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 10th 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
