Mc Munn Barracks

Reed Hall, McMunn Barracks

House. Early to mid-19th century with minor 20th-century alterations. Built in Flemish bond buff brick with render. Slate hipped roof.

The building comprises a rectangular block with a central entrance to the north, a pair of symmetrical outshuts to the south, and an extension to the east.

The north elevation features a central entrance with a projecting semi-circular porch of deep cornice supported by a pair of slender engaged pilasters and a pair of slender columns. Portland stone steps lead to a recessed 6-panel door with panelled reveals below an overlight with leaded fanlight. Three window bays contain 4-over-12-over-12 sashes to the ground floor and 4-over-8 sashes to the first floor. The east elevation has a 2-storey flat-roofed extension and a semi-circular window with 3 radiating mullions to its left side. A slender rectangular chimney with dentilled cornice rises to the apex of the hipped roof, with a smaller similarly detailed chimney serving the 2-storey extension. The rear (south) elevation is rendered, featuring 3 symmetrical 4-over-8 sashes to the first floor and a 4-over-12-over-12 sash at the centre of the ground floor. Flanking this are a pair of hipped-roof red-brick outshuts: the right one has a semi-circular window with 3 radiating mullions facing west; the left one has a 4-over-8 sash and door. The right elevation contains a 3-over-6 sash to the right and a 4-over-12-over-12 sash to the left, with a square brick chimney with dentilled cornice rising to the apex of the hipped roof.

Internally, a slender central entrance hall runs along the front. To the left are two rooms in depth: the front room contains a kitchen and pantry extending into the east outshut; the rear room provides access to a scullery in the south outshut, a cellar, and a secondary wood winder stair with rounded handrail to the first floor. The cellar has a brick floor and an arched recess in the brick wall for wine storage. To the right of the main entrance, beneath the principal stair, is access to a large central room with a wood fireplace and views to the garden, which leads to a small study extending into the left outshut. To the right of the central hall is an elaborate panelled doorcase with rounded arch, dropped keyblock, panelled reveals, and flanking built-in cupboards, opening to a 6-panel door with decorative pressed paper on its inside panels. This leads into the dining room, which features a marble fireplace with slender flat pilasters. The central stair, with stick balusters and moulded handrail, rises to a landing at the rear of the first floor and continues to a hall at the front of the house, positioned directly above the entrance hall. To the right is a bedroom with panelled shutters to the window. To the left is a bedroom with a wood fireplace, panelled shutters, and a blocked doorway to the rear wall. The hall extends to a rear central bedroom. To the left is a 6-panel door to a small room that receives the secondary stair through a thin 4-panel door adjacent to a cupboard with plank door. To the right of the central bedroom is a plank door to a hall (leading to the landing at the main stair) and now a bathroom with panelled shutters and panelling below.

Ancillary buildings include a one-storey brick cottage to the left with a slate hipped roof, wooden casements, and a cast-iron fireplace, and a stable block to the rear.

The house was purchased by the War Department in 1905. At the time of inspection in January 2002, it served as the Commanding Officer's residence at Colchester Garrison.