Le Marchant Barracks

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Le Marchant Barracks
Devizes
Le Marchant Barracks, Devizes.jpg
Le Marchant Barracks
Le Marchant Barracks is located in Wiltshire
Le Marchant Barracks
Le Marchant Barracks
Location within Wiltshire
Coordinates51°21′42″N 01°58′27″W / 51.36167°N 1.97417°W / 51.36167; -1.97417Coordinates: 51°21′42″N 01°58′27″W / 51.36167°N 1.97417°W / 51.36167; -1.97417
TypeBarracks
Site information
OwnerMinistry of Defence
Operator British Army
Site history
Built1878
Built forWar Office
In use1878-1967
Garrison information
OccupantsWiltshire Regiment (Duke of Edinburgh's)

Le Marchant Barracks is a former military installation in Devizes, Wiltshire, England. The site is within the town's built-up area but within Bishops Cannings parish, on London Road about 1 mile (1.6 km) north-east of the centre of the town.

History[]

The barracks were built in the Fortress Gothic Revival style and named after Sir John Gaspard Le Marchant in 1878.[1] Their creation took place as part of the Cardwell Reforms which encouraged the localisation of British military forces.[2] The barracks became the depot for the 62nd (Wiltshire) Regiment of Foot and the 99th (Lanarkshire) Regiment of Foot.[3] Following the Childers Reforms, the 62nd and 99th Regiments amalgamated to form the Wiltshire Regiment (Duke of Edinburgh's) with its depot in the barracks in 1881.[3]

During the First World War 5,000 soldiers were processed there and over 3,000 reservists were called up there.[1] Between the Wars the barracks were the local infantry training centre and during the Second World War the barracks became a Prisoner of war camp.[1] The barracks remained the home of the Wiltshire Regiment until 1959 after which time they were used as a secondary location by the Duke of Edinburgh's Royal Regiment until about 1967.[4] Part of the site was still used as a Territorial Army Centre for the 1st Battalion, Wessex Regiment after the main barracks closed.[1]

Later uses[]

The keep was sold by the Ministry of Defence in the 1980s and was subsequently used as a warehouse.[5] It was sold again in 2012 and converted for residential use in 2013.[6]

The keep and gatehouse are Grade II listed.[7][4]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c d "Le Marchant Barracks". Devizes Heritage. Archived from the original on 28 May 2014. Retrieved 27 May 2014.
  2. ^ "Echoes of the past in these Army cuts". 8 July 2012. Retrieved 13 November 2014.
  3. ^ a b "Training Depots". Regiments.org. Archived from the original on 10 February 2006. Retrieved 16 October 2016.CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  4. ^ a b Historic England. "Gatehouse to Le Marchant Barracks (1271946)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 6 April 2015.
  5. ^ "The Keep, London Road, Devizes". Country Life. Archived from the original on 28 May 2014. Retrieved 27 May 2014.
  6. ^ "Take peek at converted Keep in Devizes". This is Wiltshire. Retrieved 27 May 2014.
  7. ^ Historic England. "Keep, wall and gateway, Le Marchant Barracks (1243314)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 6 April 2015.
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