Territorial Army Centre and Drill Hall, Northampton

Image: © Chris Taken: 27 Oct 2019

Built following the 1852 reform of the Militia to provide a secure and defensible store for the local regiment. One of a number of decorative barracks which were intended to act as a focus of local pride and to assist in filling the regiment's quota of recruits. The drill hall was probably added to provide space for drilling in wet weather. It was designed in the Fortress Gothic Revival Style as the headquarters of the 1st Northamptonshire Rifle Volunteer Corps, and completed in 1859. The unit evolved to become the 1st Volunteer Battalion, The Northamptonshire Regiment in 1887 and the 4th Battalion, The Northamptonshire Regiment, in 1908. The battalion was mobilised at the drill hall in August 1914 before being deployed to Gallipoli and, ultimately, to Palestine. The Northamptonshire Yeomanry was also based at Clare Street at this time. 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 See Image, Image] and https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1375621 and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clare_Street_drill_hall,_Northampton

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