Religion & Education

Religion and Worship
Langsett is in the ecclesiastical parish of Penistone. Penistone was once a huge parish before it was subdivided. Paths led from all the surrounding hamlets to the mother church in Penistone.

Many people in the area were non-conformists and many of these were Quakers. After the Act of Uniformity was passed in 1662 many of the residents of Langsett refused to attend the established church and were fined for their non attendance. In 1689 The Toleration Act gave complete freedom of worship and Quaker meetings were held at the residences of H. Dickenson of Sheephouse and J. Dickenson of Langsett.

The Church of St Mary's Langsett was built by Sir Lionel Pilkington. This church was also the school. The Bishop of Ripon opened it for worship on 17th January 1875.

A mission room was also established in Langsett during the building of the reservoir.

There are no longer any places of worship in Langsett.

Langsett Church and School

Education
Until 1875 there was no school in Langsett. There was a school in Midhope but for many children it was too far for them to walk.
Sir Lionel Pilkington built a church on his land in the village, and it was used as a Church and a school.

Langsett School opened on the April 1875 and there were 15 pupils. Many of them had never been to school before. The numbers on roll crept up but never seem to have exceeded 40 prior to the reservoir being built. Alterations were obviously carried out because later logs show that the revised accommodation is for 128 children.

In 1901 there were 115 pupils on roll. Following the completion of the reservoir the numbers on the roll began to drop. By 1910 there appears to have been around 60 pupils and in 1919 there were 49 pupils.

Other entries in the logs show how times have changed. In February and March 1919 nearly all pupils were absent due to influenza, some of whom died, and then the school had to be closed for 2 weeks by the local Medical Officer.

In April 1925 Mr Hinchliffe of Bulihouse Hall gave the school a maypole. On 1st May 1925 a May Festival was held.

The numbers on roll continue to fall and then in 1932 the oldest pupils were transferred to Stocksbridge School and on 25th March 1937 the school closed. The remaining 19 pupils were transferred to Midhope School.

Throughout it's life the school had only 2 classrooms.

Maypole dancers at Langsett in 1934
(Includes Colin Knott, Rose Sykes, Frank Minshall, May Wilson, Roy Turner, Gladys Turner, John Salmon, Dennis Price, Brenda Morrell, Margaret Rhodes, John Uttley)

Langsett Schoolroom With Class