Fitzalan Square
A troubled and tragic history...
Fitzalan Square has an interesting history, and not a smooth one. From the beginning it has been beset with issues, and periodic changes over the years have never quite managed to achieve the vision that was originally had for the space. It should be a city centre meeting place; a centrepiece - but I don’t think it has that feel, and I’m not sure it ever really did. When looking back at reports from the early years of the square it appears that not much has really changed - similar social issues affected the old town centre as they do today, and creating an open space tends to attract those people and issues. Fitzalan Square was created around 1880 after a lengthy process, so it arrived in a well established town centre, close to the busy market area - and began a story of interesting changes, as well as being the scene of one of Sheffield’s greatest tragedies.