More information : Whittington Barracks were built as part of a far reaching national modernisation programme carried out by the Secretary of State for War Edward Cardwell during the 1870's. Work on the barracks started around 1877, was carried out by Harry Lovatt & Son of Wolverhampton and was completed by 1881 when they were occupied by the 1st and 2nd South Staffordshire Regiments and the 1st and 2nd North Staffordshire Regiments.
Edward Cardwell, appointed to the War Office in 1868, addressed a chronic recruitment issue through a process of reform set out in the Localisation Act of 1872. He set up a network of local depots each centred on an area with a population large enough to sustain it, rather than based on operational needs. It was the first national barrack building initiative in England during peacetime. Across Britain 29 new depots, including Whittington, were built from scratch, while about 40 existing barracks were adapted. The building programme was under the supervision of Major HC Seddon, Royal Engineers, Director of the Design Branch. The new barracks conformed to a standard model with local variations, and incorporated many of the improvements for which the Army Sanitation Commission and its predecessors had called.
Whittington Barracks has remained fully operational since 1881 and in this time has expanded, contracted and been altered to meet developing operational needs. Apart from the Staffordshire Regiments, others also made use of the facilities from time to time and by 1902 enough accommodation had been added for the barracks to become a two battalion station. The war memorials were added in 1922, the church consecrated in 1924 and during World War II the barracks were occupied by the US Army. After the war the barracks were used by various units, some of the historic buildings demolished and new ones erected.
Single storey, double ended red brick building in English bond with modern slate roof. Blue brick banding and windows with cambered arches and stone sills, some retaining their original sash windows. Large number of original doors and windows blocked and vehicular access inserted into east range. Modern veranda and extension attached to the south and the doors in this elevation have slightly protruding wooden frames which may have once supported gas or light protection covers.
Interior: Subdivided into 15 rooms of varying sizes. The roof is supported by a mixture of original and replacement wooden trusses. A modern tubular steel framework associated with false ceilings throughout most of the building with the notable exception of the workshop with exposed roof trusses. The walling is hidden by later cladding and the original layout is therefore difficult to ascertain, although large number of external doors suggests a large number of relatively small rooms.
Compared with many of the surviving Victorian buildings at Whittington the store was built in strong English bond. This may in part explain its survival, because it is clear from the considerable degree of alteration that the original layout was unsuitable for later uses. The whole building has seen considerable alteration to many windows and doorways, the entire roof and internal layout. The protective structure associated with three of the doors is of interest, but is not sufficient to overcome the considerable losses resulting from the widespread alterations. This building is also of a standard and commonplace type and therefore clearly does not meet the standard for listing. (1)
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