Clare Street drill hall, Northampton

The Clare Street drill hall is a military installation in Northampton, Northamptonshire. It is a Grade II listed building.[1]

Clare Street drill hall
Northampton
Clare Street drill hall
Clare Street drill hall
Location within Northamptonshire
Coordinates52.24372°N 0.89001°W / 52.24372; -0.89001
TypeDrill hall
Site history
Built1859
Built forWar Office
In use1859-Present

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 Northamptonshire Yeomanry was also based at Clare Street at this time.[4]

The 4th Battalion, The Northamptonshire Regiment 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.[5] The presence at the drill hall was reduced to a single company, D (Northamptonshire) Company, 4th/5th Battalion, The Northamptonshire Regiment, in 1978.[6] 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.[7][8]

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.[9]

References
  1. Historic England. "Territorial Army Centre and drill hall (1375621)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 20 September 2017.
  2. "Northamptonsire Volunteers". Regiments.org. Retrieved 20 September 2017.
  3. "Northamptonshire Regiment". The Long, Long Trail. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
  4. "Northampton". The Drill Hall Project. Retrieved 28 December 2017.
  5. "4th/5th Battalion, The Northamptonshire Regiment". Regiments.org. Retrieved 20 September 2017.
  6. "7th Battalion, The Royal Anglian Regiment". Regiments.org. Retrieved 19 September 2017.
  7. "The East of England Regiment and 3rd Battalion, The Royal Anglian Regiment". Regiments.org. Retrieved 19 September 2017.
  8. "TA Centre Northampton". Alamy. 2 February 2014. Retrieved 20 September 2017.
  9. "Refurbishment progressing at historic Army centre in Northampton". Northamptonshire Chronicle. 20 May 2015. Retrieved 20 September 2017.
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