Building record 9021/1/1 - Former Drill Hall, 8 High Street

The building, originally a private house of the 1860s, then a girls’ school and latterly a drill hall for the Territorial Army.

{1} TA Center located between the High Street and West Street. This comprises several C20th buildings including what appears to be a large hall and garages. Several concrete anti-tank cylinders scattered around the western part of the site. Presumably this was previously W’boro Drill Hall though whether any pre C20th buildings are present was not determined. All appear well maintained and in current use.

{2} 19th century Methodist manse 2 storey brick & ironstone, double fronted house with hall & extensive garages, stores to rear. TA Centre presumed to incorporate former Drill Hall. Acquired for TA use c1930.

{3} TA centre on High Street - offices in former manse of neighbouring chapel. Drill hall and garages behind built 1939, opened by Duchess of Gloucester, May 1939 (see Wellingborough news). The anti-tank cylinders were removed to Sywell Aviation Museum in 2005.

{4} All of the buildings in good condition. In a ground floor room at the front of the 19th century section is a Northamptonshire Regiment crest in the wall plaster. Down one side of the 1939 building is a complete indoor rifle range.

{7} A level two building recording survey was undertaken prior to conversion. The building was constructed in the mid 19th century as a private residence, but was converted into a private girls school in the 1880s. At this time, the building was extended and a large gymnasium was built on the High Street. In the early 20th century the school reverted back to a private house, while the gymnasium and library became a public library.

{8} English Heritage has received an application to assess The Old Drill Hall, Welligborough for listing. The hall was built as a house c. 1870 and by 1875 was used as a Manse for the Congregational Church. By 1891 the census shows the building as being called St Heliers College and by 1931 there is evidence that the property was a private nursing home called St Heliers. Later it became a drill hall and a large hall was added to the rear of the building. It was used by the Territorial Army and as an exhibition hall but the rear hall has since been demolished.

English Heritage Selection Guide for Sports and Recreation Buildings (April 20111) explains that drill halls were first built for various Rifle Volunteers Corps from 1859-60 onwards to defend Britain against the perceived threat of invasion from France. As well as providing military training, rifle shooting, fencing and other organised sports, the volunteers provided a strong social network. The need for large, unencumbered internal spaces stimulated the early use of steel roofs and experiments with specialist trusses in steel or timber. The Old Drill Hall, Wellingborough has undergone considerable alteration since it was built in 1870. It is too far removed from its original design to be considered for listing as a dwelling and is very late in the development of drill halls. The demolition of the hall to the rear means any evidence of innovative use of trusses or other roof structures has been removed.

Based on the information provided and with reference to the Principles of Selection (2011) and English Heritages Selection Guides, The Old Drill Hall, Wellingborough is not recommended for listing for the following principal reasons.

* Alteration: the building was not built as a drill hall and the architectural and historic interest has been compromised by the high level of alteration.

<1> Cadman G., 2002, Wellingborough Drill Hall, 1 (Report). SNN101759.

<2> Osborne M., 2002, Fieldwork Survey of Military Buildings: Drill Halls, Barracks & Depots: Northamptonshire, (unchecked) (Note). SNN103251.

<3> Osborne, M., 2000, Letter, (unchecked) (Letter). SNN107558.

<4> Armishaw, A., 2005, Letter, (unchecked) (Letter). SNN107559.

<5> Armishaw, A., 2005, Wellingborough TA Drill Hall, (checked) (Photographic prints (COL)). SNN107560.

<6> Walker C., 2012, Archaeological Desk-Based Heritage Assessment of Land at High Street, Wellingborough, Northamptonshire December 2012, (unchecked) (Report). SNN109268.

<7> Morriss, R K, 2020, The former Drill Hall, 8 High Street Wellingborough: An architectural and archaeological analysis and survey (Report). SNN112416.

<8> English Heritage, Designation Advice Report, Old Drill Hall (Report). SNN113190.

Record last edited

Apr 1 2022 12:44PM