It was designed in the 1750s for Langold Hall, which was never built. Alterations were made in 1818, with the joining of the lakes and in the 1890s a weir was built. In the 1920s mining developed and in 1927 the Firbeck Coliery Co bought the land and it became a leisure facility for for the Langold miners, principally for fishing. In 1946 the coal industry was nationalised and the NCB expanded the leisure facilities in the park. A children’s swimming pool and a bandstand were added.
The first Langold Gala was held in 1929 with accounts claiming that 10,000 visited the Park. The Park came particularly well known and popular for its swimming. The British Long Distance Swimming Association Championship were traditionally held at the Lake. There were children's events in the bathing pool and demonstrations by the country’s top swimmers, also synchronised life-saving displays and comedy items by Swimming Club members. Spectacular stunts included explosions and dive-bombing. Other stunts included a submarine explosion, the trapeze artist, ‘The Great Alganso’ doing a tight rope walk, as well as Jack Revel, known as Mr Langold Lake who was renowned for his dare devil dive from the 35’ diving board into a patch of burning petrol, performed until 1978. The lido was removed in 2013 and new play facilities were added in 2014.
We set off out of the park and into Dryscarr wood, which is an SSSI. Most notable today were the thousands and thousands of wood anenomes.
When we left the wood it was into open, rolling countryside before reaching a narrow wood and then crossing the B6463 and descending Salt Hill towards Firbeck. Beyond the wooded area on our right was Firbeck Hall. Built 1594 by William West, a lawyer of Moorgate Hall, Rotherham, the Hall had a succession of owners over the next few hundred years, including being willed to the Ecclesiastical Commisioners, who sold it to Frances Harriet Miles in 1853.
In 1898 it was inherited by Sydney Gladwin Webb a West Riding MP, who 1909 attempted to sell it but failed. It was then rented out. In WW1 it was used by Belgian refugees. It was late rented by Mr Albert Orlando Peech, chairman of Steel, Peech and Tozer but during his time, in 1924, a serious fire occurred.
In 1935 an auction was planned. However Mr Cyril Nicholson, a Sheffield stockbroker, bought the house, 1500 acres estate, including 6 farms, 14 smallholdings and some cottages. He then, with two business partners developed the hall and land into an up-market country club. Firbeck Hall will forever be remembered for the celebrated period between 1935 and 1939.
Although Cyril Nicholson had bought the estate he had secretly been making plans with two business associates. Between them they turned the old family house into the Firbeck Hall Club. The hall retained its outward appearance but its old interiors were, by modern standards, inexplicably destroyed.
The old panelled walls gave way to brightly covered walls and the interior rooms were covered almost entirely with mirrors. The fashionable art deco style was created. The club became a country club of the rich and famous, with the nearby airfield frequently used to bring customers from London etc.inluding the Prince of Wales and Amy Johnson.
Such was the increasing reputation of the club, that the BBC transmitted its weekly Saturday show “Late Night Dance Music” with Henry Hall, Carroll Gibbons and Charlie Kunz from Firbeck. But the outbreak of WW11 was the death knell of the club.
Firbeck Hall was taken over by the Sheffield Joint Hospitals Board and the dwindling country club shunted into the nearby Lake House. It became an annexe of the Sheffield Royal Infirmary for the duration while the aerodrome was converted into RAF Firbeck, comprising four squadrons from 1940 to 1944.
The dream had died and in 1943 Cyril Nicholson put Firbeck Hall up for sale. There were no takers for the estate and it would take until 1945 for the Miners’ Welfare Commission to acquire it as a rehabilitation centre. In 1984 it transferred to the Trent Regional Health Authority as a convalescence home for industrial injuries but this eventually closed in 1990.
For years Firbeck Hall remained derelict. It was bought by successive owners in 1996 and 2010 before being bought by Ashley Wildsmith in 2014. He created an exclusive residential development.
We walked through the village of Firbeck before turning due south, crossing the B6463 again, and reaching the edge of Letwell, where we took our mid-morning refreshments. We continued to work our way southwards before turning west to walk along the base of the well-wooded former spoil heap of the Firbeck colliery and arrived at Langold Lake again, and hence to our cars. We finished this 5 mile walk at exactly 12.30. Thanks to Rob, Nigel and Alfie for ensuring that nobody was lost! David Gadd
Non-members welcome, on Rambler walks just turn up and you will be well looked after
Doncaster Ramblers supports Doncaster City Council “Get Doncaster Moving” campaign Follow them on Twitter/X: @DoncasterMoving, Facebook: @getdoncastermoving -or use #GetDoncasterWalking
Please visit our website https://www.doncasterramblers.org.uk/ for latest information, including future activity . Also follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/doncasterramblers/ for details of past Rambler outings. Remember while out observe the Countryside Code and give way to other walkers.