Penistone ( /ˈpɛnɨstən/ PEN-is-tən) is a small market town and civil parish in the Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley, in South Yorkshire, England, with a population of 10,101 at the 2001 census. It lies 8 miles (13 km) west of the town of Barnsley and 17 miles (27 km) north-east of Glossop, in the foothills of the Pennines. Historically within the West Riding of Yorkshire, Penistone town centre stands at an elevation of 750 feet (230 m) above sea level. Rising steeply to the highest point in the surrounding area at Hartcliffe Tower at 364 metres above sea level, with stunning views over the wood head bypass and the Dark Peak. The surrounding immediate countryside is mainly rural and lends itself to farming on rich well watered soil on gentle slopes rising to the rugged/bleak moorland just to the west of Penistone. Dry stone walls and small hamlets surrounded by fields and livestock are synonymous with the area. Famous for its rugged Penistone sheep and a strong sense of farming and community spirit, Penistone continues to thrive as an upland market town.
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