mick palmer:
The Great North Road through Doncaster follows roughly the ‘Roman Ridge’ route,you can see it on modern maps as Roman Road.Traveling north at the junction of the A1 /A639 Barnsdale Bar you can see part of the Ridge just before the turn off.The ridge then goes up through Pontefract to Castleford and then Aberford crossroads,I could be wrong but is it part of The lower reaches of Dere Street that runs up from Barton through Piercebridge onto The A68 and Corbridge. The forest of Barnsdale,you can see it on your right going north at Barnsdale Bar, was where Robin Hood hung out.The bridge in Wentbridge has a plaque to Little John fixed to it.
There was a lay-by off the southbound carriageway of the A1 called Robin Hood’s Well,north of the Haven Cafe.I have been known to have dodgy nights out on there.
mick palmer:
The Great North Road through Doncaster follows roughly the ‘Roman Ridge’ route,you can see it on modern maps as Roman Road.Traveling north at the junction of the A1 /A639 Barnsdale Bar you can see part of the Ridge just before the turn off.The ridge then goes up through Pontefract to Castleford and then Aberford crossroads,I could be wrong but is it part of The lower reaches of Dere Street that runs up from Barton through Piercebridge onto The A68 and Corbridge. The forest of Barnsdale,you can see it on your right going north at Barnsdale Bar, was where Robin Hood hung out.The bridge in Wentbridge has a plaque to Little John fixed to it.
There was a lay-by off the southbound carriageway of the A1 called Robin Hood’s Well,north of the Haven Cafe.I have been known to have dodgy nights out on there.
Hello Chris, I think you mean the “Red House” layby. Now I was always under the impression that structure was something to do with ■■■■ Turpin. I stopped to check it out one day but found no inscription on it and was a little disappointed. Also I think there was a cafe and digs there called the “Red House” many years ago but I can’t remember it although I’ve been up and down the A1 since the late '60s. Come to think of it I may have given you a lift on one of your many dodgy nights. Had several of those myself from Norwich. Regards, Haddy.
this is robin hoods well just as you leave the laybuy southbound the one with the ministry whieghbridge got to be carefull chris will see it & thummin &waving his logbook-redhouse is a couple of mile south where the end of donny bypass starts-i remember the cafe went in once with my dad around 56 but its all gone now-i picked up a little booklet about the making of the new road at ferrybridge & they found ancient burial ground complete with chariot of a tribal chief. theres been a road north since before roman times-most towns still have original a1 stamford-grantham-donny-darlington-morpeth alnwick-alan
Chris Webb:
there was a lay-by off the southbound carriageway of the A1 called Robin Hood’s Well,north of the Haven Cafe.I have been known to have dodgy nights out on there.
Hullo Chris,
Where were those dodgies then mate ? In the Haven ? Your Robin Hoods’ Well is still there, as shown in the photo above. But the Haven is long gone, it’s now just a filling station with some sort of a Hotel at the back, where the Parking was.
Cheers, Archie.
Just before the Donny by-pass southbound there’s a biggish house and one of the windows looks like it’s been made from a cartwheel, I noticed it when I was queueing for some roadworks several years ago and always have a quick look when I go past.
Chris Webb:
there was a lay-by off the southbound carriageway of the A1 called Robin Hood’s Well,north of the Haven Cafe.I have been known to have dodgy nights out on there.
Hullo Chris,
Where were those dodgies then mate ? In the Haven ? Your Robin Hoods’ Well is still there, as shown in the photo above. But the Haven is long gone, it’s now just a filling station with some sort of a Hotel at the back, where the Parking was.
Cheers, Archie.
Not in the Haven Archie,in the lay-by that Robin Hood had a well built in. I haven’t been up there for years,is that service area type thingy still open just above Dishforth island,Rainton I think they called it?
Chris Webb:
there was a lay-by off the southbound carriageway of the A1 called Robin Hood’s Well,north of the Haven Cafe.I have been known to have dodgy nights out on there.
Hullo Chris,
Where were those dodgies then mate ? In the Haven ? Your Robin Hoods’ Well is still there, as shown in the photo above. But the Haven is long gone, it’s now just a filling station with some sort of a Hotel at the back, where the Parking was.
Cheers, Archie.
Not in the Haven Archie,in the lay-by that Robin Hood had a well built in. I haven’t been up there for years,is that service area type thingy still open just above Dishforth island,Rainton I think they called it?
