History

Glencorse Barracks date from 1803, when they were first used to hold prisoners, then known as Greenlaw Military Prison, during the Napoleonic Wars

Napoleonic Wars

The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...

 before being bought outright from the private estate on which they stood (1812). The only surviving building from that time is the former Guardroom, which is now the Clocktower. A memorial gateway to the Royal Scots Regiment marks the entrance to the Barracks, though it is no longer in use.

In 1804, Greenlaw House, leased from the Trotters at the Bush, near Roslin, was converted into a depôt for French prisoners of war. Additional buildings were erected in 1813, at a cost of £100,000, to house 6,000 prisoners and their guards. However, the Napoleonic Wars came to an end a year later and the prisoners were sent home.

Most of the prisoners were crews of privateers - nearly 300 men were confined in the mansion house. Ensign Hugh Maxwell was convicted of culpable homicide for the death, in January 1807, of Charles Cottier, a prisoner in Greenlaw House. Maxwell was the commander of a guard of 36 men of the Lanarkshire Militia, who were, at the time, based in Penicuik. He was imprisoned in the Tolbooth at Canongate

Canongate Tolbooth

Canongate Tolbooth is a historical landmark of the Old Town section of Edinburgh, Scotland . Built in 1591, it served as a tolbooth or toll-collecting gate for those entering Edinburgh from the lower end of what is now known as the Royal Mile. It originally served both as toll collection point and...

 for 9 months.

A monument which was erected at Valleyfield in memory of those prisoners who died in captivity is now surrounded by houses in this redeveloped area of the river valley.

Nothing remains of Greenlaw House. However, it is thought that the cellars of the Officers' Mess owe their existence to this 17th century mansion.

Although for a while is it was a Military Prison, the barracks were little used between 1815 and 1875, when they became depôt of the army of the south-east of Scotland, being converted at a cost of £30,000.

For some years, the barracks were the depôt of the Royal Scots. The barracks became the training depôt for the Lowland Brigade in 1964. In 1970, following the formation of the Scottish Division

Scottish Division

The Scottish Division is a British Army Infantry command, training and administrative apparatus designated for all Scottish line infantry units. The Scottish Division was formed on July 1, 1968 with the amalgamation of the Lowland Brigade and Highland Brigade...

, junior soldiers from the Lowland Brigade moved from Glencorse to Gordon Barracks

Gordon Barracks

Gordon Barracks are situated in Bridge of Don, Aberdeen. Built by J and W Wittet, circa 1935, the barracks buildings are located around the barrack square....

, in Aberdeen

Aberdeen

Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of ....

. Adult Highland Brigade

Highland Brigade

Highland Brigade is the name of several military units:* Highland Brigade , a historical unit of the British Army, which has been formed a number of times...

 recruits moved from Gordon Barracks to The Scottish Division Depôt at Glencorse Barracks on the same day.

Royal Scots corporal Andrew Walker

Andrew Walker (murderer)

Royal Scots corporal Andrew Walker killed three Army colleagues in a payroll robbery in the Pentland Hills, south of Edinburgh, in January 1985...

 killed three Army colleagues in a payroll robbery in the Pentland Hills, south of Edinburgh, in January 1985. He was jailed for life. All three were stationed in Glencorse barracks.

The barracks closed in 2003 for a £60 million revamp that "Today's soldiers will and should enjoy (-) modern flats, en-suite bedrooms, satellite TV and broadband access - the sort of things that young men and women in civilian society take for granted" - John Reid, defence Secretary, April 2006.

City of Edinburgh Garrison

Glencorse is one of the three barracks comprising the City of Edinburgh Garrison. Today, it is the home for The Royal Highland Fusiliers

Royal Highland Fusiliers

The Royal Highland Fusiliers, 2nd Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland is an infantry battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland....

, 2nd Batallion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland - RHF (2 SCOTS).

Within the City of Edinburgh, Redford Barracks

Redford Barracks

Redford Cavalry and Infantry Barracks are located on Colinton Road, near the Edinburgh City Bypass, east of the suburb of Colinton in Edinburgh, Scotland....

 is the base for the guard

Public duties

Public duties are performed by military personnel, and usually have a ceremonial or historic significance rather than an overtly operational role.-Germany:...

 of Edinburgh Castle

Edinburgh Castle

Edinburgh Castle is a fortress which dominates the skyline of the city of Edinburgh, Scotland, from its position atop the volcanic Castle Rock. Human habitation of the site is dated back as far as the 9th century BC, although the nature of early settlement is unclear...

. The resident Infantry Battalion has been the 3rd Battalion, The Rifles

The Rifles

The Rifles is the largest regiment of the British Army. Formed in 2007, it consists of five regular and two territorial battalions, plus a number of companies in other TA battalions, Each battalion of the Rifles was formerly an individual battalion of one of the two large regiments of the Light...

 (formerly 2nd Battalion, The Light Infantry

The Light Infantry

The Light Infantry was an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Light Division. It was formed on 10 July 1968 as a "large regiment" by the amalgamation of the four remaining light infantry regiments of the Light Infantry Brigade:...

) since 2003, when they took over from the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders

Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders

The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, 5th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland is an infantry battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland....

. It is also the location of 51st (Scottish) Brigade's

British 51st Infantry Brigade

The British 51st Infantry Brigade is currently known as 51 Brigade, part of the 2nd Division. It is currently the regional administrative formation responsible for all the units of the Territorial Army based in Scotland. It is the largest Regional Brigade in the United Kingdom in terms of...

 Regional Training Centre, used for all Territorial Army basic training in Scotland, a base for the Headquarters of 52 Brigade as well as housing other administrative functions.

The Royal Scots Borderers

Royal Scots Borderers

The Royal Scots Borderers is an infantry battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland.Two infantry regiments ; the Royal Scots and the King's Own Scottish Borderers merged on the 28 March 2006, and with the other Scottish infantry regiments amalgamated into the single seven battalion strong Royal...

, 1st Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland and The Band

Military band

A military band originally was a group of personnel that performs musical duties for military functions, usually for the armed forces. A typical military band consists mostly of wind and percussion instruments. The conductor of a band commonly bears the title of Bandmaster or Director of Music...

 of the Royal Regiment of Scotland are located in Dreghorn Barracks

Dreghorn Barracks

Dreghorn Barracks are located in Edinburgh, Scotland. The barracks are situated at the southern edge of the city, south of Colinton, and adjacent to the Edinburgh City Bypass. The present barracks complex was largely built in 1937–1939 to designs by William Alexander Ross. The barracks were...

, also in the city.

The future

Moving towards Future Force 2020, and returning the 20,000 personnel stationed in Germany, means the Armed Forces' estate requirements will change. As a result, the MOD has reviewed its future basing needs.

The driving force behind the review of basing is the military requirement. By 2020, the Army will be made up of five Multi-Role Brigades (MRB) of around 6,000 people. These brigades need to be geographically close to suitable training areas so they can prepare for deployment.

The changes to military basing announced by the Defence Secretary include:

• An Army MRB will be in Scotland, centred on Edinburgh. The base at Kirknewton

RAF Kirknewton

RAF Kirknewton is a Royal Air Force station at Whitemoss, a mile south east of Kirknewton, West Lothian, Scotland.Primarily an RAF radar base, RAF Kirknewton was home to a variety of units during the war. No...

, south east of Edinburgh, will be developed into a major Army base. Additional troops will be stationed in Glencorse Barracks. The first units are expected to move in to Glencorse in 2015-16..