Askern

The history of Askern can be traced back to the reign of Edward III. The people of Norton complained to the Sheriff of Osgodcross that the people of Askern had failed to keep part of Askern pool in a clean state. As a result the Kings highway had been ‘overflowed and drowned so that neither horse nor foot passengers could use it’.

The area of the lake and the surrounding wetland area have dominated much of the history starting from the settlements at Sutton Common and continuing through to the Spa of the Victorian era.

Askern, a small farming village, became known locally for it’s waters in the 1700’s when Dr Short, in his book ‘Mineral Waters of Yorkshire’, refers to the waters as having a most unpleasant odour and taste.

During the 1800’s Askern started to gain a reputation as having water with healing properties. At this time the lords of the manor built the first bathhouse called Manor Baths. After this other baths were built till in the late 1800’s Askern had earned the title of Spa and had 5 bathhouses and the water could also be taken at the Spa Hydropathic Establishment.

Askern came to be the place to stay and the railway was built to enable people from across the Pennines to come and partake of the healing waters. Many people were now coming to Askern by road and rail. Hotels were being built and guesthouses lined Station Road and Moss Road.

Then in the early years of the 1900’s the quest for coal identified a good seam of coal near Askern. It was decided to access the coal from a mine built above the village and with the mine came the personnel to build it. As the mine opened the New Village was built to house the workers and their families.  This new population was at odds with the well to do visitors. As the 1914 war started the death knell was sounded for Askern Spa and the spa visitors declined to no more than a few regulars.

Once again Askern changed direction and became a thriving pit village, which welcomed people from all over the country to work and live in its area. The mine was regarded as producing high quality coal and the opening of the Coalite works confirmed Askern as a place of high employment and a pleasant environment to live in. This however changed as the Coalite pushed more smoke and fumes into the atmosphere.

With the end of mining in1991 Askern has yet again moved on and only time will tell where the next stage will lead.