, and has been demolished many a year. It was used as a hunting lodge at one time though.

[SputnikBoy]

hi i went up keppels column with a few friends in 1983 illegally mind managed to sqeeze through a sheet of metal boarding up window fantastic views

 

I'd love to hear more about this. Which of the windows did you manage to get thru' ...aren't they pretty high? I see that the lower one is even sealed. It's my understanding that the steps within have collapsed in sections. Did you find this to be the case or did the collapse occur between 1983 and present-day, perhaps? Anyway, if there is more that you can add then fire away.

[Joanl]

I remember going up it when I was young. My brother was only tiny so it must have been late 40's early 50's...Couldn't even manage 6 steps now, let alone a hundred and odd.

Then we would call at Wooley Woods as well, to pick a few bluebells to take home, always making sure that we didn't just slide them out of their shaft but broke them off instead, so that they would come again the next year.

My Great-Grand-dad used to live in Ecclesfield, so from Attercliffe where we lived, along Wooley Wood bottom and we would see both the Bluebells and Scholes Coppy (as my mom called it). Happy days.

 

Love the photo's people have posted. Ta:thumbsup:

[Nigel Womersle]

During the war my parents went to live in Deep Lane, Shiregreen, from where it was possible to see Keppel’s Column. We went there often, and many’s the time I climbed those steps. Half-way up there was an iron gate and a small room, although I don’t know what its purpose was. At the top there were high railings to prevent people from either falling over of jumping off — alhtough one or two did manage to jump off! The Wentworth Estate was not far from Keppel’s Column. There was an arch built (last time I saw it it was overgrown), ostensibly two inches wider than a horse-drawn carriage. There used to be a plaque there (since removed) that said it was built for a by Earl Fitzwilliam for a bet — his horseman against the proclaimed best in Yorkshire. The winner had to clear the arch without scraping the carriage. The arch had a half-mile run-up to it.

The plaque used to tell people that Earl Fitwilliam lost his bet. The best horseman in Yorkshire was indeed the best! The carriage was drawn by six horses.

 

It's The Needle's Eye. Legend says that at a dinner party, a rather tipsy Charles, second Marquis of Rockingham, made a wager that he could drive 'a carriage and pair through the eye of a needle'. Hence his building of another Folly - this time in the shape of an eye in a needle. The Needle's Eye has recently been restored, and the ground around it cleared. It can be seen from opposite the lodge on the main road from Wentworth to Nether Haugh (Cortworth Lane). Also there is a public footpath from Coaley Lane to Elsecar, from which the monument can clearly be seen, as the path takes you very near to it. Locals call the area 'Bacon Fields'. Sadly, once again it is on private ground and cannot be approached.

[geetee]

I'd love to hear more about this. Which of the windows did you manage to get thru' ...aren't they pretty high? I see that the lower one is even sealed. It's my understanding that the steps within have collapsed in sections. Did you find this to be the case or did the collapse occur between 1983 and present-day, perhaps? Anyway, if there is more that you can add then fire away.

cant remember if it was window or the door but it had been vandalised(not us) any way we all climbed to top very scary as some steps were missing

we just stretched over them the stair case was a spiral at the top the railings were very rusty we moved to the edge very carefully it was fantastic inside on the stairs were loads of pigeon nests at the bottom we estimated that the pigeon droppings were about 10ft deep we had to climb up this it smelt terrible. looking back it was pretty stupid to go up but ime so glad now as a boring old adult that we did:)