# Westfield House, Barnsley, March 2017



## HughieD (Mar 3, 2017)

*1. The History*
A little bit scare on the info front for this Victorian Villa on the edge of Barnsley town centre. Westfield House was built in 1876 by William Munford for client Mr J H Watson, at the time the Bank Manager for the Wakefield & Barnsley Union Bank. Of fine build quality, it boasted two storeys with attics, and was constructed of coursed sandstone. It had a low pitched, hipped roof, with parapets, and covered with Welsh slates. It was later converted from a Student Hostel to a collection of bed-sits and Wardens flat in 1985. It remained empty since it was bought by Barnsley businessman Chris Palmer after Barnsley Council sold it off in 2006 for £585,000 and has been the target of arson attacks by local vandals.

*2. The Explore*
Visited on a very wet day in March. Couldn’t see an immediate way in so these are just externals. Probably a good decision given the state of the place. Shame really as in its day, was a fine place. 

*3. The Pictures*

My quarry comes into sight:


img9020 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img9019 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Full-frontal:


img9016 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img9007 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Nice entrance:


img9008 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Quality stonework:


img9009 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Round the side:


img9005 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img9003 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img9002 by HughieDW, on Flickr

And round the back:


img8999 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img9000 by HughieDW, on Flickr

There’s been a few fires here:


img9001 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Trashed and burnt out:


img8998 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img8997 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img8994 by HughieDW, on Flickr


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## Sam Haltin (Mar 3, 2017)

What a mess this place is in. A drone would have been better here. Looks like it was a nice place at one time but arsonists have just about destroyed it.


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## Hippie Alien (Mar 4, 2017)

Nice pictures HughieD, it looks even more trashed then when I last ventured here. Is the staircase not still there from the back building connecting to the main? It looks a little dodgy to walk over but it felt sturdy enough when walking over.


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## HughieD (Mar 4, 2017)

Hippie Alien said:


> Nice pictures HughieD, it looks even more trashed then when I last ventured here. Is the staircase not still there from the back building connecting to the main? It looks a little dodgy to walk over but it felt sturdy enough when walking over.



Cheers Hippie. It was but was raining and dark and didn't have my tripod so thought better of it!


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## Hippie Alien (Mar 4, 2017)

ah right, yea its not good when its been raining round there or dark. First time I went I ended up slipping on some plastic outside and falling straight into brambles, gave up after doing that that day. The good thing is surprisingly there wasn't many needles, just a few round the back bit towards what looked like the garage.


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## Mikeymutt (Mar 4, 2017)

That looks a right mess but full of character ter.great shots hughie


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## Potter (Mar 4, 2017)

I'll have to see if I can check this out when I'm next in Barnsley. I certainly should be saved. I love the face on the door.


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## HughieD (Mar 6, 2017)

Mikeymutt said:


> That looks a right mess but full of character ter.great shots hughie



Cheers Mikey. Shame I couldn't get some internals.



Potter said:


> I'll have to see if I can check this out when I'm next in Barnsley. I certainly should be saved. I love the face on the door.



Great innit. Hope it gets either saved or salvaged. Ain't looking good though, to be honest.


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## Frumtarn1 (Mar 6, 2017)

I've heard that apparently this is to be demolished to make way for a new apartment block or some new houses? Don't know if that's true. Last time I was here didn't manage to get in as it was all fenced off. Need to definitely get back here sometime


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## Frumtarn1 (Mar 6, 2017)

Kelly-marie17 said:


> is there defo no way in?x


I think the time before the last time I went we managed to get in through the back, I dont 100% remember and could be wrong.


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## prettyvacant71 (Mar 9, 2017)

Looks like it would have been a wonderful property with all the lovely stone carvings, I wish folks would stop burning things down, looks like at some stage it was being looked after as it has metal shutters but they must have given up now, shame.

Thanks interesting report


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## HughieD (Mar 10, 2017)

prettyvacant71 said:


> Looks like it would have been a wonderful property with all the lovely stone carvings, I wish folks would stop burning things down, looks like at some stage it was being looked after as it has metal shutters but they must have given up now, shame.
> 
> Thanks interesting report



Cheers mate. Really can't see the attraction of setting fire to nice old buildings. Shame the pondlife do...


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## pazza (Feb 15, 2022)

i went in here once with my friends back in december 2021, it was very shot thru n demolished and roof was caving in abit there was loads of noises upstairs probs crackheads tbh n loads of dead animals x


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