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Brierley; a small village 5.5 miles north east of Barnsley South Yorkshire that contains 2610 acres of land, the 'ley at the end of its name suggesting that Brierley was an early Saxon settlement. The population in 1999 stood at 2150, and the local authority is the Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council, Town Hall Barnsley, telephone 01226 770770.

The village is represented by three Ward Councillor's namely, Alex Vodden, Arthur Whittaker who is also currently serving as Barnsley Town Mayor and Chris Skye's who is at present serving as Brierley Town Council Mayor.

The people of the village have also decided (September 2000) to form a Brierley Community Partnership with May Beaumont Schofield of Lindley House being the acting chairperson.  

A small Post office, greengrocer, off licence, hairdressers, fish shop, doctor's surgery, two vehicle repair centres, vets beauty salon, and shoe shop service the village at the present day. There are three places of worship, namely St Paul's Church, the Methodist Chapel and the Spiritualist Church, which are all in close proximity on Church Street. The Primary school on Beech Close admits children from 5 to 11 years and Mr Reid is the Headmaster while Willowgarth High School, situated at the top of the hill between Brierley and Grimethorpe admits pupils from 11 to 16 years and Mr Dorney is the Head.

The village is also served by Brierley Social club, the Three Horse Shoes public house, the Robin Hood public house at Brierley Gap, and Burntwood Sports and Leisure Centre that is situated on Brierley Common and offers bed & breakfast facilities with a restaurant for special occasions. The sports centre bar is better known as the Nite Owl.  

Standing back from the main road on Church Street (formerly known as Town Street before the Church was built in 1869), between the Brierley Methodist Church and St. Paul's C of E Church, is Brierley Hall. The Hall is a grade two listed building, early 19th century with later additions. It is stone with a slated roof, and has stone and brick stacks. There are two and three storey sections, with sash windows and corbelled eaves. There is a canted bay on the west of the main block. The main block has a five-window front. The later wing to the left has a three-window front and was added in the early twentieth century by Captain Roland Addy. The upper floor included a music room with a sprung dance floor. Although this room is now carpeted and used as offices by the Brierley Social Services Home care team, you can still feel the spring in your step as you walk across it. The windows have moulded ashlar surrounds. Hemsworth Rural District Council who purchased the Hall from Rowland Addy In 1948 for £8750 also purchased the land nearby known as Fieldhead in 1962 from the representatives of Robert Dymond (d 1960) for £1800 and an incongruous modern brick extension was added to the South.

At the West Riding Registry of Deeds there is a record (Ref. Book NN page 100 No 83) of a transfer of land and a house on the site from Robert Hoyland to his brother John Hoyland of Brierley dated 15 October 1836. Robert Hoyland at this time was living at Lindley House (spelt without a (d) in earlier periods) that was then known as Brierley Hall. John Hoyland built the Hall on its present site. There is also at the West Riding Registry of Deeds a record of the Will of Rev. John Hoyland (Ref. Vol. 2 (1910) page 806 No 298) of Brierley who died on the 24th March 1910 this being the son of the above-mentioned John Hoyland, it also lists his home in Brierley with other properties.  

The Reverend John Hoyland retired in 1874 after being the vicar at Felkirk for 14 years, and in 1910 after his death, his widow Mary Ann Hoyland went to stay in Harrogate. In 1912 she sold Brierley Hall to Alphonse Wood who was described as a glass manufacturer. An Alphonse Wood whose family were owners of Woods Glassworks Hoyle Mill Barnsley had died in 1909. The Alphonse Wood of Brierley could have been from the same family. His stay in Brierley however was short lived and in 1916 the Hodroyd Coal Company of whom Captain Roland Addy had become Managing Director bought Brierley Hall for £2800. There is a little confusion at this point and it is not quite clear whether Captain Addy owned the property as managing director of the coal company, or whether it was jointly owned, however in 1945 there was a change of government to Labour that led to the Nationalisation of coal in 1948.  

In 1946 Captain Addy seems to have bought out the Hodroyd Company's share in the Hall to avoid losing his home. On Nationalisation in 1948 he decided to retire to Oliver's Mount Scarborough and in August that year sold the Hall for £8750 to Hemsworth Rural District Council. With changes in local government on the 1st April 1972 Brierley Hall passed to Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council.

At present (2002) the building is occupied by;

The Social Services who deal with families and individuals with social and family problems team leader is Sharon Cook.

Registration and Inspection unit that deals with the registrations and inspections of Residential care homes the Principal officer is Brian Berry.

Home Care Services who are available for people who need care and support to be able to stay in their own homes the Domiciliary Care Managers are Kath Smith and Ken Latham.

Right Start are a training team aimed at raising attainment in the early years..

Yorkshire and Humberside Fire Brigade Union.

There is also a facility available once a week for the local residents to pay their rent and rates. The local councillor's and MP use the building on a regular basis to hold their Surgeries.

The council chambers are also still in use and meetings are still held by members of the local Labour party and other local groups. The council chambers can be hired for meetings by prior arrangement with your local councillor's or by contacting the Town Hall superintendent on Barnsley 01226 778301.