Askern History

Askern’s origins 

Askern is not on Speed’s 1610 map, nor 

mentioned in the 1086 Domesday Book. 

Its lands traditionally lay within the parish of 

Campsall and were at the time of the 

Norman Conquest owned by the Foliot 

family. 

The common lands were enclosed between 

1813-18, by which time Askern existed as a 

village in its own right, surrounded by a 

number of manorial estates (Campsall, 

Camps Mount, Fenwick). 

1610 

Approx location of Askern 

1854 

History

Askern’s heritage: under the ground 

At the end of the last Ice Age (12,000 years ago) the ice retreated, leaving an outcrop of 

Magnesium Limestone (Askern Hill) which overlooked a large inland sea called Lake Humber. 

(Origin of name: Askern (also sp. Askeron) from Saxon ‘sceron’ = cliff on dry land) 

Wetlands area 

Askern Lake and the surrounding wetland area has been a major feature of the district for 

centuries. A 14th century document mentions flooding along the north-south route (referred to at 

that time as ‘the King’s Highway’) due to Askern residents not looking after the pool properly. 

ASKERN 

Flooding in Askern 1932 

Digital elevation map showing 

area covered by Lake Humber 

1891 map showing 

proximity of road to lake 

Flooding in Sutton Common, 2000 


Archaeology at Sutton Common 

The nature of the local terrain led to the creation of an early Iron Age fort/enclosure at Sutton 

Common which used the surrounding marsh land as part of its defence. Excavations have 

discovered few remains of habitation so it may have been a symbolic or pagan religious 

enclosure (like Stonehenge). 

The most recent excavation work was 

carried out between 1997-2003 by the 

University of Exeter (Dept of 

Archaeology) and Hull (Wetlands 

Archaeology & Environment Research 

Centre) funded by English Heritage, 

Carstairs Countryside Trust & others 

2002 view of Askern & Sutton Common, showing the excavation 

trenches and the smaller enclosure under arable cultivation 


Sutton Common 

Artist’s impression 

from results of 

excavations 

showing what the 

Iron Age site might 

have looked like, if 

occupied. No 

evidence of 

inhabitation, only 

skulls from 

cemetery - marking 

entrance 

Diagram of Iron Age earthworks at 

Sutton Common 

1997 photo 

showing excavated 

corner post of the 

'portal’ at the 

entrance, rotted 

inside out due to 

drainage of site in 

the 1980s 


Connections: Roman Road 

Askern lies close to alternative Roman land 

route from Lincoln to York (Ermine Street 

crossed river Humber) 

Doncaster (Danum) was an important 

staging post - identified in 5th century 

Roman document; also garrison town - to 

control Brigantes tribe. 

Little evidence of Roman habitation in 

Askern area (probably too wet). Lands used 

for seasonal grazing & hunting. 

Roman coins have been found in the 

grounds of Camps Mount - possibly hidden 

by a Roman soldier - who never returned to 

claim them! 

ASKERN 

Camps Mount 

estate 

Maps showing 

alternative route from 

Lincoln to York in 

Roman days 


Leisure & recreation - Barnsdale 

Forest 

Askern lies near the former Barnsdale 

Forest - used in medieval days as a 

popular hunting ground by the nobility - 

also haunt of the outlaw Robin Hood in 

early ballads. 

There have been many attempts to 

identify the ‘real’ Robin Hood, also the 

knight in ‘A Lytell Geste of Robyn Hode’ 

who was captured and later gave Robin 

Hood & his friends refuge in his castle. 

One possible candidate for the role of 

‘the gentlyll knyght, Syr Richard at the 

Lee’ is Richard Foliot (died 1299) who 

had lands in the Askern area (Norton & 

Fenwick) as well as Nottinghamshire. 


Campsall Hall, 1908, home of 

Bacon-Frank family 

Neighbouring 

manorial estates 

Camps Mount (formerly 

Brayton Hall), home of 

the Yarborough family 

Charabanc outing for the staff 

at Camps Mount, c 1910 


Connections: Turnpike Road & Railway 

Askern originated as a small farming community. Despite the 14th century reference to 

‘the king’s highway’ at Askern (maybe a track used by royalty when hunting in Barnsdale 

Forest), the village was not on a major route until the construction of a turnpike road in 

1834 from Doncaster to Tadcaster Cross. The railway arrived in the 1840s. 

