Set in the heart of the Dearne Valley, historically, Thurnscoe was a farming village and in Roman times it was situated on the Roman road Ryknild Street, which ran down a track, (known locally as "the cow track" as it was the route for the dairy herds until the farm closed in recent years), to the east of what is now Rectory Lane.

Thurnscoe's oldest building is the Church of St. Helen on High Street, built in 812 by the Angles and rebuilt in 1087 by the Normans[3] though only the tower of the original structure remains.

The western side of the village has more history to it, including Thurnscoe Hall (now a nursing home) and the 1715 Blacksmith's Cottage near St Helen's Church.

Red House Cottage on High Street is the oldest building in the village dating back to the 16th century.

Before the mines opened, Thurnscoe was once a wealthy farming community, famous in the Middle Ages for the quality of its cheese.

[7] Almost the entire of the village east of the railway was built to accommodate the coal miners, including St. Hilda's Church in 1935 (deconsecrated 2017).

From 1983 to 1986, Thurnscoe was one of four areas in South Yorkshire where the Probation Service ran a victim/offender mediation project (one of the first of its kind in the country).

[9] The main pit waste tip has been landscaped and converted, with the aid of the environmental body Groundwork, into "Phoenix Park" which contains a climbing wall, picnic areas and many pieces of art which were developed by and in conjunction with the local community.

A series of character areas are being created, defined by housing type and form, and set within an overall master planning strategy to ensure the development of an integrated neighbourhood.

The total investment for the scheme is £2.1 million which also includes environmental works to improve the boundary wall to the social club and to upgrade the access to the public open space adjacent to the site.

Thurnscoe's geography is characteristic of glacial moraine, with gentle inclines, good arable clay/loam soil and no irregular boulders.