Dearne Valley Park was developed in 1980 (South Yorkshire Forest Partnership 2000 [accessed 6/12/07]). This land was formerly likely to be meadow but has had various influences of industrial activity at its edges over the years. Railway lines leading to the numerous collieries in the area ran through the park. These have left some earthwork remains. There were also small early sewage related activities on parts of the area. Although partially landscaped a kept as a park much of this land has probably altered little since the medieval period. A lot of the land was probably owned by Monk Bretton Priory.