1840s map showing location of Askern and surrounding settlements (Campsall, Norton, Fenwick) 


Spa Town surrounded by countryside 

The mix of limestone, sandstone, silts and clay 

gave the water of Askern’s springs their 

medicinal quality. Used locally by farmers to cure 

animals, it was mentioned in 1734 in ‘The 

Mineral Waters of Yorkshire’ by Dr Short. 

In 1786 Humphrey Osbaldeston (born Brookes) 

was Lord of the Manor at Askern. He decided to 

exploit several sulphur springs near the lake and 

erected a bathhouse at the water’s edge. This 

was replaced in 1815 by the larger Manor Baths 

- first cold, later heated. 

Manor Baths 

Mr Brewerton, a respected surgeon, wrote 

another treatise in 1818 and Askern gradually 

became known as an elegant spa town, 

surrounded by beautiful countryside, with plenty 

of recreational amenities for visitors. 


The Spa Town: By mid 19th century other bathing establishments had opened: Terrace 

Baths (1823), Charity Baths (1825), South Parade (1827) Madder Close Well (1828) 

Terrace Baths 

Manor Baths 

Charity Baths 

South Parade Baths 


1891 

Askern Hydropathic Hotel 

Built in 1826 by Dr Oxley, physician to 

the Charity Baths; wings used as 

lodging houses, Dr Oxley lived in central 

section. Later used as a College; in 

1894 became palatial Hydro 

Accommodation 

for visitors 

Cottages were turned 

into lodging houses 

and the first hotel was 

built in 1808. This 

later became a girls’ 

school, finally the staff 

quarters for Askern’s 

Hydro 

1904 

Extent of Hydro 

grounds, c 1910 


The Swan Inn, rebuilt in 1817 and situated on Askern’s 

market place, was a major landmark of the town for nearly 

200 years until its recent demolition 

1891 

The Victorian Bridge: loss of another landmark 


Leisure & recreation: Askern Lake 


Leisure & recreation: health, hunting and entertainment 

The Badworth Hunt outside the Swan Hotel 

The Picture House (built c 1919), next to St Peter’s 

Church (built as a chapel by subscription in 1824, 

separate parish created 1852) 

The Hydro orchestra played daily concerts; there 

was also a band stand on an island in Askern Lake 

Inside the Hydro 


Connections: the Railway 

Askern’s reputation as a spa town was boosted by the opening of a station in June 

1847 - on Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway’s branch line to Knottingly - which linked 

with the Doncaster branch. Askern became a destination in its own right as well as a 

stopping point on the route to the north of England. (Closed Sept 1948) 


Askern’s growth: development along Moss Road 

1904 

1932 


Moss Road: mostly residential, with shops, hotel and boarding houses 


End of the Spa Town 

In 1908 a boring at Thorne 

proved the Barnsley seam of 

coal existed in an undivided 

bed between Doncaster and 

Goole. 

In March 1910 the Askern Spa 

Coal & Iron Company was 

formed (an agreement between 

Bestwood Coal & Iron Co, 

Nottingham & Blaina Colliery, 

Monmouthshire) to work the 

coal under the Campsall & 

Campsmount estates and 

adjoining lands. 

Over £250,000 was generated 

from private sources in support 

of the colliery - it was seen by 

some as a means of improving 

the local economy & amenities 

- by others as a blight on the 

surrounding countryside. 

1891 1932 

Askern Lake was drained when the pit was sunk as 

the springs were diverted. Spa attendance declined 

with the onset of World War I and by the end of the 

1920s Askern was known as a Colliery town. 


Askern Colliery 

The first sod was cut on 22 

February 1911, two shafts were 

sunk in May (21 ft in diameter). 

The Barnsley coal bed was 

reached at 568 yards in 9 

months. Output: up to 4,000 

tons per day. The railway was 

extended to serve the pit with a 

new bridge constructed over 

Campsall Road. 






Instoneville: a Model Village 

In 1920 Instoneville was built by Askern Garden City 

Association Ltd to house mine workers and their families. 

The design was inspired by the Garden City movement - with 

improved homes - gardens, inside water and baths; plus 

amenities: shops and recreation facilities. A hill was flattened 

on the Sutton side of Askern to create the estate. Sir Samuel 

Instone was the Chairman of Askern Coal & Iron Company. 

