Facts about Wombwell
General Info
Wombwell (locally /ˈwʊmwɛl/) is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley in South Yorkshire, England. In the 2011 census, data for the town was split between the ward of Wombwell and small sections that fell into the wards of Darfield (specifically the area south of Pitt Street, including Broomhill) and Stairfoot (specifically the area south of Aldham Crescent). Added together, these record the town’s population at approximately 15,316.
Historically within the West Riding of Yorkshire, its name may have originally been “Womba’s Well”, meaning “well in a hollow”.
History
Wombwell railway station (formerly Wombwell West) serves the Penistone and Hallam lines. Until 1959 the town had another station, Wombwell Central, on the Barnsley–Doncaster line; this was closed when the line lost its passenger service. Wombwell was home to two collieries: Wombwell Main and Mitchells Main. Wombwell is close to the large shopping and leisure facilities of Cortonwood, and also has a number of local business, from cafes to travel agents to high-street chains such as Wilko.
Wombwell has one main cemetery, maintained by a voluntary group, the Friends of Wombwell Cemetery. Two chapels stand in the cemetery, both Grade II listed buildings: one was transformed into a “Peace Garden” after a fire that destroyed its roof; the other has been renovated by the group to become a “community hub”.
