Barn Theatre, Welwyn Garden City

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Barn Theatre
Barn Theatre WGC - geograph.org.uk - 2831022.jpg
Hertfordshire UK location map.svg
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Barn Theatre
Barn Theatre on the map of Hertfordshire
AddressBarn Close
Welwyn Garden City AL8 6ST
LocationWelwyn Garden City, United Kingdom
Coordinates 51°47′54″N0°12′54″W / 51.7984°N 0.2150°W / 51.7984; -0.2150
Public transit National Rail logo.svg Welwyn Garden City
OwnerBarn Theatre Trust
Designation
Listed Building – Grade II
Official nameThe Barn Theatre
Designated4 November 1980
Reference no. 1348120
Type Theatre
Seating typeSeated auditorium
Capacity 121
OpenedJanuary 1932
Website
www.barntheatre.co.uk

The Barn Theatre, located in Welwyn Garden City, England is a Grade II listed, 17th-century timber-framed barn converted to a community theatre in 1931. [1]

Contents

It is owned by The Barn Theatre Trust and used by a local amateur theatre company, The Barn Theatre Club. It has two performance spaces: a main auditorium and a studio.

History

The original barn or barns that form the current building were constructed from timbers dated to 1597 by dendrochronology in 2014, most probably sourced from nearby Sherrardspark Wood. [2]

The building in its current form was constructed on its present site on Handside Lane in or around 1830, as part of Lower Handside Farm. [3]

It was converted from a cowshed to a theatre in 1931 and opened in January 1932. [4] [5] In 1969 the Barn Theatre Club was formed from the combined Welwyn Drama Club and Welwyn Folk Players. [4]

The building was Grade II listed on 4 November 1980 and bought by the Barn Theatre Trust in 1984. [6]

Building

There are two performance areas:

The building also houses a bar, green room, dressing rooms, rehearsal space, workshop, and properties and costume stores.

Use of the building

The resident theatre company, The Barn Theatre Club, presents monthly productions in the main auditorium and other shows in the studio, alongside other community and club events. The club also participates in theatre festivals and provides basic youth theatre training. [9]

The venue also hosts the annual Welwyn Drama Festival (since 2015) and Welwyn Garden City Youth Drama Festival. [10] [11]

The building was also used as a film location for Hot Fuzz. [12] [13] [14]

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References

  1. ↑ "The Barn Theatre". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 10 January 2024.
  2. ↑ Moir, A K (2014). "Dendrochronological analysis of oak timbers from The Barn Theatre, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, England". Tree-Ring Services. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
  3. ↑ Eserin, Angela (2013) [1995]. "Chapter 5: Community Spirit". Welwyn Garden City. Images of England. Stroud, Gloucestershire: The History Press. p. 99. ISBN   978-0-7524-0133-1. OCLC   41290832.
  4. 1 2 Rook, Tony (2001). "Chapter 8: Town Structure". Welwyn Garden City Past. Chichester,East Sussex: Phillimore. p. 109. ISBN   978-1-86077-141-5. OCLC   54633732.
  5. ↑ Busby, Richard J. (1976). The book of Welwyn: the story of the five villages and the Garden City. Barracuda Books Ltd. p. 80. ISBN   978-0-86023-023-6.
  6. ↑ "THE BARN THEATRE". Historic England. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
  7. ↑ Davies, Alan (7 October 2016). "By Jove! Jeeves and Wooster open new season at refurbished Welwyn Garden City theatre". Welwyn Hatfield Times. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
  8. ↑ "Studio and Stair Extensions to the Barn Theatre". WEAL Architects. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
  9. ↑ "The Barn Theatre Trust Limited Report of the Trustees and Unaudited Financial Statements". Companies House. 31 July 2018. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
  10. ↑ Davies, Alan (3 May 2015). "Welwyn Drama Festival finds a new home in Welwyn Garden City". Welwyn Hatfield Times. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
  11. ↑ Davies, Alan (11 March 2016). "Welwyn Garden City Youth Drama Festival winners announced at Barn Theatre". Welwyn Hatfield Times. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
  12. ↑ Clugston, Harriet (17 August 2017). "Eight movie scenes you didn't know were filmed in Hertfordshire". Hertfordshire Mercury. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
  13. ↑ Davies, Alan (6 October 2011). "Open day at Welwyn Garden City theatre". Welwyn Hatfield Times. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
  14. ↑ Hot Fuzz (2007) - IMDb , retrieved 23 February 2020
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