An armoury was established at Welshpool in the mid-19th century.[1] It became the headquarters of the Montgomeryshire Rifle Volunteers in 1861[2] and, although the regiment evolved to become 7th (Merioneth and Montgomery) Battalion, the Royal Welch Fusiliers with its headquarters at Newtown in 1908, the battalion still maintained a presence at Welshpool in the form of C Company.[2]
Meanwhile, the building had also become the headquarters of the Montgomeryshire Yeomanry in the late 19th century.[3][4] The regiment was mobilised at the drill hall in August 1914 before being deployed to the Middle East.[5] After the war, the yeomanry were absorbed by the 7th (Merioneth and Montgomery) Battalion, the Royal Welch Fusiliers.[3]
Following the Second World War and the conversion of the battalion to artillery, the drill hall was decommissioned; it was converted into a sports centre[6] in 1980[7] but it is still used as a training facility by the air cadets.[8]
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