| Summary : An armoury at Whittington barracks, built 1877-1881 in the style of a medieval donjon, straddles the pair of main original entrances on the north western edge of the barracks. The red brick building, in English bond with blue brick sill and lintel banding, stands three storeys high, with a small basement and flat roof. The cambered arched windows with stone sills have original sash fittings. Three turrets attached to the outer face have loop windows, a large recessed rectangular panel at roof level and a crenellated top carried on stepped corbelling. The two western turrets protrude beyond the line of the perimeter wall. The western elevation is asymmetrical with the northern turret being taller and possessing a portrait orientated recessed panel. On the roof are two magazine buildings complete with original loop windows and air vents. |
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. The keep (or armoury) was built to provide high security storage for the barracks, but was also designed to dominate visually as an expression of military strength. They were architecturally the most overtly military buildings on the sites, often as at Whittington with a medieval flavour. They were self-consciously designed to attract new recruits and alter the image of the army.
EXTERIOR: The double keep at Whittington, built in the style of a medieval donjon, straddles the pair of main original entrances on the north western edge of the barracks. The red brick building, in English bond with blue brick sill and lintel banding, stands three storeys high, with a small basement and flat roof. The cambered arched windows with stone sills have original sash fittings. Three turrets attached to the outer face have loop windows, a large recessed rectangular panel at roof level and a crenellated top carried on stepped corbelling. The two western turrets protrude beyond the line of the perimeter wall. The western elevation is asymmetrical with the northern turret being taller and possessing a portrait orientated recessed panel. On the roof are two magazine buildings complete with original loop windows and air vents.
INTERIOR: Access to the keep is through doors situated in each of the turrets, each of which contains an original stairwell with concrete stairs and iron balustrade. The eastern one provided access to both parts of the keep and previously contained a lift. Originally, there were two large rooms on each floor separated by a substantial brick wall. These have been sub-divided by a single partition. The floors and ceilings are carried on girders supported by cast-iron columns. In places, false ceilings have been inserted. On the ground floor the original metal window shutters complete with gun loops survive.
Perimeter wall: The north western length of perimeter wall is mainly of red brick in English bond with rounded blue brick coping. The outer face has rectangular recessed panels with decorative zig zag blue brick at the top and stepped blue brickwork at the bottom, except in the vicinity of the keep where the decoration includes a pair of blue brick bands leading between the sills and lintels of the gun loop holes. Internally the wall is supported by frequent piers. There are several original openings in the wall, most of which have been blocked. In particular, the gateway immediately south of the keep includes a pair of plain brick piers with coping and modern metal clad gates. The associated pedestrian doorway has a flat lintel and is built into an English garden bond wall. Immediately north of the keep is a brick built firing platform with stone top and three gun loops. Adjacent to this is a brick blocked gateway complete with brick and stone piers with corbelled band and chamfered stone top. North of this is a blocked pedestrian doorway with cambered arch and two further gun loops.
The keep is an imposing and prominent landmark in this part of Staffordshire and is architecturally the most interesting of the surviving buildings at the barracks. Comparison with early 20th century photographs indicates that there have been no significant alterations to its original appearance and the survival of the original windows and shutters with gun loops confirms that past refurbishment has been light-handed. Internally, the only significant alterations are the insertion of several lightweight partitions and false ceilings which would be easily reversible and do not detract significantly from the original plan-form. The brickwork is of high quality and the architect's intention of creating a look-a-like medieval keep has been successful perhaps because architectural embellishments have been kept to a minimum. The asymmetrical character of the western elevation adds interest to the building and helps to strengthen the medieval castle theme. The pair of magazines on the roof is an unusual feature and both survive very well. Most of the surviving Cardwell keeps have been listed. The keep at Brock Barracks in Reading, listed Grade II, is very similar in character to the one at Whittington and forms part of the most complete and unaltered localisation barracks remaining in England. Hounslow Barracks, is listed Grade II. Stoughton in Guildford has an impressive keep and attached gateway, listed Grade II. The keep at Whittington whilst less architecturally striking than some of the listed examples, does survive very well. Indeed, it compares very favourably with most of the listed examples, with no significant alterations and the survival of a large number of original features and fittings. As a reminder of the very significant Cardwell reforms, this keep represents a building of national significance and fully meets the standard for listing at Grade II. Much of the perimeter wall, whilst interesting in defining the extent of the Victorian barracks has been assessed as not meeting the standard for listing [UID: 166324]. The north western length because of its association with the keep and position at the front of the barracks merits further consideration. Much of this length is similar in character and appearance to the other surviving lengths, but does contribute significantly to the setting of the keep. Visually it is designed to remind the viewer of the curtain wall of a castle and its loss would significantly detract from the keep's context. However, closer examination indicates that in common with other lengths of the wall it has seen some alteration over the years. This is particularly the case south of the keep where none of the original gateway survives. By contrast, the gateway arrangement north of the keep, although blocked, survives well - a detail confirmed by examination of early 20th century photographs. Furthermore, the survival of a firing platform complete with gun loops in the area between the keep and gateway is of undoubted significance. The loss of the original guardroom is unfortunate, but is not sufficient to detract from the significance of what remains. The length of wall leading north from the keep as far as the pier beyond the blocked doorway is of national significance and should be listed together with the keep. The remainder of the north western length of wall is of interest, but not sufficient to meet the stringent standards for listing. (1)
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