A community campaign is underway to secure the future of Meersbrook Hall, a Grade II-listed 18th century mansion in Meersbrook Park in Sheffield, and reopen it for public use.
The building was used as the Ruskin Museum for more than 60 years, but it has been in decline for decades following its closure in 1953. More recently, the council parks department moved out about a decade ago. Sheffield City Council still owns the hall, and it has granted the Friends of Meersbrook Hall an access licence for activities over the next two months.
Mark Cordle, chair of the Friends group, described the hall as a significant cultural asset and said the group wants residents to help shape what comes next. The Friends say they want the hall to become a thriving center for arts, education, health, and social enterprise, with space that meets community needs.
The hall was originally built as a family home. The estate was bought by the Sheffield Corporation and turned into Meersbrook Park in 1887. From 1890 to 1953, it housed the Ruskin Museum and showcased the collection of Victorian writer John Ruskin, before later being converted into council offices. A Sheffield-based community organization, Heeley Trust, moved into the building in 2016, but plans to use it as a public facility did not move forward, and the hall closed.
The Friends group has formed a 13-member committee and says it does not yet know the full cost of reopening the hall permanently. Co-secretary Amanda Hill said restoration will need to be sympathetic to the building’s era, and pointed to roof work and problems with moss and mould.
The group is also seeking volunteers for a clean-up weekend at the hall on Sept. 4-6. Free tours are planned for Sept. 11 and 18, and a community picnic with live entertainment is scheduled outside the building on Sept. 13.
A council spokesperson said the city is working closely with the Friends group, local councillors, and residents to explore options for the hall’s long-term future use.
Read the full, original article from BBC here.