The Church Street drill hall is a former military installation in Brighton. It is a Grade II listed building.[1]
| Church Street drill hall | |
|---|---|
| Brighton | |
_(August_2019).JPG) Church Street drill hall | |
  Church Street drill hall Location within Sussex | |
| Coordinates | 50°49′30″N 0°08′31″W / 50.82492°N 0.14194°W |
| Type | Drill hall |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1890 |
| Built for | War Office |
| In use | 1890-1967 |
History
editThe building was designed by Edmund Scott as the headquarters of the 1st Volunteer Battalion, The Royal Sussex Regiment and was completed in 1890.[2] This unit evolved to become the 6th (Cyclist) Battalion, The Royal Sussex Regiment but moved to Montpelier Place in Brighton before the First World War.[3]
Meanwhile, the Sussex Imperial Yeomanry had been located at the Church Street drill hall from their re-formation in 1901.[4][5] The regiment was mobilised at the drill hall in August 1914 before being deployed to Gallipoli and, ultimately, to the Western Front.[6] After the First World War, the unit converted to artillery and was reduced to battery size, becoming 389 (Sussex Yeomanry) Battery, the 98th (Sussex Yeomanry) Brigade, Royal Field Artillery.[4]
After the Second World War, the battery was reformed as P Battery, 344th (Sussex Yeomanry) Light Anti-Aircraft and Searchlight Regiment, Royal Artillery and then as P Battery, 258th (Sussex Yeomanry) Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery in 1955.[4] After the defence cut-backs of 1967, the drill hall was decommissioned and became a Royal Mail sorting office.[1] It was grade II listed in April 1995. More recently, it has been used as an antiques warehouse.[7]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b Historic England. "Former drill hall, now Royal Mail sorting office (1380394)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 10 December 2017.
- ^ "Home to the Sussex Volunteer Rifles". North Laine Community Association. Retrieved 10 December 2017.
- ^ "Brighton". The Drill Hall Project. Retrieved 10 December 2017.
- ^ a b c "The Sussex Yeomanry". Regiments.org. Archived from the original on 18 April 2007. Retrieved 10 December 2017.
- ^ "Sussex Yeomanry in the First World War". The First World War in East Sussex. Retrieved 10 December 2017.
- ^ "Sussex Yeomanry". The Long, Long Trail. Retrieved 10 December 2017.
- ^ "Patrick Moorhead Antiques Warehouse". Retrieved 10 December 2017.