Rawmarsh

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Rawmarsh (RP: [ɹaʊmɑːʃ], often locally pronounced: [ɹɔumɑːʃ]) is a village within the Borough of Rotherham, located in South Yorkshire, England, lying 2 miles to the north of Rotherham. Its name is said to originate from "Red Marsh", as the area is rich in clay and was formally known for its potteries. If one includes the distinct districts of Upper Haugh and Parkgate, the population of Rawmarsh was 17443 at the 2001 census. Rawmarsh has laid claim to the title of being the largest village in England, however this claim is unsubstantiated and there are indeed many settlements that make this claim.

These days primarily a residential area, Rawmarsh can be noted for its church, Rawmarsh St Mary's Parish Church. The first known rector was William de Sutton in 1227. The current church was completed in 1838, undergoing improvements in 1869 and 1894, and was recently restored (2003). In the past the coal and steel industries were major employers in the area: there were collieries at Stubbin and Aldwarke, modern steel plants at Roundwood and Aldwarke, and a large blast furnace complex in Parkgate. This closed in the late 1970s and remained as derelict land until it was redeveloped as several large retail complexes from the late 1980s. The steel works at Aldwarke and Roundwood remain open, albeit with reduced workforces.

The local area is serviced by a local shopping centre, five churches and nine schools — notably ['Rawmarsh Community School — A Sports College'] (formally 'Rawmarsh Comprehensive School').

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