Dronfield’s Historic Buildings

Free public exhibition in The Gallery, Dronfield Hall Barn

Thursday 6- 28  March 2025

9-3pm

Who lived at that interesting-looking old house on Dronfield’s High Street? The one we always wonder about when we pass by.  What did the owner who lived there leave in his will? Did they have children?

If you have ever been curious about some of the town’s oldest buildings, along with the people who lived in them, look in at a major new free exhibition coming soon to Dronfield Hall Barn. ‘Dronfield’s Historic Buildings’ is open from 6 March 9am – 3pm on Thursdays – Sundays until 28 March.

The town’s rich legacy of historic buildings owes much to its location on the edge of the Peak District’s lead-ore geology, the local mineral wealth of coal and iron, and particularly to the entrepreneurship of individuals such as Ralph Burton and John Rotheram in the 18^th century and later of the Lucas family in the 19^th and 20^th century.

This exhibition is being curated by the volunteer historians for the charity The Dronfield Heritage Trust (DHT) and looks at the buildings left behind and the people who lived, worked and used them.

Local historian John Harvey is the project lead: “Walk round Dronfield and you can see how each decade, and century, has changed the built environment from a small 16^th century village to an expanding 20^th century town. As local historians we have a fascinating time going through residents’ wills and home ownership records to forensically uncover who lived where and why. I hope visitors will be as excited as we are at discovering the stories behind the front doors of the old houses we still see today.”

Cllr Steve Pickering, Portfolio Holder for Environment and Place at North East Derbyshire District Council said: “The depth of this work by the DHT Archives team demonstrates how listed buildings are a repository of cultural, economic and social history as well as a fragile resource. Research of this kind enables us to make informed decisions when managing change to Dronfield’s historic environment. It is also hoped that it will lead to a greater awareness of the town’s listed buildings, encouraging appropriate stewardship and safeguarding the associated traditional building craft skills.”

DHT Chair of Trustees Alan Powell says: “It is most appropriate that this exhibition is being held in one of Dronfield’s oldest buildings. Dronfield Hall Barn dates back to 1430 and was brought back to life for the community in 2015. I am very grateful to the team of archivists who give their time to research and present fascinating findings to the public.”

The exhibition is staged with the kind support of North East Derbyshire District Council, Dronfield Civic Society and Drone Valley Brewery.

Details of the Exhibition and associated talk by John Harvey can be found on the website  www.dronfieldhallbarn.org.

Dronfield Hall Barn, High Street, Dronfield S18 1PX

Media contact: Louise Third MBE, Trustee
07773 288342 / louise@louisethird.com

North East Derbyshire District Council and Dronfield Heritage Trust have collaborated on this project but they are independent organisations with differing roles and responsibilities in the management of the historic environment.

About Dronfield Heritage Trust

Dronfield Heritage Trust is the custodian of the Dronfield Hall Barn, a historic Grade II* listed building dating back to 1430. The Barn was restored and extended with the support of a National Lottery Heritage Fund grant and generous public donations. The work was completed in 2015 and the building opened to the public in 2016. In addition to the Barn Coffee Shop, the venue runs a varied events programme covering artisan markets, exhibitions, festivals, weddings, wakes, parties, and corporate gatherings.

Local community groups regularly use the space and the surrounding grounds provide a beautiful setting for special events and casual visitors. A team of volunteers and partners works year round to create a vibrant historic community hub for Dronfield and district.

Dronfield Heritage Trust is a registered charity and company limited by guarantee. The Board of Trustees has overall strategic responsibility for the project.

Dronfield Heritage Trust, the organisation which runs Dronfield Hall Barn on the town’s High Street, has been awarded a grant of £237,281 from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to help preserve the Barn and gardens “for everyone’s enjoyment” for years to come.

Announcing the grant, the Heritage Fund said the award is “to improve organisational sustainability and maintain Dronfield Hall Barn as a Heritage Centre and Community Hub.”

To celebrate the grant award, the charity is joining in the National Lottery Open Week 15^th – 23^rd March to say #ThanksToYou for supporting great causes. Visitors presenting a valid lottery ticket will be offered one free hot drink when purchasing food.

Dronfield Heritage Trust is currently celebrating the 10th Anniversary of the restoration of the Grade II* listed medieval building which dates back to 1430. The Barn was originally restored and extended with the support of the Heritage Fund and other generous donations, and the new grant will make sure the historic building will continue to act as a community, cultural and event centre for future generations.

The Trust runs a varied events programme covering heritage, artisan markets, exhibitions, festivals, weddings and corporate gatherings and also has a popular coffee shop.

Trust chairman Alan Powell said: “We are extremely grateful to have received further support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund. It is thanks to National Lottery players that this grant will help heritage buildings like ours to continue to prosper and grow.

