History of Sheffield of the 7th century. An enduring Celtic presence within this area is evidenced by the settlements called Wales and Waleswood close to Sheffield—the word "Wales" derives from the Germanic word "Walha", and was originally used by the Anglo-Saxons to refer to the native Britons. The name "Sheffield" is Old English in origin. It derives from the River Sheaf, whose name is a corruption of "shed" or "sheth", meaning to divide or separate. "Field" is a generic suffix deriving from the Old English "feld", meaning a forest clearing. It is likely then that the origin of the present-day city of Sheffield
Sheffield indoor climbing centres. Sheffield was the UK's first National City of Sport and is now home to the English Institute of Sport – Sheffield, where British athletes trained for the 2012 Olympics. Sheffield also has close ties with snooker, with the city's Crucible Theatre being the venue for the World Snooker Championships. The English Institute of Sport hosts most of the top fencing competitions each year, including the National Championships for Seniors, Juniors (U20's) and Cadets (U17's) as well as the 2011 Senior European Fencing Championships. The English squash open is also held in the city every year. The International