
Barrington
Barrington Institute
Last Updated:
24 Jan 2025
Barrington
This is a
Institute, Factory, Offices
55.145039, -1.591907
Founded in
Current status is
Extant
Designer (if known):
Joseph Oswald
Currently in use as offices
To Barrington now, just a mile or so from Choppington. This was the home to a large colliery and pit village too - surprise surprise. Like many since closure, the whole complex had been cleared to make way for an industrial estate.
Normally there’s very few visible reminders, but at Barrington we’re treated to the former institute which lurks as a vestige of a very different time.
This is officially named the Working Men’s Institute, built between 1893 and 1894 and entirely constructed out of sturdy Bedlington bricks. This was out of support from the directors of the colliery company, represented by Charles Henderson at the opening. It’s worth mentioning him as even by the 1890s he was a very well known radical with friendly ties to the firm. He was a liberal first and foremost, but was known to be a republican, feminist and anti House of Lords. Such probably developed being surrounded by the Choppington and Barrington radicals like Burt.
This was the second institute, with one based in one of the pit cottages since the middle of the 19th century. A new space was needed however to cater for the “rising generation”. Its style was noted as “half gothic” with stone facings and designed by Joseph Oswald of Newcastle. He also designed the famous Central Arcade and many of the Newcastle Breweries pubs.
It featured a reading room and large library with a capacity for 400 books. A smoking room with space for chess, draught and dominoes is also reported alongside a purpose built billiards room and a club formed soon after.
Though the village was cleared in the mid 20th century, this building somehow persisted to become a glove factory from the 50s. The Bedlington Glove Co. were suppliers to high street brands and had about 200 staff right through to the 90s.
More recently, this was converted into a tap brewery and is now offices. Hopefully this place has plenty of life in it.
Listing Description (if available)


Both Ordnance Survey maps shown here depict Barrington from the 1890s until the mid 20th century. FIrst and foremost you'll notice great change as the pit closed in 1948, about a decade before the map was surveyed. However much of the pit village persisted, as did the institute in the bottom left corner. The buildings surrounding the colliery went with the demolition of the winding engine and houses, though part of the school remained intact. Middle Row, part of Double Row, the Post Office Row and presumable the Sinkers Row on the right all succumbed The track had been lifted but the alignment remained as a farm track it appears.
You may also notice the Wesleyan and Primitive Chapels were also in situ, but they were demolished some years later.

Turning back time now to the 1850s, before the institute was built but the village in full swing. The school was built as was the first rows - the first of which I suspect to be that to the right of the branch line into the working. There was a clay pit and brick field, like sourcing the material to line the shaft and the housing.
On the left, there's also a lost waggonway which used to lead to Netherton Colliery. It closed by the 1890s, but reopened and worked from a seperate alignment further west.
The Barrington Institute under the guise of offices in December 2024.
Here's the institute pre-render, though still appears to be well after pit closure. Unknown photographer.
The Barrington Institute stone tablet is now hidden under the company logo, which will protect it for years to come.