The Barracks, Brecon

For The Barracks in Kingston upon Thames, see The Barracks, Kingston upon Thames.
The Barracks, Brecon
Brecon

The Barracks, Brecon
The Barracks, Brecon
Location within Powys
Coordinates 51°56′40″N 03°23′02″W / 51.94444°N 3.38389°W / 51.94444; -3.38389Coordinates: 51°56′40″N 03°23′02″W / 51.94444°N 3.38389°W / 51.94444; -3.38389
Type Barracks
Site information
Owner Ministry of Defence
Operator  British Army
Site history
Built 1805-1813
Built for War Office
In use 1813-Present
Garrison information
Occupants 160th (Wales) Brigade

The Barracks, Watton is a military installation in Brecon in Wales.

History

The original barracks, which were constructed of red brick, were built at the Watton in 1805 and then extended in 1813.[1] It was from here that troops were despatched to the Battle of Rorke's Drift during the Anglo-Zulu War in 1879.[2] A keep, for the storage of arms and ammunition, was added to the barracks in 1879.[1] Their creation took place as part of the Cardwell Reforms which encouraged the localisation of British military forces.[3] The barracks became the depot for the two battalions of the 24th (2nd Warwickshire) Regiment of Foot.[4] Following the Childers Reforms, the regiment evolved to become the South Wales Borderers with its depot in the barracks in 1881.[5]

The South Wales Borderers Museum opened at the barracks in 1935.[6] The barracks were designated as a Regional Seat of Government in the Cold War.[7] The barracks are now the home of 160th (Wales) Brigade.[8] In November 2016 the Ministry of Defence announced that the site would close in 2027.[9]

References

  1. 1 2 Tones, p. 126
  2. ↑ "Brecon campaign to buy Rorke's Drift Victoria Crosses' museum". BBC. 2 November 2013. Retrieved 20 April 2012.
  3. ↑ "Echoes of the past in these Army cuts". 8 July 2012. Retrieved 13 November 2014.
  4. ↑ "Training Depots". Regiments.org. Retrieved 16 October 2016.
  5. ↑ "The Keep at Brecon Barracks". Powys History. Retrieved 20 April 2014.
  6. ↑ "The Regimental Museum of The Royal Welsh". Retrieved 20 April 2014.
  7. ↑ "Civil Defence Project". Retrieved 20 April 2014.
  8. ↑ "Summary of Future Reserves 2020 (FR20) implementation measures within Wales" (PDF). Retrieved 20 April 2012.
  9. ↑ "A Better Defence Estate" (PDF). Ministry of Defence. November 2016. Retrieved 8 November 2016.

Sources

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