Marlborough Lines

For the New Zealand Electricity Company, see Marlborough Lines Limited.

Marlborough Lines is a British Army installation on the former site of RAF Andover in Hampshire, England.

Marlborough Lines
Near Andover in England
Marlborough Lines Shown within Hampshire
Coordinates	51°12′31″N 001°31′31″W
Type	Headquarters
Site information
Owner	Ministry of Defence
Operator	British Army
Site history
Built	2009 (2009)
In use	2009-present
Garrison information
Garrison	Army Headquarters
Airfield information
Elevation	78 metres (256 ft) AMSL
Helipads Number Length and surface 01 10 metres (33 ft) Concrete

The site is the location of Army Headquarters, the most senior headquarters in the British Army, led by the Chief of the General Staff, as well as Headquarters, Field Army Troops, Headquarters, Joint Helicopter Command, and Headquarters, 1st Military Police Brigade, led by the Provost Marshal (Army).^[1][2]

History

Marlborough Lines was built on the former airfield of RAF Andover, on the western outskirts of the town of Andover, which had been established in 1917 and closed in 2009.^[3] The site was renamed Marlborough Lines in honour of John Churchill, the 1st Duke of Marlborough,^[4] who has been described as Britain’s greatest-ever general.^[5]

The main buildings constructed at Marlborough Lines were named as Blenheim (named after the Battle of Blenheim in 1704), Sedgemoor (named after the Battle of Sedgemoor in 1685) and Ramillies (named after the Battle of Ramillies in 1706). The garden outside Blenheim is called the Churchill Garden.^[4]

In 2011, Army Headquarters was established at Marlborough Lines.^[6]

On 1 December 2014, Headquarters, 1st Military Police Brigade was established, commanded by the Provost Marshal (Army), at Marlborough Lines.^[7]

The Army Families Federation's central office is also based at Ramillies Building.^[8]

References

1. "Command Structure | The British Army".
2. "Future Soldier Guide - adr010310-futuresoldierguide_30nov.pdf" (PDF).
3. "Andover (Weyhill)". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 1 June 2016.
4. "New Land Forces HQ fully operational". GOV.UK. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
5. "John Churchill, 1st duke of Marlborough | English General & Military Strategist | Britannica". www.britannica.com. 25 August 2023. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
6. New Army's HQ Land Forces base is opened in Andover BBC News, 9 September 2010
7. "1st Military Police Brigade | The British Army".
8. "Contact". Army Families Federation. Retrieved 25 September 2023.