Brompton Barracks, Gymnasium

TQ 7668 NW GILLINGHAM BROMPTON POAD (South side), Brompton 5/2 Brompton Barracks, Gymnasium

GV II* (star)

Gymnasium at barracks. 1863, by Archibald Maclaren, building supervised by Captain Mann RE. Yellow brick, blue brick plinth and slate roof Italianate style. PLAN: T-shaped plan of gym, and school of arms with changing rooms at the end. Italianate style. EXTERIOR,: single storey; 7-window gym; sides 4-bay gable and 9-bay school of arms. Sides have arcades of pale rubbed brick round arches connected by a moulded impost band, with a Lombard frieze to the eaves, and 4-bay gables with an oculus; the N changing room end defined by rusticated clasping pilasters with 2 pairs of lower windows to the sides. Long sides to school of arms have alternate metal framed windows and blind bays. Main side to gym has a central gabled porch with a round-arched doorway and oculus above, tall windows each side, and blind windows to the end gables. At the crossing is a large square lead-clad lantern with pyramidal roof and finial. INTERIOR: contains a wide-span queen post roof with king post above the collar, a brick diaphragm arch at the changing room end to the public gallery and former officers' fencing room; escalading apparatus remains at one end of the gym. HISTORY: the second oldest surviving army gym after that at Sandhurst, designed by the pioneer of gymnasia, Maclaren, and when opened the largest and most advanced in the country. In 1862 gyms were ordered to be constructed at all the army barracks, staffed by the new Army Gymnastic Staff, to improve the physical standard of the soldiers. This early and complete example forms part of a good group of listed barrack buildings on both sides of the Brompton Road, and is included for its architectural interest and group value. (History of the Army Gymnastic StafF. 1952-: 1-10; journal of the United Studies Institute: Maclaren A: Military Gymnasia: 1865-: 217).

Listing NGR: TQ7638968895