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About Barnsley

Sun 05 Sep 2021

Anne Butcher, Managing Director

Use the links below to navigate to your topic of interest. Alternatively, pop 'kettle on, get your Yorkshire Tea brewing, get yoursen' comfy and read everything you need to know about Barnsley.

Contents

Introduction to Barnsley
History of Barnsley
Transport
Schools in Barnsley
Things to do in Barnsley
Barnsley's Annual Events
 

Introduction to Barnsley

So you're thinking of moving to Barnsley? We've put together a little article for you to try and persuade you to do so! You may find out a few things about Barnsley that you never knew even if you've lived here for years.

Barnsley is a large market town - the biggest town in the Barnsley Borough area. It is located in South Yorkshire and can be accessed via junctions 35 and 36 easily from the M1. The civil parish covers the villages of Denby Dale, Lower Denby, Upper Denby, Upper Cumberworth, Lower Cumberworth, Skelmanthorpe, Emley, Emley Moor and Clayton West. By car, each major city (Leeds, Sheffield and Manchester) are between 30 and 45 minutes away and you're just a quick 2-minute drive junction 35 of the M1. This makes Barnsley an ideal place to live if you regularly travel around the country.

The location is great if you have just found yourself now having to work from home, too. The lockdown imposed on us from the Covid-19 pandemic changed the way homeowners and tenants alike appreciate their homes. We now seek to have more outside space, we don't want to spend as long commuting and we want to live in a peaceful area. If you have found yourself, like millions of others, having to work from home - then you will most probably be looking for a house with an additional reception room, study, or spare bedroom to convert into a study or office. Barnsley and its surrounding areas boast some fabulous houses for sale that tick all these boxes. Check out our houses for sale in Barnsley by Butcher Residential Estate Agents to get an idea of the types of properties we have for sale in Barnsley.

It's not just the properties here that tick all the boxes, Barnsley itself is considered a good place to live in South Yorkshire.

History of Barnsley

The earliest reference found of Barnsley was in the Doomsday Book dating back to 1086. Then, Barnsley was called Bernslai. It's thought that this name came from "Berne" meaning barn or storehouse and "Lay" meaning field. Barnsley was first awarded its' Royal Charter to hold weekly markets in 1249. Due to its location on a road junction between the towns of Sheffield, Wakefield and Leeds, it developed quickly.

We more recently know of Barnsley because of its once-booming coal and glass-making industries - both of which are represented on Barnsley's coat of arms by the two workmen.

Fact: The coat of arms features the motto, "Spectemur Agendo" which translates from Latin to "Let us be judged by our acts".

Some great places to visit to appreciate Barnsley's history include Barnsley Town Hall, The Cooper Gallery, Cannon Hall Museum, Elsecar Heritage Museum and Worsbrough Mill.

Transport

Barnsley is IDEALLY located for commuters working in Sheffield, Leeds or Manchester. We've put together some distances for you to get an idea of just how close you are to the major cities...

Distance from Barnsley to Manchester by Car: 36 Miles / 1 Hour 15 Minutes
Distance from Barnsley to Manchester by Train: 2 Hours (Two changes)

Distance from Barnsley to Sheffield by Car: 16 Miles / 30 Minutes
Distance from Barnsley to Sheffield by Train: 22 Minutes

Distance from Barnsley to Leeds by Car: 23 Miles / 33 Minutes
Distance from Barnsley to Leeds by Train: 37 Minutes

Distance from Barnsley to Manchester Airport by car: 41 Miles / 1 Hour
Distance from Barnsley to Manchester Airport by train: 1 Hour 46 Minutes (One change)

Schools in Barnsley

Here's some information on local schools with links to their Ofsted ratings. We understand if you're moving home with a family, you need to know that you're moving to an area with the best schools around!

Nurseries in Barnsley

Below you can find out what nurseries there are in your area of Barnsley. You can easily find out what Ofsted rating they have by visiting Ofsted's list of Nurseries in Barnsley.

We often hear Little Jo's Day Nursery and Pre-School getting recommended a lot.

Primary Schools in Barnsley

Below you can find out what Primary Schools there are in your area of Barnsley. You can easily find out what Ofsted rating they have by visiting the Barnsley Primary School Comparison Website (click to see results for primary schools in Barnsley).

 

Secondary Schools in Barnsley

Below you can find out what Secondary Schools there are in your area of Barnsley. You can easily find out what Ofsted rating they have by visiting the Barnsley Secondary School Comparison Website (click to see results for secondary schools in Barnsley).

 

Colleges in Barnsley

Barnsley College is highly regarded and offers A-Levels as well as adult learning courses. It is just a 30-minute drive from Denby Dale or a 22-minute short hop on the train. There are also regular busses.

Other schools that offer A-Level courses in Barnsley include:

Things to do in Barnsley

There's plenty to do in Barnsley, so we'll pick out the top attractions for you.

Dearne Valley Old Moor - If you're looking to "be at one with nature", then you definitely have to go and visit Dearne Valley Old Moor. It's great for all ages, bird spotting, walking and they regularly have events going on. Check out their website.

Cannon Hall is a great place to visit with the family - It has beautiful open spaces with ponds as well as a museum petting farm, farm shop, garden centre and child-friendly cafe.

Barnsley Metrodome is a fun-packed place with a wave pool, slides, diving boards and an Olympic-sized swimming pool.

Barnsley Markets have recently had a complete overhaul and are now all indoors. Barnsley's market draws visitors from miles around each week and has always been well-known for its number of stalls and diversity in products available to buy. If you like your bargain hunting, then it's definitely worth a visit!

Locke Park is a beautiful open space full of history. It was originally opened up as the "park for the people" in 1862. It has a Grade I listed Bandstand, cafe, play areas, observation tower and public toilets.

For more ideas on what to do in Barnsley, visit Tripadvisor's list of the best things to do in Barnsley.

Barnsley's Annual Events

Penistone Agricultural Show - The largest One-Day Show in Yorkshire. Definitely the biggest date in this area's diary every year! The show lasts all day and has activities and events running throughout the day. These include contests, demonstrations, shows, tasting sessions and more. Visit their website for more details. It's also a great opportunity for local businesses and producers to showcase their services and products to the public.

Emley Show - Animals, trade exhibits, flowers and vegetables, horticulture, handicrafts, gastronomy, and woodcarving are all included at this typical agricultural exhibition. In the summer, it's a great day out for the whole family. Takes place every year on the first Saturday in August.

Whistlestop Valley in Clayton West hosts some great events every year, too. Check out their website for their upcoming events.

The End

We hope you enjoyed reading about Barnsley and what our lovely town has to offer. If you have any suggestions of activities or events, etc. to be included on this page then please email info@butcherez.co.uk.