Cudworth Common was once part of the Grimethorpe Colliery, one of the deepest pits in Britain, which employed nearly 6,000 people before it closed in 1993. In the years following, the area faced significant social and economic challenges, with Grimethorpe regarded as one of the poorest villages in the country in 1994.
Following remediation by Yorkshire First through funding from the National Coalfield Programme, this green space has been transformed. Cudworth Common offers stunning views over the RSPB’s Edderthorpe Ings and the surrounding area, and visitors can explore the park’s beautiful wooden sculptures, reflecting its mining heritage, and enjoy the diverse wildlife at Ferrymoor Flash. The site also holds a special place in film history as the setting for Brassed Off, filmed here in 1996.
Open access
Limited parking near Ferrymoor Flash
An extensive network of footpaths comprised mainly of non-bonded crushed material. Most are in excess of 2.5 metres wide, but there are narrower trails through wooded areas which are unsurfaced. Paths vary in gradient from flat to 1:10 or steeper. There are a limited number of seating areas at varied intervals throughout the woodland, most in excess of 500m apart. Access onto site is through access control barriers which permit motorised buggies, but the site is remote from nearby roads and is accessed via roughly surfaced tracks from Ferrymoor or Cudworth.
Maintained footpaths
Dogs welcome
The Conservation Volunteers (TCV)
Ferrymoor Way,
Cudworth,
Barnsley,
South Yorkshire,
S72 8RN
