Forge Dam Park

In the 1700s, Sheffield's industry was focused on the manufacture of cutlery. To aid this, the Porter Brook was dammed diverting the water to a series of grinding mills. As the town expanded through the 19th century, the Porter valley was used for walks. Sheffield Corporation (later Sheffield City Council), purchased 20 acre of land in the area in 1885 with the intention of building pleasure grounds as well as to improve local sanitation by building a new sewer. The new park was designed by William Goldring, who included features to improve the aesthetics of the walks, such as gravel paths, flower beds and stepping stones. The series of parks and walks carried on expanding, and in 1938, the…