Somerset - anyone with a camera?

[Dragon]

Somerset’s drill halls are very under photographed and so far I have none to illustrate that part of drillhalls.org. If anyone would be willing to take photos of any of the following extant buildings:

Castle Cary

Chard

Frome

Glastonbury

Shepton Mallet

Yeovil

or indeed of any others that you know of, we would be very grateful. The former brewery in Batheaston (now restored and converted into residential use) was used as a drill hall and a picture of that would be nice, too.

I can give the exact locations if that helps.

When did Somerset stop being known as Somersetshire? Just curious here.

Mny thanks for any help and interest.

Gwyn

[Malcolm Linham]

Gywn,

I might be able to help with Glastonbury and Shepton Mallet in the near future.

I would need the locations, because the one I am thinking of in Glastonbury built out of red brick on the Street Rd I always thought was built in the 20's.

Best wishes .

Malcolm

[Light Bob]

Hi

Going to Chard today and will try and get pic; As far as I remember Drill Hall is in Furnham Road.

Will try an d get Yeovil next week - can you confirm it is in Southville

Brian

[Dragon]

You are both stars and I’m very grateful.

I’ll summarise some of the information we have. Graeme trawled through Kelly’s Directories aand contemporary sources to build the detailed core and structure of the database. I have followed up (as far as I can) with old and new maps and other modern references in an attempt to find what is extant and what isn’t. It's worth noting that Kelly can make mistakes about road names and sometimes calls one by the name of a road nearby or a continuation road. Street names may also change.

Somerset Historic Environment Record is here:

http://webapp1.somerset.gov.uk/her/query.asp

Search on ‘Drill hall’ in Category and ‘Any’ in Period, Parish /District and Area. The individual references give OS co-ordinates and maps.

Somerset

Castle Cary

The 1913 Drill Hall is on Park street (confirmed for me this week by the Editor of the Victoria County History).

Chard

Kelly’s Directory, 1914, has Fore street. According to Somerset Historic Environment Record a Drill Hall on Furnham Road, Chard, is shown on the 1904 OS map (but I can't see it there) and recorded as extant in the Somerset Historic Environment Record, 2007.

‘5th Battalion Prince Albert’s (Somersetshire Light Infantry) (H Co.); head quarters, Drill hall, Fore street.’ (Kelly, 1914)

‘The Corn Exchange, in the rear of the Town Hall, erected at a cost of nearly £1,200, is a spacious building with a stage and is used as a ballroom, &c. and as the territorial drill hall.’ (Kelly, 1914)

I need to clarify Fore Street. Is it / was it close to Furnham Road?

Frome

Kelly, 1914, has Keyford Street. The drill hall on Keyford Terrace is apparently shown on the 1904 OS map and recorded as extant in the Somerset Historic Environment Record, 2007.

Glastonbury

Kelly, 1914, has an Armoury on High Street (but this may just be a building such as a pub or a civic hall). According to Somerset Historic Environment Record drill hall on Street road is shown on the 1904 OS map (but I can't see it there) and recorded as extant in the Somerset Historic Environment Record, 2007.

It sounds as if this needs additional confirmation in the light of Malcolm's comments.

Shepton Mallet

Kelly, 1914, has Charlton Road. According to Somerset Historic Environment record the drill hall on Charlton road is shown on the 1904 OS map (but I can't see it there) and recorded as extant in the Somerset Historic Environment Record, 2007. I believe it is on Drill Hall Lane, off Charlton road.

‘The Drill Hall for the Territorial Force in the Charlton road was opened in 1912, the cost being nearly £4,000. The building comprises a large drill hall, offices for the North Somerset Yeomanry and the C Squadron of the regiment; the left half battery of the Somerset Royal Horse Artillery and half of F. Co., 4th Battalion Prince Albert’s (Somersetshire Light Infantry); recreation rooms for officers and men, a bar and a skittle alley and rifle range; there is also a house adjoining for the residence of the sergt.-major of the R.H.A..’ (Kelly, 1914)

Yeovil

Kelly, 1914, has Sherborne Road. According to Somerset Historic Environment Record the drill hall in Southville is shown on the 1904 OS map, very close to Sherborne road, (but I can't see it there) and recorded as extant in the Somerset Historic Environment Record, 2007.

‘The Territorial Force stationed in the town comprise the D Squadron West Somerset Yeomanry… and E Co. 5th Battalion Prince Albert’s (Somersetshire Light Infantry), which has head quarters in Sherborne road. The drill hall, built in 1913, includes a shooting gallery, 90 feet in length, officers’ and non-commissioned officers’ rooms and men’s recreation rooms.’ (Kelly 1914)

Gwyn

Edited, see below.

