Newmillerdam is a village on the outskirts of Wakefield. The name also refers to the lake and country park adjacent to the village.

The village is actually comprised of a number of smaller hamlets, Newbiggin Hill, Hill Top, Slack, Humley and Wood Moor Hill. The mill which gave the village its name was in existence by 1285, although some of the constituent hamlets were in existence before then. (1)

J.W. Walker gives the earliest name of the village as Thurstonhagh. The mill seems to have been known first as 'the new mill under Thurstonhagh' in the early 14th century, later referred to as the 'new mill at Thurstonhagh', eventually becoming the 'new mill on the dam'. (2) [NB. No 'i' between the 'a' and 'g'.]

Along with the mill came the dam, needed to create a reservoir for the mill. The dam was built across a deep valley through which Owler Beck runs. The water sources include Haw Park Beck, which flows into Bleakley Dyke to the west of Rough Bottom Plantation; the dyke, in turn, feeds into Bushcliffe Beck and the mill lake itself. Owler Beck flows on towards Stand Bridge and Pugneys Drain, which joins the River Calder by Portobello.

John Goodchild's book (see Note 1) provides more information about the village from a historical perspective.
J.W. Walker's book is available on CD ROM from YorkshireCDBooks.com.

Notes & Sources
1. A Newmillerdam Trail, John Goodchild, Wakefield Historical Publications, 1994, WHP 33, ISBN 0 901869 36 8.

2. Wakefield, Its History and People, J.W. Walker, Wakefield, The West Yorkshire Printing Co. Ltd., 1934.