Clare Street drill hall | |
---|---|
Northampton | |
Clare Street drill hall | |
Coordinates | 52°14′37″N 0°53′24″W / 52.24372°N 0.89001°WCoordinates: 52°14′37″N 0°53′24″W / 52.24372°N 0.89001°W |
Type | Drill hall |
Site history | |
Built | 1859 |
Built for | War Office |
In use | 1859-Present |
The Clare Street drill hall is a military installation in Northampton, Northamptonshire. It is a Grade II listed building.[1]
History[]
The building was designed in the Fortress Gothic Revival Style as the headquarters of the 1st Northamptonshire Rifle Volunteer Corps and completed in 1859.[1] The unit evolved to become the 1st Volunteer Battalion, The Northamptonshire Regiment in 1887 and the 4th Battalion, The Northamptonshire Regiment in 1908.[2] The battalion was mobilised at the drill hall in August 1914 before being deployed to Gallipoli and, ultimately, to Palestine.[3]
The battalion converted to become the 50th Searchlight Regiment, Royal Artillery in 1940.[2] This unit evolved to become the 637th Regiment, Royal Artillery (The Northamptonshire Regiment) in 1945 and 585th (The Northamptonshire Regiment) Searchlight Regiment, Royal Artillery in 1947.[2] The presence at the drill hall was reduced to a single battery, R (The Northamptonshire Regiment) Battery, 438th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment Royal Artillery in 1955.[2] The battery amalgamated with the 5th Battalion, The Northamptonshire regiment to form the 4th/5th Battalion, The Northamptonshire Regiment in 1961.[2] Following the cut-backs in 1967, the 7th (Volunteer) Battalion, The Royal Anglian Regiment was formed at the Clare Street drill hall in 1971.[4] The presence at the drill hall was reduced to a single company, D (Northamptonshire) Company, 4th/5th Battalion, The Northamptonshire Regiment, in 1978.[5] The presence at the drill hall was further reduced to a single platoon from C (Leicestershire and Northamptonshire) Company, the East of England Regiment in 1999 and from C (Leicestershire and Northamptonshire) Company, the 3rd Battalion, The Royal Anglian Regiment in 2006.[6][7]
Following a major refurbishment in 2015, the drill hall became the home of Headquarters Company and of 118 Recovery Company of 104 Battalion, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers: it remains an active Army Reserve Centre.[8]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Territorial Army Centre and drill hall". Historic England. https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1375621. Retrieved 20 September 2017.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 "Northamptonsire Volunteers". Regiments.org. https://web.archive.org/web/20060301233822/http://www.regiments.org:80/regiments/uk/volmil-england/vinf-ea/np-4.htm. Retrieved 20 September 2017.
- ↑ "Northamptonshire Regiment". The Long, Long Trail. http://www.1914-1918.net/northants.htm. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
- ↑ "4th/5th Battalion, The Northamptonshire Regiment". Regiments.org. https://web.archive.org/web/20060103163154/http://www.regiments.org:80/regiments/uk/volmil-england/vinf-ea/np-4-5.htm. Retrieved 20 September 2017.
- ↑ "7th Battalion, The Royal Anglian Regiment". Regiments.org. https://web.archive.org/web/20060103170033/http://www.regiments.org:80/regiments/uk/volmil-england/vinf-ea/67RAR-7.htm. Retrieved 19 September 2017.
- ↑ "The East of England Regiment and 3rd Battalion, The Royal Anglian Regiment". Regiments.org. https://web.archive.org/web/20060103181244/http://www.regiments.org:80/regiments/uk/volmil-england/vinf-ea/99EEng.htm. Retrieved 19 September 2017.
- ↑ "TA Centre Northampton". Alamy. 2 February 2014. http://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-ta-centre-northampton-66511564.html. Retrieved 20 September 2017.
- ↑ "Refurbishment progressing at historic Army centre in Northampton". Northamptonshire Chronicle. 20 May 2015. http://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/news/refurbishment-progressing-at-historic-army-centre-in-northampton-1-6754707. Retrieved 20 September 2017.
The original article can be found at Clare Street drill hall, Northampton and the edit history here.