Horfield Barracks

Horfield Barracks is a former military installation in the Horfield area of Bristol.

Horfield Barracks
Bristol
Horfield Barracks entrance
Horfield Barracks Location within Bristol
Coordinates	51.49229°N 2.58330°W / 51.49229; -2.58330
Type	Barracks
Site information
Owner	Ministry of Defence
Operator	British Army
Site history
Built	1843–1847
Built for	War Office
In use	1847-1966
Garrison information
Occupants	3rd Battalion the Gloucestershire Regiment

History

The barracks were built, largely in response to the Bristol riots of 1831, and completed between 1843 and 1847.^[1] During the Crimean War a mutiny took place and in 1868 a sergeant murdered a private soldier in a dispute over money.^[1] In 1873 a system of recruiting areas based on counties was instituted under the Cardwell Reforms and the barracks became the depot for the 28th (North Gloucestershire) Regiment of Foot and the 61st (South Gloucestershire) Regiment of Foot.^[2] Following the Childers Reforms, the 28th and 61st regiments amalgamated to form the Gloucestershire Regiment with its depot in the barracks in 1881.^[2] The 3rd Battalion (Royal South Gloucestershire Militia) of the regiment also established itself at Horfield Barracks.^[1]

During the First World War the barracks also served as the 5th cavalry depot^[3] providing accommodation for the 3rd The King's Own Hussars, the 7th Queen's Own Hussars, the 15th The King's Hussars and the 19th Royal Hussars.^[4] Life there is vividly recorded in the memoir of one soldier from Gloucestershire who was sent to Horfield as a new recruit, having joined up immediately following his 18th birthday.^[5]

The barracks were decommissioned after the Second World War and demolished in 1966.^[6] The site became a telephone engineering works in the late 1960s and was redeveloped for housing in around 2000.^[1] The former chapel survives as a nursery and is a grade II listed building ^[7][8]

References

1. "Footsteps into the past - Horfield Barracks". Bristol Post. 16 September 2014. Archived from the original on 9 November 2014. Retrieved 9 November 2014.
2. "Training Depots". Regiments.org. Archived from the original on 10 February 2006. Retrieved 16 October 2016.
3. "History of Horfield". Vision of Britain. Retrieved 21 June 2016.
4. "The locations of the Cavalry depots". The Long, Long Trail. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
5. Bullock, Arthur (2009). Gloucestershire Between the Wars: A Memoir. The History Press. ISBN 978-0-7524-4793-3. (Pages 50-52)
6. "Horfield, Gloucester Road". About Bristol. Retrieved 9 November 2014.
7. Historic England. "OLD CHAPEL BUILDINGS, 653A, GLOUCESTER ROAD (Grade II) (1202235)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 21 February 2024.
8. "Horfield - Snapdragons Nursery". Retrieved 21 February 2024.