Doncaster
Coordinates: 53°30′54″N 1°07′59″W / 53.515°N 1.133°W
Doncaster is a large city in the north of England. It is in South Yorkshire, which is a Metropolitan County (an area of dense population).
| Doncaster | |
 St Sepulchre Gate and Printing Office Street junction in Doncaster town center |
|
 Doncaster shown within South Yorkshire | |
| Population | 308,940 (2017) |
|---|---|
| OS grid reference | SE5702 |
| Metropolitan borough | Doncaster |
| Metropolitan county | South Yorkshire |
| Region | Yorkshire and the Humber |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | DONCASTER |
| Postcode district | DN1-DN12 |
| Dialling code | 01302 |
| Police | South Yorkshire |
| Fire | South Yorkshire |
| Ambulance | Yorkshire |
| EU Parliament | Yorkshire and the Humber |
| UK Parliament | __Constituency Map |
| Doncaster Central | |
| Doncaster North | |
| Don Valley | |
| Website | Doncaster Council |
Doncaster has a population of 109,805; the metropolitan borough has a population of 311,890.[1]
Doncaster is near other, larger, cities, such as Sheffield and Leeds.
History
Doncaster is an ancient city that developed from a Roman fort called 'Danum'. It was built on a Roman road Ermine Street, which linked London to York. The fort was built where Doncaster Minster now stands. However in the 4th century Roman civilization declined and the last Roman soldiers left Britain in 407 AD.[2]
Later Doncaster developed into a medieval cityship with a fortified boundary and historic gates. What remains of the gates can still be seen in the city today. Conisbrough Castle was built here after the Norman Conquest and, following a slow building up of markets across the centuries, the city quickly became the most profitable of its size in the county.[3]
Doncaster also has a market which has existed for over 750 years.
As the centuries passed, Doncaster became an important city post on the route between London and Edinburgh. An ancient road called the Great North Road passed straight through the very centre of Doncaster, and the city grew around and along this road.
Trains
When railways were invented, Doncaster became famous for steam trains. It was an important stop for trains travelling between Scotland and London. It is still an important stop today. A big factory for making trains was built in Doncaster. Some of the finest and fastest steam trains in the world were built in Doncaster. These trains include The Flying Scotsman, The Mallard, and The Sir Nigel Gresley. The station also houses a unique Victorian themed bar on platform 3b.
Aeroplanes
Doncaster was one of the first places in the country that made aeroplanes and had an airport. The first airshow in the country was held in Doncaster in 1908.
Doncaster has an international airport which was opened in 2005. The airport is growing very fast and lots of people from across the region and across Europe now use Doncaster as a popular destination – which is something that people have already been doing for the last 2000 years.
Attractions
Doncaster is famous for horse racing. Doncaster is one of the oldest racecourses in the world. It hosts two famous horse races: The Doncaster Cup, which is the oldest horse race in the world, and the St Leger Stakes, which is the oldest classic horse race in the world. There has been horse racing in Doncaster for over 500 years.[4] The horse racing started because of the horses that used to pull horse-drawn coaches on the Great North Road.
Famous people from Doncaster
- Louis Tomlinson
- Dave Allen
- Billy Bremner
- Brian Blessed
- Douglas Bader
- Dianna Rigg
- George Porter
- Jeremy Clarkson
- John Parr
- Kevin Keegan
- Thomas Crapper
- Tony Christie
- Tan France
- Lesley Garret
- Darren Hill
- Dominic Harrison
- Sally Carman
Influence
Doncaster is also the name of a suburb in eastern Melbourne, Australia. It is home to two state primary schools: Doncaster Gardens Primary School and Doncaster Primary School.
Doncaster Media
Ermine Street's alternative route: Eboracum (York) to Lagecium (Castleford), 21 miles, to Danum (Doncaster), 16 miles, to Agelocum (Littleborough), 21 miles, to Lindum (Lincoln), 13 miles. A spur connected Danum with Calcaria (near Tadcaster).
Map showing the boundary of the fortified Medieval township of Doncaster with four Gates
Norman church of St Mary Magdalene, at demolition in 1846
Population of Doncaster District taken from census data
Cusworth Hall in Doncaster. A view from the front.
St George's Minster is a grade I listed building and was designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott in the 1850s.
Towerblocks, Doncaster
.jpg)
.jpg)
References
- ↑ "Table 8a Mid-2011 Population Estimates: Selected age groups for local authorities in England and Wales; estimated resident population;". Population Estimates for England and Wales, Mid 2011 (Census Based). Office for National Statistics. 25 September 2012. Retrieved 22 November 2012.
- ↑ "A HISTORY OF DONCASTER". Local Histories. 14 March 2021. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
- ↑ Andy (21 May 2020). "Why Visit Doncaster?". The Expert Camper. Retrieved 26 April 2022.
- ↑ "Doncaster Racecourse". British Racecourses. 18 December 2019. Retrieved 9 July 2021.