Beckett Hospital building [built as 'Cooper Nurses Home']
Location/Address
Berneslai Close, Barnsley S70 2HL
Type
Description
The only remaining building of Beckett Hospital (1862-1977), the heritage asset is a 3-storey, red brick building in Queen Anne Revival style. It has a distinctive front elevation that faces Churchfields Peace Gardens, formerly St Mary’s Church burial grounds. It was built in 1901-2 as ‘The Cooper Nurses Home’, named after Beckett Hospital trustee Samuel Joshua Cooper who funded its erection and furnishing. His initials are carved above the entrance (Image 1). The other Victorian and Edwardian Beckett Hospital buildings were demolished in 1979 shortly after the closure of the hospital. The remaining buildings were then used as council offices and, with one exception, in 2018 they were demolished to make way for retirement housing. The former ‘The Cooper Nurses Home’ was kept because of its heritage significance. It is currently vacant pending development into apartments.
Statement of Significance
Asset type
BuildingAge
The heritage asset was opened in March 1902. It is the sole remaining building of Beckett Hospital and Dispensary, founded in 1862 and closed in 1977. 'The Cooper Nurses Home’ was a prominent feature of Beckett Hospital providing a formal entrance and accommodation for nursing staff. It demonstrates the importance placed on the development of hospital provision in Barnsley and is a statement of civic pride from that period. IMAGE 4: Original drawing, R & W Dixon, May 1901Rarity
The heritage asset is the sole remaining building from Beckett Hospital. It is a good surviving example of imposing municipal architecture from the late 19th and early 20th centuries and is unusual in its design for Barnsley.Architectural and Artistic Interest
The heritage asset has a distinctive design in the Queen Anne Revival style. It has a hipped Welsh slate roof with overhang and decorated stone corbels. The red-brick walls contrast with the pale stone details, some now darkened with age. Its front elevation, which faces the former St. Mary’s burial ground - now Churchfield Peace Gardens, is of particular interest. This is strongly symmetric around a central gabled projection with pediment, round window and a decorated oriel window above the main entrance. The bays to either side incorporate sliding frames in an unusual ‘8 over 2’ arrangement. The Barnsley architects Robert and William Dixon, of 5 Eastgate, designed ‘The Cooper Nurses Home’ for Beckett Hospital. The original architectural drawings (1901) can be seen in Barnsley Archives (Image 4). The Dixon brothers also won the competition to design Burton on Trent Market Hall, which has recently been awarded Grade II listing status. Robert Dixon had designed buildings in the 1880s for Beckett Hospital in partnership with George Moxon. Some of these can be seen in the drawing in an article in The Hospital in 1910 with The Cooper Nurses Home visible on the left (image 5). The 1906 map shows the plan of the Beckett Hospital site with The Cooper Nurses Home again on the left (Image 6).Group Value
A pediment preserved from another early Beckett Hospital building, has been erected to mark an entrance to the Hospital site on Church Lane. It has an explanatory plaque (Image 7). The imposing south facing elevation of the heritage asset faced St Mary’s Church Burial Ground, founded in 1823 following the rebuilding of St Mary’s Church. It was laid out as Churchfield Peace Gardens in 1977. As well as funding the building of The Cooper Nurses Home, Samuel J Cooper bought the former Barnsley Grammar School building in 1912 for the town and founded the public art gallery there, which bears his name. Robert Dixon was the architect for both the Nurses Home and the conversion of the school into an art gallery. The Cooper Gallery was then used during the second world war as medical wards for the Beckett Hospital.Historic Interest
The building has considerable historic interest as the sole remaining building from Beckett Hospital (1862-1977). Local people still relate strongly to Beckett Hospital in their collective memories and experiences. The development of the hospital in the late 19th century and early 20th century reflected increased numbers of injuries occurring in the expanding mining industry. The hospital was financed from endowments, subscriptions and collections, importantly from miners and colliery owners in the Barnsley area. It was often referred to by local people as ‘The Miners’ Hospital’. The Cooper Nurses Home’s cost of £4,426 was funded by Samuel J Cooper; his initials can be seen in the carved decoration above the formal entrance (Image 1). Comments made at the time of the opening of 'The Cooper Nurses Home' in March 1902 included: “[It] has put the Hospital on a thoroughly modern footing so far as regards the comfort of the nursing staff.” “For nurses to work well, they must be able to rest well.” A comprehensive archive of documents relating to Beckett Hospital, as well as drawings, photographs, and written and transcribed accounts, is housed in Barnsley Archives.Archaeological Interest
The asset retains original external features, which help to understand its role in providing a formal entrance and accommodation for nursing staff, and the importance placed upon it.Landmark Status
The building is a well-known and well-regarded landmark. Its distinctive design gives it a strong sense of place and an importance that relates well to – and enhances – Churchfields Peace Gardens, immediately to the south. It gives a strong sense of place and importance through its position, scale, proportions, decoration and use of materials.Images and Documents
Image 7. Pediment from Beckett Hospital Victorian building erected to mark an entrance to the Hospital site on Church Lane, with Nurses Home behind. It has an explanatory plaque.
Image 5. Beckett Hospital shown in article in The Hospital in 1910, The Cooper Nurses Home on the far left.
Image 4. The original architectural drawing of the front elevation of The Cooper Nurses Home. May 1901, R & W Dixon, Architects, 5 Eastgate, Barnsley. Held by Barnsley Archives and Local Studies.
Date Listed
16 Apr 2024
Last Updated
20 Jun 2023
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