Results of the test of the BELLE barrel calorimeter prototype using a tagged photon beam are presented. The prototype consisted of 36 CsI(TI) counters with the same preamplifiers and shapers as in the BELLE calorimeter. The measurements were carried out at the VEPP-4M collider with the tagged photon beam provided by the ROKK-1M facility. The energy resolution for photons was measured in the energy range 40-800MeV. The achieved energy resolution was 3% for 40MeV and 1.5% for 800MeV photons. The results are consistent with the Monte Carlo simulation taking into account effects of the electronics noise. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.