IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Bark House Lane, BARNSLEY, S75 4AT

The Hall was home to the Spencer-Stanhope family and dates from the 18th century, largely financed by profits from the local iron and coal industries. The Hall is now owned by Barnsley MBC and is a museum with collections of fine furniture, paintings, ceramics and glassware. It also houses the Regimental Museum of the 13th/18th Royal Hussars (Queen Mary's Own) and the Light Dragoons (of 'Charge of the Light Brigade' fame).

Now a museum

The haha comprises a wall and a ditch, and prevents farm animals from entering the grounds surrounding the house whilst not impeding the view from the house.

The house goes back to c1698-1704 when it was built for John Spencer, local ironmaster, perhaps to the designs of John Etty. The central block is his, although it was probably altered by John Carr while he was adding single-storey wings, in 1764-67, or perhaps when he returned to raise them to two storeys, in 1790-94. Grade II* listed. Sitting at the heart of a 70-acre country park, it now houses a museum. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In the C18th architectural hierarchy, Carr (1723-1807) was somewhat more accomplished than most of the breed of skilled, provincial builder-architects of the Georgian era. Whilst not sitting at the top table of the London elite, he was the only provincial member of the London Architects' Club, and "was known and respected in the most sophisticated architectural circles" (Howard Colvin's Biographical Dictionary of British Architects). Based in York (hence his moniker 'Carr of York'), he was "for more than half a century the principal architect practising in Yorkshire and the north of England" (Colvin). His successful and lucrative practice was based very much on country houses for the gentry, the exteriors of which were generally plain but immaculately proportioned and the interiors of which largely followed the fashions set by Robert Adam. He also designed public buildings, churches, and bridges, the latter in his capacity as Surveyor of Bridges for the West Riding (1760-73), and later, as the equivalent (but better-paid) for the North Riding. Carr was also actively engaged in civic life, serving as a city chamberlain, sheriff, alderman, Lord Mayor, and magistrate. All this was achieved in the absence of any professional training - like his father, grandfather and great grandfather before him he trained as a stonemason. On his death, the practice was inherited by his assistant, Peter Atkinson, whose son in turn inherited, and remarkably the practice continues to this day, currently in the guise of Brierley Groom, making it, according to Wikipedia, "the longest running practice in the United Kingdom and probably the world."

The hall itself is grade II* listed (list entry 1151805) and now used as a museum by Barnsley council. It is 17th century in origin but the present house is mainly the work of John Carr of Wakefield, for landowner John Spencer.

Taken from the front of the hall looking to Cawthorne Village.