What Island at Dishforth and I think you mean the windmill
cheers Johnnie
P S I can remember going through Grantham and Stamford but I might have been still at school
revman:
this is robin hoods well just as you leave the laybuy southbound the one with the ministry whieghbridge got to be carefull chris will see it & thummin &waving his logbook-redhouse is a couple of mile south where the end of donny bypass starts-i remember the cafe went in once with my dad around 56 but its all gone now-i picked up a little booklet about the making of the new road at ferrybridge & they found ancient burial ground complete with chariot of a tribal chief. theres been a road north since before roman times-most towns still have original a1 stamford-grantham-donny-darlington-morpeth alnwick-alan
Thanks for the picture Alan,I remember the lay-by very well (excuse the pun).I remember the old A1 going through Stamford,Grantham and Newark.The old Tony’s cafe was on the old A1 south of Grantham and at Newark the old northbound A1 was three lanes just after the level crossing,lane in the middle was every man for himself. Another good place for a dodgy was Wetherby,the lorry park was right next to the roundabout which I suppose has gone now? Even earlier than this I recall going through Biggleswade when a passenger in a Lincolnshire produce motor going to Spitalfields,would have been 1957/58 time.I also recall having to use the A167 through Chester-le-Street in the late 60s,I suppose the A1 was being upgraded,can’t remember as usual.
Chris Webb:
there was a lay-by off the southbound carriageway of the A1 called Robin Hood’s Well,north of the Haven Cafe.I have been known to have dodgy nights out on there.
Hullo Chris,
Where were those dodgies then mate ? In the Haven ? Your Robin Hoods’ Well is still there, as shown in the photo above. But the Haven is long gone, it’s now just a filling station with some sort of a Hotel at the back, where the Parking was.
Cheers, Archie.
Not in the Haven Archie,in the lay-by that Robin Hood had a well built in. I haven’t been up there for years,is that service area type thingy still open just above Dishforth island,Rainton I think they called it?
What Island at Dishforth and I think you mean the windmill
cheers Johnnie
P S I can remember going through Grantham and Stamford but I might have been still at school
Well.a long,long,long time ago there was a roundabout at Dishforth,turn right on the A168 for Thirsk,don’t tell me tha doesn’t remember it,you are nearly as old as me.Aye,the Windmill was the place I was thinking of,and if you can recall going through Grantham and Stamford then you will have gone through Newark as well.At the speed Pickfords went through,cluttering the place up, you could have walked through faster.
By the way,the old Tony’s cafe was where “Cockney Jack” Nathan got the wax treatment,will say no more.
Just before the Donny by-pass southbound there’s a biggish house and one of the windows looks like it’s been made from a cartwheel, I noticed it when I was queueing for some roadworks several years ago and always have a quick look when I go past.
Aye I’ve noticed that too, on the left southbound, set back a bit.
Chris Webb:
There was a lay-by off the southbound carriageway of the A1 called Robin Hood’s Well,north of the Haven Cafe.I have been known to have dodgy nights out on there.
Hullo Chris,
As you come off of the Donny byepass going North, you go up the hill past your house with the cartwheel on the right, then almost on top of the hill on the left is a Texaco filling station, with a sort of Motel at the back of it. That was the Haven Cafe.
Cheers, Archie.
I remember a roundabout with a wall and gates in front ,the A1 beared to the right at this point, i think this could have been at thorp arch could someone confirm please,and any photos of this roundabout would be great rgds trev
TREV:
I remember a roundabout with a wall and gates in front ,the A1 beared to the right at this point, i think this could have been at thorp arch could someone confirm please,and any photos of this roundabout would be great rgds trev
Trev,you turned right at the roundabout at Wetherby going north,I can’t recall a wall or gate there though,if you went straight on it took you into the town and if you turned left you were heading for Leeds through Collingham,they stuck a weight limit on that road in the 70s.Then the next roundabout was at Dishforth,there was a slip road into Thorpe Arch Industrial Estate IIRC to the right just above Wetherby.
I stand corrected on all of this though.
There is a wall and gate there, it was almost right in front of you as you turned right at the roundabout. It was a gatehouse to the Wetherby Grange estate, theres another one the same actually on the roundabout at the Tadcaster split (A659). It ended up there when the roads were realigned.
Hullo Chris,
As you come off of the Donny byepass going North, you go up the hill past your house with the cartwheel on the right, then almost on top of the hill on the left is a Texaco filling station, with a sort of Motel at the back of it. That was the Haven Cafe.
Cheers, Archie.