“Since The Barn was restored ten years ago, we have become a vital part of Dronfield’s community and cultural life and with this new grant award we can look forward with confidence to many more years of activity.

The announcement of The National Lottery Heritage Fund’s award to Dronfield Heritage Trust can be found here: https://www.heritagefund.org.uk/about/decisions/england-midlands-east-delegated-decisions-january-2025#heading-3

Media contact: Louise Third MBE, Trustee
07773 288342 / louise@louisethird.com

About Dronfield Heritage Trust

Dronfield Heritage Trust is the custodian of the Dronfield Hall Barn, a historic Grade II* listed building dating back to 1430. The Barn was restored and extended with the support of a National Lottery Heritage Fund grant and generous public donations. The work was completed in 2015 and the building opened to the public in 2016. In addition to the Barn Coffee Shop, the venue runs a varied events programme covering artisan markets, exhibitions, festivals, weddings, wakes, parties, and corporate gatherings.

Local community groups regularly use the space and the surrounding grounds provide a beautiful setting for special events and casual visitors. A team of volunteers and partners works year round to create a vibrant historic community hub for Dronfield and district.

Dronfield Heritage Trust is a registered charity and company limited by guarantee. The Board of Trustees has overall strategic responsibility for the project.

www.dronfieldhallbarn.org.

About The National Lottery Heritage Fund

Our vision is for heritage to be valued, cared for and sustained for everyone, now and in the future. That’s why as the largest funder for the UK’s heritage we are dedicated to supporting projects that connect people and communities to heritage, as set out in our strategic plan, Heritage 2033. Heritage can be anything from the past that people value and want to pass on to future generations. We believe in the power of heritage to ignite the imagination, offer joy and inspiration, and to build pride in place and connection to the past.

Over the next 10 years, we aim to invest £3.6billion raised for good causes by National Lottery players to make a decisive difference for people, places and communities.

www.heritagefund.org.uk

Follow @HeritageFundUK on X/Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and use #NationalLottery #HeritageFund

Dronfield Heritage Trust, the charity behind the management of award-winning Dronfield Hall Barn is celebrating an amazing 10 years since the ancient building was restored.

And to mark the decade-long centre of Dronfield excellence, the Trust has launched a 10^th anniversary appeal to help raise £50,000 to ensure the long-term future of the community hub. The money is for a wider range of education, cultural and community support programmes along with essential maintenance to secure The Barn’s future for generations to come. It will also help fund kitchen upgrades, improvements to communal areas, introduce new technology, and improve volunteer facilities.

Restoration was completed in late 2015 when the Trust turned the Grade II* listed building into a unique Heritage, Arts and Cultural venue which attracts more than 50,000 visitors a year.

The Barn houses an award-winning hospitality business which includes a coffee shop renowned for its friendliness, and the barn, garden and grounds area used for a variety of social and corporate events as well as exhibitions and local history activity. The Barn has also gained a reputation as a high-quality wedding venue.

The £1.3 million project was originally financed by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and public donations and is regarded as one of the most successful heritage at-risk rescues in the region.

Chair of Trustees Alan Powell says: “It is a joy to know that the Barn is a much-loved and valued part of Dronfield. The Barn and beautiful grounds attract a wide variety of visitors from around the country and our new fund-raising appeal will allow us to plan for the next phase of development, and we’ll enjoy some fantastic celebration events together.”

Catherine Tankard, a regular visitor said: “The Barn has been our favourite local place to visit since it first opened. It’s a wonderful community space where you never fail to bump into someone you know and stop for a chat. We have enjoyed a wide range of events and feel extremely lucky to live so close to somewhere that welcomes you in as a friend rather than just another customer.”

Mike Baker, Garden Volunteer adds: “Being one of the Dronfield Hall Barn Garden team has introduced me to new friends and our work brings together a very wide range of people with different skills who help in the development of the site. We give our time freely to maintain the gardens for visitors to enjoy, and I hope that enjoyment draws generous donations to the charity.”

The year’s fundraising highlight will be the Medieval Festival and Banquet on Saturday July 5 to be held in the grounds and The Barn Gallery

Details about how to donate, and the events throughout 2025, can be found at www.dronfieldhallbarn.org/support-us

About the organisation

Dronfield Heritage Trust is the custodian of the Dronfield Hall Barn, a historic community building dating back to 1430. The Barn was restored, extended, and opened to the public in 2015 and, in addition to the coffee shop, the Barn has a varied event programme. It hosts artisan markets, exhibitions, festivals, weddings, funerals, baby showers, and corporate clients.

We also welcome local community groups that use our space regularly. The surrounding grounds are enjoyed by visitors, as well as specific groups, and we work with our team of volunteers and partners to create a vibrant community hub for Dronfield and district.

Dronfield Heritage Trust is a registered charity and company limited by guarantee. The Board of Trustees has overall strategic responsibility for the project