About the City
Location
Background
Sheffield is the fourth largest city in England. One third of it lies within the Peak District National Park. Our economy is in the middle of a revival, changing dramatically year by year, with more than 5000 additional jobs per year, more investment and falling unemployment. We have two expanding universities, international sports and performance venues, leading cultural and arts provision and the full range of European and UK Government programs designed to restore Britain’s core cities to economic, social and educational health.
Sheffield has just been confirmed as being at the top of the most buoyant business centres in the country with rents rising by 20% over the last six months. Latest figures also reveal that Sheffield is becoming a magnet for visitors with rocketing numbers staying in the city’s hotels. This has partly been the result of a hat trick of major sporting events hosted by the city. Dramatic new architecture is springing up across the city centre and innovative city centre living residences have increase fourfold since 2000.
Sheffield - Heart of the City
Heart of the city, one of the city’s major transformational projects, is a £130 million project which is creating a new heart to the centre of Sheffield. Two of its projects have won huge acclaim: The Winter Garden has already won five awards including The Royal Institute of British Architects Award and The Royal Fine Art Commission’s Jeu d’Esprit Building of the Year Award and The Peace Gardens has won eight awards including Best Landscape Design in the Natural Stone Awards and Civic Trust Green Flag Award (the first city centre to be given this award).
The history of Sheffield can be dated to mid 12th century, when the first wooden castle was built by a Norman baron. Sheffield’s unique situation of being close to iron ore for smelting, oak woods for charcoal and fast flowing water for power, gave rise to the metal trades for which Sheffield is renowned. In 1740 Benjamin Huntsman invented the crucible process, shortly after this Thomas Boulsover was responsible for the invention of silver plate, known throughout the world as Sheffield plate.
The Cathedral of St Peter and St Paul, Sheffield’s only medieval building, built in the perpendicular style dates from mid 15th century. The Unitarian Upper Chapel is worth visiting for its beautiful stained glass windows, by pre-Raphaelite artist Henry Holiday.
Sheffield’s Town Hall, opened in 1897 by Queen Victoria, is an impressive building; the 210-foot clock tower is topped with a statue of Vulcan, the Roman god of fire and metalworking. The Cutler’s Hall opposite the Cathedral, built in the Neo-Classic style, dates from 1832. Both these buildings are only open to pre booked groups by appointment.
As Britain’s first National City of Sport, Sheffield offers world class venues for spectator sports. Many specialist leisure and sports centres, golf courses a ski village, climbing centres, country park and even a Lazer Zone.
The Crucible Theatre, Sheffield Crucible Studio and Lyceum Theatre, form the largest theatrical complex outside London. Sheffield is also home of the National Centre for Popular Music. Families will want to visit Magna Science Adventure Centre, a short distance from the city, which is packed with thrilling experiences, that demonstrate the power and force of the four natural elements air, water, fire and earth.
Shoppers in Sheffield are spoiled for choice, with all the well-known high street stores present, as well as independent specialist shops. There are wide pedestrianised streets such as The Moor or Fargate, the charming Orchard Square courtyard, traditional Castlegate Market, The Forum and the trendy Devonshire Quarter all within the city centre. Just off junction 34 of the M1 is Meadowhall the vast shopping centre offering more than 270 shops, attracting 30 million visitors a year.
Sheffield is first for ...
..... Culture
- Famous musical performers from Sheffield include Pulp, Joe Cocker, Def Leppard and the Human League
- 7.2% of Sheffield's working population are employed in the creative industries, well above the national average of 4%
- Guardian readers recently voted Sheffield's Showroom their favourite independent cinema
- The Crucible Theatre won the prestigious title of Barclays Theatre of the Year 2001
..... Living
- Sheffield is one of the safest cities in the UK (according to Government statistics)
- One third of Sheffield is within the Peak District National Park (no other UK city has a national park within its boundary)
- Sheffield is England's greenest city, containing 150 woodlands and 50 public parks
- Half of the city's population live within 15 minutes of open countryside
..... Learning
- The University of Sheffield was voted Sunday Times University of the Year 2001/02
- Sheffield was voted Most Popular UK Student Destination (Virgin)
- Sheffield's two Universities teach more than 45,000 students
- Sheffield Hallam University is the only new University chosen to pioneer Britain's new international e-university project - alongside Cambridge and York
- Sheffield College is the largest further education college in Europe
..... Sport
- The first Football rule book was produced in Sheffield in 1857
- Sheffield Football Club is the oldest football club in the world - traditional rivals Hallam FC has the oldest football ground
- Sheffield's Crucible Theatre has hosted the World Professional Snooker Championships every year since 1977
- The Sheffield Ski Village is Europe's largest outdoor artificial ski resort
- Opened in 2003, Sheffield is the home of the National Ice Centre, iceSheffield
..... Investment
- Sheffield offers the highest level of funding assistance anywhere in Europe for inward investors
- A workforce of over 1 million people live within one hour's drive of the City
- Established and growing areas of expertise include metals and glass technology, biosciences, medical technology and creative industries
- Major organisations who have recently established new operations in Sheffield include Dixons, William Hill, Royal Mail and Insight
- The City Centre is undergoing major redevelopment, through key projects such as the new Retail Quarter and the E campus, a high technology business park
..... Made in Sheffield
- Stainless steel (over 500,000 tonnes per year) - invented in Sheffield by Harry Brearley in 1913
- Liquorice Allsorts - Sheffield's sweet makers, Cadbury Trebor Bassett, celebrated 100 years of production on 8th June 1999
- Hendersons Relish - invented about 120 years ago and still produced in Sheffield using a secret recipe
- Surgical blades - over half of the world's surgical blades are made in Sheffield
For further information, please see our Sheffield Mini guide
