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Heeley
Heeley is a settlement and suburb of Sheffield in South Yorkshire. Originally Heeley was once its own small village that existed outside of the city limits however the passing of time saw the city limits expand and Heeley gradually became a part of Sheffield itself. Historical records illustrate that Heeley has existed since 1343 and its name roughly translates into a high woodland clearing. Before Heeley became one village it was actually three smaller component settlements, Upper, Middle and Lower Heeley. The history of the village is fascinating, and the local Methodist Church is a fine example of a historical listed building that speaks volumes of the villages lineage. The building of the church began in 1826 to minister to just under fifty households in the area, and it became its own parish in 1846. It was not until 1848 when the church was finally finished and local residents were able to use it and enjoy services from the first vicar, Reverend Henry Denson Jones.
By 1876 Heeley had exploded in terms of population, in no small way due to the hard work of the vicar and his parish members, and almost 4,000 people lived in the area. A number of famous merchants helped turn Heeley into something of a centre for trade and commerce in the 1800's, starting their businesses using handcarts and expanding to full shop fronts in just a few years time. Some of these shops still remain such as Ponsford furniture on London Road. Heeley boasts excellent transport links to other parts of the city and surrounding county, the A61 runs through Heeley and a railway line nearby provides excellent access options to residents and visitors. Heeley City Farm is a brand new venture in the village, it is part of a major green initiative to demonstrate how sustainable power and self sufficiency are goals that any village can attain.
The "farm" includes wind turbines and green roofs along with solar power generation and a variety of other features. Originally the site was cleared to allow construction of a dual carriageway, however when plans were abandoned enterprising residents and council members saw the opportunity to turn the former bypass site into something environmentally sound. Proof that Heeley is continuing to expand comes in the shape of a new school, a brand new Infants school was constructed recently in an effort to modernise the Sheffield school system, and this new site overlooks Heeley Bottom and provides far more facilities than older buildings can provide. It is one of the greenest schools in existence with ground heat pumps that reduce energy usage.
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