Mar 21: Locations: Wentworth Folk Club

There are locations which we perhaps associate with music because of particular concerts. Heaton Park will be an important place for Oasis fans for example following 2025's reform tour.

One place I spent a lot of time in the 1980s and 1990s was Wentworth Folk Club.

Wentworth is a small village between Rotherham and Barnsley.

The club was formed in September 1974 by a close-knit group of like-minded musical friends at its original home, The Rockingham Arms, Wentworth. Initially on Thursday evenings, it met every fortnight until the “Rock’ renovated its barn which became a perfect live music venue. This enabled the club to convert to a weekly Friday night club in 1977. Over time one of the founders, Rob Shaw, became the mainstay and his foresight and industry enabled the club to become one of the premier live folk music venues in the UK and in 2004 won the prestigious Radio Two Folk Club Of The Year award.

After 32 years at the ‘Rock’ the club was forced to change its location.

I saw some great bands there over the years...

• Dick Gaughan
• Isaac Guillory
• Liam o' Flynn
• Vin Garbutt
• Chris While and Julie Matthews
• Alias Ron Kavana
• Bernard Wrigley

Does anyone else have memories of 'The Rock' or another folk club perhaps?

Image: Rockingham Arms, Wentworth - Alan Parkinson - shared on Flickr under CC license