City and metropolitan borough (pop., 2001: 513,234), South Yorkshire , England.
It is situated at the foot of the Pennines . An Anglo-Saxon village that became the site of a castle and parish church early in the 12th century, it has been known for its cutlery since medieval times. By 1700 it had a monopoly of the English cutlery trade, and it remains the centre of the industry today. It developed a steel industry from the mid-19th century, and several metallurgical innovations, including the process for making stainless steel , originated there. In 1568 Mary, Queen of Scots , was imprisoned in its Norman castle (now in ruins).