Sheffield Overview
Sheffield is a city that has an increasing cultural population, with students flocking to the city from all over the world to study there is no wonder as to why the city is expanding as quickly as it is. During the industrial revolution the city started to grow rapidly, and this was mainly due to innovations in the steel industry. Developed locally, stainless steel and crucible revolutionised the steel industry which increased Sheffield’s population tenfold as it became the powerhouse for steel production. The nickname for the city is the ‘Steel City’ due to the history of this great city. Unfortunately, in the 1970s and 80s international competition for steel increased which led to a decline in these industries, at the same time the collapse of the coal mining industry that were located in and around Sheffield had made the city very poor. Since these industrial tragedies, Sheffield has seen extensive redevelopment of poverty-stricken areas and the economy has been experiencing steady growth every year at a rate of 5%.
Sheffield has very interesting historical buildings dotted all over the city. The Cathedral was built in the 11-12th century and is one of Sheffield’s oldest buildings and is still being used today by the Christian religion. You are able to visit the cathedral and have a tour as long as it does not coincide with prayer time. Another historic building with high importance to Sheffield is Chatsworth House, here is where the Duke and duchess of Devonshire live with over 100 acres of Greenland that are open to the public for free. There is a farm shop and a restaurant that are open all year round, it is the perfect place to escape the stresses of university life.
Things to do in Sheffield
There are some great museums and galleries in the city, the Millennium Gallery is Sheffield’s premier destination for art, craft and design. At the gallery you will find pieces of metalwork that helped make Sheffield the city it is today, you will also find lots of exhibitions for contemporary art and design. Several exhibitions are held here from some of the biggest names in the art world; Tate, National Portrait Gallery and V&A. To learn more about the history of Sheffield’s industrial revolution then head over to Kelham Island where you will find interactive galleries that will tell the story of skilled workmanship to mass production and how it shaped and change the city you will be living in.
Sheffield has the largest theatre complex outside of London comprising mainly of three; Crucible Theatre, Lyceum Theatre and Crucible Studio. The three theatres offer a wide variety of touring productions, home-grown productions with a variation of everything from West End musicals to cutting edge drama. The Crucible Theatre originally opened in 1971 and then was reopened in 2010 after a £15.3 million making it a fantastic place to watch shows.
Sheffield is nicknamed the beer capital of the world and this is due to the city having 23 known breweries with over 400 unique beers. There are several breweries that you are able to visit and have a tour to learn about how they are made and what goes into each beer. There is also a Sheffield Beer Week every year around March time, here you will find lots of brewing companies which will allow you to try their beer which makes it a great day out for you and your friends. There is also a beer and cider festival which similarly to beer week you will get to sample a lot of the local beers.
Sport in Sheffield
The World Snooker Championship is held in Sheffield at the iconic Crucible Theatre, the championship has been held here for 40 years and makes for a great atmosphere if you are lucky to get tickets. Ponds Forge is an international sports centre where you are able to do a bunch of different activities. The centre had a £3 million refurbishment in 2008 which has seen a huge improvement in the number of people now visiting the centre, you will also find a restaurant and bar to wind down at after you have exercised. There are two big football clubs based in the city, Sheffield United and Sheffield Wednesday, both clubs play at stadiums not to far from each other and on matchday when the two teams play each other it makes for a greet atmosphere in the city.
Escape Sheffield
Just to the west of the city you have the Peak District National Park, here you will find picturesque villages, museums, hiking trails and places to camp. The Peak District is the perfect place to get away from the stresses of university life and enjoy the countryside. Just to the north of the city you have Leeds which is a great place with a fantastic night life, trains to Leeds run late which makes it easier to travel to and from in the early hours of the morning.
Transport in Sheffield
For travel in and around the city you will be able to use the trams, as well as trams you can use busses and trains which makes it a great city for public transport connections. You are able to get direct trains to most major cities in the UK, you can also get coaches to most of these destinations. Sheffield is very close to the M1 which runs throughout the majority of the UK from south to north, from the M1 you are able to access the national motorway network which makes it very easy to get to different parts of the UK.