Location of Instoneville 

1925 

1932 

Sir Samuel Instone 

(1878-1937) 


Instoneville 

Paddling Pool built 

during the 1930s in 

Askern’s Welfare Park 


Askern High Street 

Stubbs Brothers shop 

There were shops along the 

Doncaster Road, adjacent to Askern 

Lake, until the 1970s/80s when the 

road was widened: included a fish 

shop, a sweet shop and Stubbs the 

Grocers. 

1932 map showing location of 

High Street shops 

White Hart Hotel 

Houses backing on to 

Askern Lake from the 

High Street 


Askern’s Community Spirit 

Askern Women’s Support Group played a key role in the 

Askern miners’ fight to preserve their jobs, their community 

and their future during the Miners’ Strike (1984/5). The 

women organised a food kitchen, food parcels, fun days, 

childrens’ parties & a trip to the seaside. They also joined 

picket lines and and went on national rallies in support of the 

strike. 

Askern Women’s Support Group’s 

Christmas party 

Waiting for 4am bus during strike 


End of the Colliery Town 

On 5 March 1985 the strike was called off by the NUM and the Askern miners returned to 

work, along with the rest of the Yorkshire Coalfield. The workforce was quickly reduced 

from 1200 to 800. Askern Colliery finally closed in 1991. 

Demolition of Askern 

colliery in 1992 

Cartoons from ‘The Askern Miner, the Rank & File newsletter ‘produced during the Miners Strike 


Askern’s other industries: Coalite & 

brickmaking 

The Coalite plant was established during the 

late 1920s. It closed in 1986 and was 

subsequently demolished. 

Askern Brick & Tile Co Ltd was situated to the 

north of the town. The chimney was the tallest 

in Yorkshire when it was first built. 

Askern’s 

brickfields 

Aerial of Coalite plant, at the end of Airstone 

Road, Instoneville 


Askern Saw Mills 

1891 

Started in 1947 as a small family business 

supplying timber to local coal pits. In the 

late 1960s it began manufacturing timber 

drums for the cable industry. 

The saw mills operated on the site of South 

Parade Baths, which remained until the 

1950s as a reminder of Askern’s spa town 

era, albeit with a variety of different uses: a 

carpet factory, a second hand shop and an 

Apostolic Church. 

South Parade Baths - a new well was sunk to 

supplement the water from the baths, the 

overflow formed a separate lake 

Askern saw 

mills, aerial 

in 1957 


History 

Askern’s Changing Worlds

Assets for the future: heritage, countryside and community 

Aerial view of 

colliery, c 1911 

Aerial view of 

lake, c 1924 

“We need to say to people passing 

through – hang on! stop here and spend 

some time with us!” 

“Let’s celebrate our history, where we 

come from – after all, everyone’s got links 

with the past!” 

“Make the most of what we’ve got!” 

(from Askern Community Planning 

Weekend) 

Aerial view of Askern and surrounding countryside 


The past can become the future 

“When people get together to care for their heritage, amazing things 

happen. Suddenly the past seems to galvanize communities, to 

enrich the places they live in, to rediscover shared identity, to forge 

powerful partnerships between neighbours and between groups with 

different interests and experience.” (from Foreward to ‘The Marsh of Time, the 

Saving of Sutton Common’) 

Sources: 

An Account of Askern and Its Mineral Springs, Edwin Lankester, 1842 

Watering Places of England, Edwin Lee, 1859 

Askern Garden City Association, Ministry of Health, Housing Report, 1920 

Askern Miner, Rank & File Newsletters, 1984-5 

All the Fun of the Fight, Jane Thornton, 1987 

Askern in old picture postcards, David McKenna, 1988 

The English Spa 1560-1815, A Social History, Phyllis May Hembry, 1990 

Doncaster from the Scrivens Collection, Peter Tuffrey, 1996 

British Spas from 1815 to the Present: A Social History, Phyllis May Hembry, 

Leonard W. Cowie, Evelyn Elizabeth Cowie, 1997 

Images of England, Askern, Campsall and Norton, Peter Tuffrey, 1998 

The Marsh of Time, the saving of Sutton Common, ed Roly Smith, 2004 

Various websites, including Genuki, Wikipedia 

www.freewebs.com/yorkshiremain/askerncolliery.htm (Askern colliery photos) 

Barnscan: local history group for Askern, Campsall, Norton & Sutton 

Askern Gazette: Sid Roe’s blogspot (Askern colliery photos) 

Thanks to Howard Connell for scanned images

Askern History

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