Fenkle Street drill hall
Military installation in Northumberland, England
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Fenkle Street drill hall is a former military installation in Alnwick, Northumberland. It is a Grade II* listed building and is now used by the Northumberland County Council.[1]
| Fenkle Street drill hall | |
|---|---|
| Alnwick | |
Fenkle Street drill hall, Alnwick | |
| Site information | |
| Type | Drill hall |
| Location | |
  Fenkle Street drill hall Location within Northumberland | |
| Coordinates | 55.41387°N 1.70807°W |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1834 |
| Built for | War Office |
| In use | 1834-1995 |
History
The building, which was originally designed as a library and completed in 1834,[1] was extended to form the headquarters of the 1st Volunteer Battalion, The Northumberland Fusiliers in 1887.[2][3] The 1st Volunteer Battalion moved to the Hencotes drill hall in Hexham in 1891 but D Company remained at Alnwick and this unit, together with C Company and G Company, evolved to become the 7th Battalion the Northumberland Fusiliers in 1908.[4] The battalion was mobilised at the drill hall in August 1914 before being deployed to the Western Front.[5]
The battalion was reduced to a cadre at Ashington in 1969 but reconstituted as the 6th (Volunteer) Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers with its headquarters at Fenkle Street in 1975.[6] After the battalion headquarters moved to the Ravensdowne drill hall in Berwick-upon-Tweed in 1975, a rifle platoon forming part of W Company remained at Fenkle Street[6] but, in the 1990s, moved to the Lisburn Terrace Army Reserve Centre.[7] The Fenkle Street building was subsequently converted into offices and is now occupied by the Northumberland County Council Register Office.[8]