Castle Square, Sheffield facts for kids
Castle Square is a busy public space in the city of Sheffield, England. It is where several important streets meet, like High Street and Arundel Gate. The square got its name in the 1960s. This was because it is very close to where Sheffield Castle used to stand, just a little to the north-east.
History
Market Place
Castle Square was once known as the Market Place. People held markets here for a very long time, starting in 1296. A market cross, which is a type of monument, was put up in 1568. But it was taken down in 1786. This happened when the market moved into a new building called the Fitzalan Market Hall.
Later, in 1854, a monument to the poet Ebenezer Elliott was placed here. It was moved to Weston Park in 1875, where you can still see it today. The Fitzalan Market Hall was pulled down in 1930. This ended nearly 700 years of market trading in this spot.
Hole in the Road
Many buildings near the Market Place were badly damaged. This happened on December 12, 1940, during World War II. German planes bombed Sheffield that night. The damaged areas were cleared, but they stayed empty for many years.
In 1968, many old streets were removed. This made way for a new road called Arundel Gate. This road ended at a large roundabout built where the market used to be. Underneath this roundabout, a network of tunnels and shops was built. This area was officially named Castle Square. However, local people often called it "Oyle in t' Road" or "Hole in the Road."
A special feature in the central area was a large fish tank. It held 2000 gallons of water and usually had about 20 fish. These included carp, goldfish, and other types of fish. Many people thought the Hole in the Road was an important city landmark. But like many buildings from that time, it became old and worn out by the early 1990s. It was used from 1967 until 1994. It was then filled in with rubble from other demolished buildings.
Supertram (1994)
In 1994, big changes came to Castle Square. This was because of the new Sheffield Supertram network being built. The underground part of the Hole in the Road was filled in. The large roundabout was also removed. The whole area was then redesigned to look much nicer.
Today, all four lines of the Supertram system cross through Castle Square. There is also a tram stop here called Castle Square tram stop. It is one of five tram stops in the city centre.
