Bexhill Drill Hall
Wikimedia Commons
Drill halls, or drill sheds, came into existence following the formation of the Rifle Volunteer Corps in 1859, a concerted effort by the British government to create a reserve of men with military training, and became a common site in almost every English town and city. Such units required a large, open space within which to practise military drills, secure storage for weapons and a covered area for drilling.[1]
Many drill halls were built through public subscription, in support of the local Volunteer Force, and were often let for dances and concerts.[2] There was no standard design of drill hall, but most followed the same basic design of a large shed or hall, an administrative block containing the offices, armoury and stores, and accommodation for a caretaker or drill instructor.[3] The administrative block was usually parallel to the street, with the hall immediately behind, and the accommodation either incorporated into the front block, or in a separate block to the rear or side of the front block.[1]
Latterly known as Territorial Army Centres, and since 2012 as Army Reserve Centres,[4] drill halls continue to be built to this day. But owing to the threat from terrorists, active drill halls are no longer open to the public.[1] A 2006 survey documented 1,863 drill halls in England, of which about 130 were still in use by the Territorial Army.[5]