1852 Whites Sheffield & District Directory CONISBROUGH, or Coningsborough is a handsome well-built village, mostly on the bold acclivity betwixt the River Don and Doncaster Road, 12 miles north east of Sheffield and about 1 mile from Strafford Sands, and which part of the name wapentake of Strafforth and Tickhill is derived. Its parish contains about 5000 acres of land, and 1532 inhabitants and includes Clifton, a village on a lofty eminence, 1 1/2 miles to the south near Crookhill Hall.
Conisbrough is celebrated for the ruins of its ancient Saxon Castle, which stands upon a conical hill rising abruptly from the navigable river Don, at the east end of the village, and form one of the principal scenes in Sir Walter Scott’s popular romance of Ivanhoe. This admired ruin, which consists of the lofty shell of a large and strong circular tower, commands and extensive prospect of the fertile vale of the Don, and was once an impregnable fortress occupying the all crown of the eminence, and having the Don on the south and east, and a deep ravine between it and the village, from which it was anciently approached by a drawbridge. The moat is now filled up, and the ruin is kindly embowered in Elm, Ash, and other trees, some of which have grown to a considerable size within the castle walls.
S. W. Lane Fox, Esq is Lord of the Manor and extensive Honour of Conisbrough. The church (St Peter) is a vicarage valued at £206, in the gift of the Archbishop of York and incumbency of the reverent George Wright. The school and poor have separable small benefactions. Here is a station on the South Yorkshire railway. The parish is in Doncaster union.
Conisbrough
(Marked * are at Clifton.)
Appleyard George and Joseph cabinetmakers
Armitage George schoolmaster
Bamford Ralph blacksmith
Beal William Painter: Goodlad Mrs
* Belden Richard castrator
Black Mr. George: Badger T. sawyer
Blythe John railway station master
Chadwick Mr. Joseph
Cooper Charles basket maker
Crawford John gardener, etc
Ellershaw Reverent Henry Academy, Old Hall
Fisher Henry Brown surgeon
Foote Charles N. surgeon
Freeman Charles land agent and confectioner
Glasby Charles beer house
Haigh John, plumber and glazier
Harrison Edward, druggist, post office
Harrison Joseph harrier and cow leach
Jennings Richard, Esq, Priory
Lindley William scythe, sickle and reaping hook manufacturer, Conisbrough Mills
Lodge Revt John curate
Oxley Thomas cattle salesman
Parkin William Esq The terrace
Peel Joseph coal merchant
Scholes Mr Charles: Rich Francis beer house
Simpson Simeone Taylor collector and registrar
Simpson Thomas Henry land agent and break, drain pipe etc manufacturer Ashfield house
Smith Eliz. and Co fire brick makers
Smith Francis parish clerk
Townend Rt. sadler and Miss, school
Tricket Edward grindstone quarry owner
Tyas Robertblacksmith
Walker George tanner
Wastney Mr William: Lee W. sawyer
Watkins John blacksmith
Watkin Miss Sarah Spring Dale
Watkinson Johncooper
Wilson William wood turner and sawyer
Wood Charles Brewers traveller
Woodhouse CharlesSexton
Woodyeare Rev John Fountaine B.A. Crookhill Hall
Wright Rev George vicar
Inns and Taverns
Eagle and Child Eliza Walker
Fox Matthew Chadwick (and Mason)
Hilltop Top InnFrancis Ogly (and brewer)
Railway Inn Robert Chadwick
Red Lion George Battersby
Star France’s sturdy