Old Hay Brook

Old Hay Brook
The bridge which carries Old Hay Lane over Old Hay Brook
Country	England
Basin features
Main source	Moors to south of Sheffield 1,300 feet (400 m)
River mouth	River Sheaf at Totley Rise 410 feet (125 m)
Tributaries	Right: Needham's Dyke

Coordinates: 53°19′05″N 1°31′59″W / 53.318°N 1.533°W / 53.318; -1.533

The Old Hay Brook is a small river in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. It is formed from the Redcar Brook, Blacka Dike and another stream, which rise on moors to the south of Sheffield, and is joined by Needham's Dyke near Totley Grange. At Totley Rise it joins Totley Brook, to become the River Sheaf. Water from the river was used to power mills processing lead, corn and paper from at least the 17th century, which were later used for grinding scythes as the Sheffield metal industry expanded. All the mills were defunct by 1900, although some remnants including weirs and dams are still visible.

The river rises as a series of streams on a gritstone ridge some 6 or 7 miles (10 or 11 km) to the south-west of central Sheffield. Furthest north is the Redcar Brook, which rises at four locations near the 1,300-foot (400 m) contour on Houndkirk Moor. The brook flows to the east and then to the south, passing to the west of Townhead. To the south of Redcar Brook, Blacka Dike rises at multiple springs close to the A6187 Hathersage Road, near the 1,210-foot (370 m) contour on Blacka Moor. It flows to the north-east into Black Plantation, where it is joined by several more streams which rise in the woods. It then flows east to join Redcar Brook. Further south, another stream rises by the 1,150-foot (350 m) contour on Totley Moor above Totley railway tunnel. It flows north-east, to join Blacka Dike just before its junction with Redcar Brook. On modern maps, the combined streams are called Blacka Dike to the west of the bridge where they pass under Old Hay Road, and are known as Old Hay Brook to the east of it. Just above the bridge is a smaller footbridge, built in the late 18th century of squared stone and ashlar masonry. It has a single arch, was restored in the 20th century, and is a grade II listed structure.