The Drill Hall

TQ7669NE 686-1/2/101

GILLINGHAM Pembroke NORTH ROAD (south side) The Drill Hall

(Formerly Listed as: NORTH ROAD (South side) Motor depot in HM Dockyard)

06/06/84

GV II Drill Hall, later motor depot, now disused. c1902, by Sir Henry Pilkington. Brick with brick and Portland stone dressings and arch-panelled ridge and gable stacks and slate cross-gabled roofs.

STYLE: Free Edwardian Baroque.

PLAN: near symmetrical rectangular plan with axial central range with towers, flanking cross range drill halls with porches and axial side ranges and end cross ranges, with three single-storey ranges along the front.

EXTERIOR: long symmetrical range with articulated one and two storey blocks, and split keystones to segmental-arched 6/6-pane sashes.

Central block: two storeys and attic; five bay range. Gabled slightly-projecting end cross-wings with gable parapets and kneelers, leading back by roof ridges to two square battlemented square clock towers rising above the roofs in two stages. Lunette windows in side gables over stone cill bands, central stepped gable over round-arched window in centre of facade, cill band to first floor, plinth band to ground floor; two bays under each end gable and three in centre; central first floor window which is larger and arched with a terracotta surround. Window to right of centre on first floor removed and hoist inserted. Porch with striped stone and brick buttresses and central keyed entrance arch with cornice moulding and balustrade over centre. Central block is flanked by two lower blocks of six bays each, with the second and fifth bays projecting and gabled. Between these blocks and outer wings are projecting entrance bays with segmental arches leading to drill sheds, with striped keyed arch surrounds flanked by pilaster piers with scroll capital decoration and topped by stepped parapets; gable parapets of drill sheds appear above and behind these parapets, with radiating keyed lunettes.

Outer wings: two storeys, and attic in centre; fifteen bay range. Central gabled projection with gable parapets and kneelers enclosing lunettes with keystones and stone bands above and below. Coped parapeted flanking projections and eaves brought down over intervening blocks; first floor cill band and plinth. Keyed, segmental-arched heads to 6/6-pane sashes. Tall panelled doors to fourth and twelfth bays.

Rear has to the south of the main range a low single-storey full-length range with large segmental-arched windows, crenellated parapets and canted arched corners; the range is broken by radiating keyed arches flanked by diagonal buttresses with skewed arches in front of drill sheds.

INTERIOR: not inspected.

HISTORY: part of a complete early C20 barracks, with Captain's House, mess block, barracks and walls (qqv).

Listing NGR: TQ7676269653