Winston Barracks
Encyclopedia
Winston Barracks was a British Army
base, located 2 miles (3.2 km) east of Lanark
, Scotland. It was situated in the fork of the A73
and A70
trunk roads, close to Lanark Racecourse. The site occupied a total of 55 acres (22.3 ha) and incorporated barrack blocks, officers' quarters, non-commissioned officers' quarters, stores, boiler houses, medical block, gymnasium, assault course, and firing and rifle ranges. The site was decommissioned in 1994, and some of the buildings have been renovated as part of a housing development.
was becoming inadequate. The buildings were designed to "embody all the latest devices of permanent construction". and the cost was estimated to be in the region of £150,000. The buildings were mainly in Neo-Georgian style, the most prominent being the main H-shaped barrack block on the north side of the parade ground. Most of the buildings were constructed between 1935 and 1939 with completion of the complex in 1940, as attested by the dates on the rain water hoppers found high on the south elevation of the main barrack block. In 1939, with the Regiment about to move to its new accommodation, the Second World War broke out.
Instead of housing the Cameronians, 26 Primary Training Centre was established at Winston Barracks. The nearby racecourse was utilised during the war as a training area, for overflow camp accommodation and for practice trench-digging.
After the war, the Cameronians took up residence in 1947, alongside various training units. From 1961 the Barracks were shared by the Royal Highland Fusiliers
and the Cameronians. Both regiments moved to the Lowland Brigade
Depot at Glencorse Barracks
, Edinburgh, when it opened in 1964. The 52nd Lowland Division took over the barracks until it closed in 1967. The married quarters were still in use in the early 70s, accommodating the families of soldiers stationed in Ritchie Camp.
At around the time (c. 1960) that RAF Kirknewton
housed an American signals intelligence unit, Winston Barracks was known as RAF Lanark. Winston Barracks, like Ritchie Camp
, the barracks adjoining RAF Kirknewton, was earmarked during the Cold War
as an emergency 1,000-bed hospital for the US Navy.
Responding to a Commons Written Question on 26 February 1987, the Secretary of State for Defence
stated that "We have recently agreed in principle to make these sites (Winston camp, Lanark, and Ritchie camp, Kirknewton) available to the United States forces for use as peacetime medical storage facilities and as hospitals which would be activated in the event of war." It was handed back by the US to the UK on 3 December 1991.
In 2008, planning permission was granted for the demolition of all of the barracks buildings, with the exception of the four listed buildings, and construction of 348 houses on the site. The four main buildings were to be converted into 45 luxury apartments. As part of the redevelopment, the conversion of the category B listed "Sandhurst" Accommodation Block has created 20 townhouses and 16 two-bedroom apartments. The former Sergeants' Mess is a now a luxury detached house.
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
base, located 2 miles (3.2 km) east of Lanark
Lanark
Lanark is a small town in the central belt of Scotland. Its population of 8,253 makes it the 100th largest settlement in Scotland. The name is believed to come from the Cumbric Lanerc meaning "clear space, glade"....
, Scotland. It was situated in the fork of the A73
A73 road
The A73 is a former trunk route in Scotland, that connects the M74 at Abington, Jct. 13 to the M80 motorway at Cumbernauld. Running for approximately , it passes through the towns of Lanark, Carluke, Newmains, Chapelhall and Airdrie...
and A70
A70 road
The A70 road is a major road in Scotland, United Kingdom. It runs a total of from Edinburgh to Ayr. It begins in Gorgie, Edinburgh, as Ardmillan Terrace from a junction with the A71 and ends as Holmston Road in Ayr going by but not through Lanark...
trunk roads, close to Lanark Racecourse. The site occupied a total of 55 acres (22.3 ha) and incorporated barrack blocks, officers' quarters, non-commissioned officers' quarters, stores, boiler houses, medical block, gymnasium, assault course, and firing and rifle ranges. The site was decommissioned in 1994, and some of the buildings have been renovated as part of a housing development.
History
Winston Barracks was built in the 1930s to accommodate the Depot of the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles), whose previous deopt at HamiltonHamilton, South Lanarkshire
Hamilton is a town in South Lanarkshire, in the west-central Lowlands of Scotland. It serves as the main administrative centre of the South Lanarkshire council area. It is the fifth-biggest town in Scotland after Paisley, East Kilbride, Livingston and Cumbernauld...
was becoming inadequate. The buildings were designed to "embody all the latest devices of permanent construction". and the cost was estimated to be in the region of £150,000. The buildings were mainly in Neo-Georgian style, the most prominent being the main H-shaped barrack block on the north side of the parade ground. Most of the buildings were constructed between 1935 and 1939 with completion of the complex in 1940, as attested by the dates on the rain water hoppers found high on the south elevation of the main barrack block. In 1939, with the Regiment about to move to its new accommodation, the Second World War broke out.
Instead of housing the Cameronians, 26 Primary Training Centre was established at Winston Barracks. The nearby racecourse was utilised during the war as a training area, for overflow camp accommodation and for practice trench-digging.
After the war, the Cameronians took up residence in 1947, alongside various training units. From 1961 the Barracks were shared by 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....
and the Cameronians. Both regiments moved to the Lowland Brigade
Lowland Brigade (Scottish)
The Lowland Brigade is a historical unit of the British Army which has been formed a number of times. It is traditionally Scottish as the name derives from the Scottish Lowlands.-World War II:...
Depot at Glencorse Barracks
Glencorse Barracks
-History:Glencorse Barracks date from 1803, when they were first used to hold prisoners, then known as Greenlaw Military Prison, during the Napoleonic Wars before being bought outright from the private estate on which they stood . The only surviving building from that time is the former Guardroom,...
, Edinburgh, when it opened in 1964. The 52nd Lowland Division took over the barracks until it closed in 1967. The married quarters were still in use in the early 70s, accommodating the families of soldiers stationed in Ritchie Camp.
At around the time (c. 1960) that RAF 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...
housed an American signals intelligence unit, Winston Barracks was known as RAF Lanark. Winston Barracks, like Ritchie Camp
Ritchie Camp
Ritchie Camp served RAF Kirknewton, a Royal Air Force station at Whitemoss, a mile south east of Kirknewton, West Lothian, Scotland during World War II...
, the barracks adjoining RAF Kirknewton, was earmarked during the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
as an emergency 1,000-bed hospital for the US Navy.
Responding to a Commons Written Question on 26 February 1987, the Secretary of State for Defence
Secretary of State for Defence
The Secretary of State for Defence, popularly known as the Defence Secretary, is the senior Government of the United Kingdom minister in charge of the Ministry of Defence, chairing the Defence Council. It is a Cabinet position...
stated that "We have recently agreed in principle to make these sites (Winston camp, Lanark, and Ritchie camp, Kirknewton) available to the United States forces for use as peacetime medical storage facilities and as hospitals which would be activated in the event of war." It was handed back by the US to the UK on 3 December 1991.
Redevelopment
In 1994, the Ministry of Defence relinquished all control of the site and sold it to a development company. In 2000, four of the buildings were listed: the Sergeants' Mess and the Accommodation Block were protected at category B, while the Officers' Mess and Guardhouse were protected at category C(s).In 2008, planning permission was granted for the demolition of all of the barracks buildings, with the exception of the four listed buildings, and construction of 348 houses on the site. The four main buildings were to be converted into 45 luxury apartments. As part of the redevelopment, the conversion of the category B listed "Sandhurst" Accommodation Block has created 20 townhouses and 16 two-bedroom apartments. The former Sergeants' Mess is a now a luxury detached house.