[Light Bob]

Gwyn

Have got some pictures of Drill , a purpose built building, in Furnham Road now used for Army Cadet Force- I know this one was in use in 1939 as my late father in law was mobilised there as a Somerset Territorial. From there the terriers marched to Tiverton where they were based in a large house - I believe it was called Knightsa Hayes.l

The Corn Exchange now presumptuously styled 'Guildhall' was as it says the Town Hall and used for various civic activities - presumably the Territorials amongst them. I can get pictures of this if you want.

Southville is off Sherborne Road in Yeovil and I should be able to get ther next week.

How do you want me to let you have the pictures when i've got them

Regards

Brian

[HERITAGE PLUS]

Gwyn

Not a drill hall but a connection. The Armoury Inn, 1 Park Road, Yeovil, BA20 1DY.

I've yet to research this one fully, certainly a pub in 1900, I believe this may have been the Armoury used by Yeovils Volunteers and the West Somerste Yeomanry.

Dave

http://www.railaletrail.com/wessex/armoury.htm

[Dragon]

Brian - thank you; I have sent a personal message.

Dave - thanks. I took some photos specifically of the Albion, Chester (rather than of the drill hall) at dusk on Friday night and I'll send them to you if they're any good. External only; the smoke was intolerable inside.

Gwyn

[Dragon]

Chard:

Have got some pictures of Drill , a purpose built building, in Furnham Road now used for Army Cadet Force- I know this one was in use in 1939

I've just been looking on the old OS maps and I'm at a loss here. I see that Fore Street meets Furnham Road, which is at a right angle to it. The DH is clearly marked on the 1930 and 1931 maps of Chard and visible on the 1946 aerial photos. However, on the 1905 and 1906 OS maps there is no building which corresponds to this. Yet Somerset Historic Environment says that it is on the 1904 maps. I don't know and I can't go down there and look at the maps they used; I have to take their word for it.

Has someone made a mistake? When was this DH built?

Glastonbury

because the one I am thinking of in Glastonbury built out of red brick on the Street Rd I always thought was built in the 20's

Same as above. I can't see it on the 1904 OS map despite what Somerset Historic Environment says. A DH on Street Road is clearly shown on the 1930 and 1931 OS maps. Local opinion is often right about the approximate time buildings were constructed.

On checking as far as I am able, all six of their entries appear to have have anomalies. If anyone can shed any light I would be intensely grateful. It isn't the first time we have found that supposedly reliable information appears to fall apart on close examination; and it's incredibly frustrating.

Obviously I have emailed the relevant department and asked them to source their data for me.

Gwyn.

Edited 5 June , 2007 by Dragon

[Dragon]

Now I understand.

Apparently, when identifying historic buildings / sites etc, they use a computerised mapping system with layers which are based on the 1904 OS map, effectively laying a map sheet over the area. However, the company which supplied the system used the 1904 second edition with subsequent revisions, and they [the company] don't know which revision was used in which area. So the map used might be 1904 or it might be the 1912 revision or ....

So what Somerset decided to do was quote the source (the 1904 OS 2nd edition) and wait for people to draw their attention to errors, and they will then amend and correct the information in their database.

This is why we have drill halls shown as existing in 1904 when they weren't built till 1913, and why they have First World War memorials listed as marked on the 1904 maps.

Gwyn

[tombowcock]

Hi Gwyn,

Where is the old Drill hall in Batheaston ?

The old Brewey I know is the "Bath Brewery" that is on the hill down towards the toll bridge.

If you let me know I'll try and get some photos as I go through Batheaston every day.

Cheers

James

[Dragon]

Hi Tom

Thank you very much for your offer.

This is a source (see (second paragraph of 'Date and development'); and, from the references quoted, I believe this is it: Malthouse - Avondale Place, off High Street. It hasn't been a brewery for years and is now residential accommodation.

I don’t know the area, so I'm sorry not to be more helpful, but I don't know which you mean.

Gwyn

[tombowcock]

Hi Tom

Thank you very much for your offer.

This is a source (see (second paragraph of 'Date and development'); and, from the references quoted, I believe this is it: Malthouse - Avondale Place, off High Street. It hasn't been a brewery for years and is now residential accommodation.

I don’t know the area, so I'm sorry not to be more helpful, but I don't know which you mean.

Gwyn

Hi Gwyn,

Got some quick photos last night of the building, although you would never have known it was used as a drill hall !!

If you drop me a pm with your e-mail address I will post the photos to you either tonight or tomorrow.

All the best

James

[Dragon]

Sincere thanks to the people who responded to my plea for photos.

Another good thing is that Somerset's Historic Environment Record has now been amended with fuller and more accurate information. I was impressed by how promptly they edited them.

Gwyn