| Summary : A commissariat complex in the west corner of the Whittington Barracks, built in 1881. It includes a group of mainly single storey red brick buildings arranged around a courtyard. Originally there were two external entrances and a third leading into the barracks itself. The commissariat were responsible for the provision of non-military supplies and at Whittington were sited close to the road with their own independent entrances. All the buildings within the complex have modern slate roofs and rain goods, cambered arched windows with stone or concrete sills, whilst architectural embellishments are limited, reflecting their utilitarian function. In the centre of the north eastern range and dominating the entire complex is the two storey office accommodation. This building protrudes slightly into the courtyard and has small annexes attached to its south western and north western sides. The remainder of this range is single storey and there are a number of blocked windows and doorways. The L-shaped, south eastern range is entirely single storey, of red brick in English and Flemish bonds, with large fanlight windows in the gables. Attached to the north western gable is a small guard room with original Yorkshire sash window. Modern brick buildings are attached to the south eastern side of the range. The north western range is also L-shaped, has a pitched roof and its two southern bays are open-sided with the roof being supported on cast iron columns. The remaining bays are in-filled with later English garden wall bond brickwork and the windows have plain concrete sills. |
More information : [Part of report on Barracks (AMIE UID 1516317), Commissariat Complex, Quartermaster's Stores (AMIE UID 1516329) and Boundary Wall (AMIE UID 1516337).]
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 (AMIE UID 1507044) 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.
The commissariat complex stands in the north west corner of the barracks and includes a group of mainly single storey red brick buildings arranged around a courtyard. Originally there were two external entrances and a third leading into the barracks itself. The commissariat were responsible for the provision of non-military supplies and at Whittington were sited close to the road with their own independent entrances. All the buildings within the complex have modern slate roofs and rain goods, cambered arched windows with stone or concrete sills, whilst architectural embellishments are limited, reflecting their utilitarian function. In the centre of the north eastern range and dominating the entire complex is the two storey office accommodation. This building protrudes slightly into the courtyard and has small annexes attached to its south western and north western sides. The remainder of this range is single storey and there are a number of blocked windows and doorways. The L-shaped, south eastern range is entirely single storey, of red brick in English and Flemish bonds, with large fanlight windows in the gables. Attached to the north western gable is a small guard room with original Yorkshire sash window. Modern brick buildings are attached to the south eastern side of the range. The north western range is also L-shaped, has a pitched roof and its two southern bays are open-sided with the roof being supported on cast iron columns. The remaining bays are in-filled with later English garden wall bond brickwork and the windows have plain concrete sills.
Interior: The interiors of all three ranges have seen considerable change as a result of alterations, additions, removals and refurbishment. In particular, one room has been converted into a lecture theatre, others have raised floors, false ceilings, all have modern window fittings and with few exceptions none of the original architectural character is discernable. Amongst the exceptions, is the survival of a wooden staircase, cupboards and ventilation louvers in the office accommodation and elsewhere a few doors, exposed roof trusses and a small number of gun-loops complete with shutters. The internal layout has been so altered that it is difficult to establish with any certainty the original use of all parts of the complex with the exception of the office, guard room and open-sided covered space formed by the north-west range.
The assessment for each building group is provided separately below. It is however worth emphasising that a higher degree of selection is required for buildings constructed after 1840 on account of their greater survival. In particular architectural quality, planning interest, degree of alteration and group value with other related structures will be key considerations.
The mapped form of the commissariat complex retains its original form and the group of buildings as a whole are still readable. The commissariat complex was essential for the smooth running of the barracks, with all the food and fuel passing through. The buildings themselves have received similar architectural treatment to the others within the barracks, but perhaps because of its domestic function the architectural detailing was scaled down. Adaptive re-use of the complex has resulted in a considerable degree of alteration. Amongst the most notable are: the infilling of the open-sided wagon and storage area formed by the north west range; the insertion of false floors and ceilings; replacement or blocking of all the Victorian fireplaces; blocking of old windows and doors and insertion of new ones, replacement of all the roofs and windows and the addition of a number of new rooms. On the positive side the survival of the overall plan, a few doors, some trusses and gun loops with shutters whilst of interest does not compensate for the considerable losses this complex has sustained. The ordinary nature of the business carried out by the commissariat has meant that these buildings have generally been overlooked at other barracks. If comparative research in the future highlights that it represents either a very rare or perhaps unique survival, then it should be reassessed, but on the basis of our current understanding the buildings forming this complex are too altered to merit listing.
The Victorian barrack blocks, stores and much of the perimeter wall at Whittington Barracks have all seen considerable alteration, modification and refurbishment. This work has seriously undermined the significance of these buildings and structures, which although forming an interesting reminder of the Cardwell reforms on the British army are not well enough preserved to meet the standard for listing.
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