Sergeant'S Mess And Attached Basement Area Railings, St George'S Barracks

The Sergeant's Mess and attached basement area railings at St George's Barracks in Gosport were built between 1856 and 1859. This disused canteen, which later served as a sergeant's mess, is constructed of yellow stock brick with stone dressings and features lateral stacks on each side and a flat roof. The building has a two-room plan with a central through passage and is a single storey with a basement.

The exterior has a symmetrical front with a five-window range, a ground-floor band, a cornice, and a parapet. The doorway is framed with a stone surround and cornice, featuring a modern door with margin and overlights, and steps that lead down to the basement area. The windows have rubbed brick flat heads and consist of 6/6-pane sashes on both levels.

Inside, the layout is plain, with rooms that open off the central passage and a dogleg stair. The property also includes attached cast-iron railings with diagonal bars and ball finials surrounding the basement area and front steps.

Historically, barrack canteens were operated by franchised beer sellers until reforms following the Crimean War, after which they were returned to army control. The barracks served as a transit station for infantry and were designed to be bomb-proof due to their strategic location just inside the Gosport Lines. This building is the only example of this type of barracks in the country and is part of a complete group with the Lines earthworks, highlighting Gosport's significance in the defense of the Portsmouth dockyard.