Keep At Former Wellesley Barracks

The Keep at the former Wellesley Barracks is a disused armoury, guard house, and store built in 1875, designed by the architect of the Royal Engineers. It is constructed from coursed dressed stone with ashlar dressings and features lateral stacks and an asphalt roof, showcasing a Castellated Gothic Revival style.

The building has a square plan, with a ground-floor guard room and detention cells, corner stairs, and stores on the upper floors. It stands three stories high and has a three-window range. The structure is a regular square block with square stair towers at opposite corners that rise above the roof. The other two corners are chamfered and have raised parapets, with ashlar cill and lintel bands, dentil eaves, and a crenellated parapet. The battered ground floor leads to a weathered band, and there are narrow metal-framed windows with stone lintels, arranged in groups of three stepping up to the stair tower.

Although the interior was not inspected, it is noted to have a fire-proof construction featuring iron columns supporting jack arches and stone open well stairs, along with a standard plan that includes the guard house, cells, and various stores.

Historically, the keep served as a secure armoury, store, guard house, and lock-up, representing the characteristic building of the local depot. It was part of the Cardwell reforms, which aimed to redistribute barracks across the country to foster local connections and assist with recruitment. This building helped raise the local profile of the barracks and provided an emblematic focus for the regiment. Only ten examples of such keeps survive, with this one at Brock being part of the two most complete, alongside those at Bodmin and Reading.