Barker's Pool
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Barker's Pool is a public plaza and street in the centre of the City of Sheffield, England. The focus of Barker's Pool is the Grade II listed 90 foot (27 m) tall First World War memorial that was unveiled on 28 October 1925[1]. The Grade II* listed Sheffield City Hall[2] is on the north side of the plaza facing a branch of the John Lewis Partnership (formerly Cole Brothers) to the South.
[edit] History
The name Barker's Pool derives from a "Barker of Balme", who is believed to have built a reservoir on this site in the 15th century. At this time the area was known as Balm Green and was on the edge of the town. Balm Green was the highest point in Sheffield and this meant that water from the reservoir could be periodically released to clean the town's streets. The reservoir was demolished in 1793 and a new reservoir constructed nearby[3]. Addy (1888)[4] suggests that the name Balm Green indicates that this site was formerly used for the cultivation of the herb lemon balm.
In 2005 work began to upgrade the square, beginning with the installation of two glass-cased fountains outside City Hall. This has now been completed, with the fountains fully operational and lit up at night, as well as several seated areas which are also lit in colours which match the ground lighting of the nearby Millennium Square, near the Peace Gardens. The square itself has been relaid in Yorkshire stone. The renovation has won Gold in the 2006 Town Centre Environment Awards[5], run by the BCSC, held on November 7, 2006 in Manchester. Barkers Pool was one of two projects in Sheffield City Centre to be nominated, the other being the Station gateway at Howard Street.
[edit] References
- ^ English Heritage (1995) First World War Memorial 25m south of City Hall, Barker's Pool. Images of England (accessed 22 January 2006—free registration required).
- ^ English Heritage (1981) City Hall. Images of England (accessed 22 January 2006—free registration required).
- ^ Olive, Martin (1994). Barker's Pool and Townhead. In Images of England: Central Sheffield, pp85–94. Stroud: Tempus Publishing Limited. ISBN 0-7524-0011-8
- ^ *Addy, Sidney Oldall (1888). A Glossary of Words Used in the Neighbourhood of Sheffield. Including a Selection of Local Names, and Some Notices of Folk-Lore, Games, and Customs. London: Trubner & Co. for the English Dialect Society. (transcription at Wikisource)
- ^ info in BCSC award from Sheffield City Council website
[edit] See also
  This South Yorkshire location article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
| Sheffield City Centre |
|---|
| Official quarters: Castlegate • Cathedral Quarter • Cultural Industries Quarter • Devonshire Quarter • Heart of the City • Kelham Island • The Moor • Riverside Exchange • Sheaf Valley • St George's Quarter • St Vincent's Quarter |
| Main streets and squares: Barker's Pool • Castlegate • Castle Square • Church Street • Division Street • Fargate • Fitzalan Square • Hallam Square • High Street • Millennium Square • The Moor • Orchard Square • Pinstone Street • Sheaf Square • Tudor Square |
| Other districts: New Retail Quarter • Victoria Quays • West End |
