Historic Barnsley Grammar School and Cooper Gallery

Location/Address

33-35 Church Street Barnsley, S70 2AH

Type

Building

Roofed and walled permanent structures.

Description

The buildings at 33-35 Church Street, opposite St Mary’s Church in Barnsley, consist of the historic Barnsley Grammar School and Headmaster’s House, which date from the eighteenth century. The school building was converted into The Cooper Gallery in 1914 and remains used as an art gallery to this day. The Headmaster’s House is occupied by a firm of solicitors. In the 1900s lack of space restricted development and could not house growing pupil numbers with the result that the school, now Barnsley Holgate Grammar School, moved to a new building in 1912. Samuel Joshua Cooper purchased the land and buildings to provide an art gallery for the people of Barnsley and to place his own art collection there for all to freely enjoy. The Cooper Gallery opened in 1914. Cooper arranged for a board of Trustees to establish and maintain the Gallery. The Headmaster’s House, although still owned by the Trustees, is occupied as solicitors’ offices. Two buildings comprise the Church Street frontage. The former Grammar School building is an unassuming two storey building, typical of its time. The Headmaster’s House is very distinct and hard to ascribe to any particular architectural style; its robust elaborate form has the bearing of authority in line with the use for which it was built. There is nothing in quite the same style in Barnsley. A portico was added to the frontage of the school building to give an impressive entrance to the Cooper Gallery for its opening in 1914. Other original features of the gallery include the coat of arms above the front door representing both Cooper and his wife and stained-glass bearing Cooper’s initials. Projecting glass bays were also added to the frontage at a later time as part of its function as a gallery. The extensions to the rear reflect the need to firstly expand the school and then for additional galleries to house donated art collections. Within the curtilage, is a late Georgian / early Victorian stone-built dwelling on Eastgate, incorporated in 2019 into the Cooper Gallery.

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Statement of Significance

Asset type

Building

Age

The buildings providing the frontage on Church Street —Barnsley Grammar School and Headmaster’s House —date from the eighteenth century. A datestone on the school building refers to 1769. They replaced the original school buildings on the site, bequeathed by Thomas Keresforth in 1660. Extensions to the rear of the school took place in 1784, 1847 and the late 19th century. Following the school, now Barnsley Holgate Grammar School, moving to a new site in 1912, the building was reopened as the Cooper Gallery in 1914. The frontage was maintained but an Edwardian portico was added. Within the curtilage is a late Georgian / early Victorian stone-built dwelling, incorporated in 2019 into the Cooper Gallery.

Rarity

The building has a unique place in Barnsley as the historic Barnsley Grammar School and Headmaster’s House to 1912 and then the Cooper Gallery for over a century.

Architectural and Artistic Interest

The buildings have a distinctive design reflecting their history as both school / headmaster’s house and since 1914 an art gallery. The frontage to Church Lane is of particular note. Original features of the conversion to The Cooper Gallery include the portico with a coat of arms above the front door representing both Cooper and his wife and stained-glass bearing Cooper’s initials. See images The cottage within the Cooper Gallery curtilage is typical of late Georgian / early Victorian stone-built dwellings within the town.

Group Value

Samuel Cooper (as well as buying the Barnsley Grammar School buildings for use as an art gallery for the people of Barnsley in 1912) donated the money for the Cooper Nurses Home [1902], the only remaining part of Beckett Hospital. He also donated the Cooper Garden, now a memorial garden, next to St Mary's churchyard. Robert Dixon, the architect for the Cooper Nurses Home, also produced the designs for the conversion of the Barnsley Grammar School into the Cooper Art Gallery. The Cooper Gallery buildings were used as hospital wards for Beckett Hospital during the second world war before being used again as an art gallery.

Historic Interest

The buildings trace the stories of the development of the Grammar School from 1769 to 1912 and of the Cooper Art Gallery from 1914 to the present day. Joseph Locke (1805-1860), the renowned Victorian railway engineer moved to Barnsley as child and attended Barnsley Grammar Street until he was 13 years of age. Following Joseph Locke’s death, his widow bequeathed a trust fund of £3000 for the Grammar School to support ten ‘Locke Scholars’. She also donated land to establish a park [Locke Park] in memory of her husband.

Archaeological Interest

The frontage of the Historic Barnsley Grammar School and Cooper Gallery show the original features of the school building and Headmaster's House. The Edwardian portico reflects the conversion of the school building into an art gallery in 1914. Some written and photographic records exist for both Barnsley Grammar School and the Cooper Gallery. There are three datestones, including one from 1769. See images of two datestones from 1769 and 1897.

Landmark Status

The two adjoining buildings that were Barnsley Grammar School and Headmaster’s House are a well-known and well-regarded landmark in Barnsley, as is ‘The Cooper’ itself. Their frontage contributes positively to the townscape leading up from the Town Hall and the view from St Mary’s Churchyard. The late Georgian / early Victorian Cottage, off Eastgate, within the curtilage, contributes positively to the townscape of Eastgate and the conservation area.