Hms Drake Drill Shed

HMS Drake Drill Shed is a drill shed built between 1879 and 1886, designed by Superintendent Engineer Lieutenant Colonel P. Smith, Royal Engineers. It was doubled in size in 1907. The building is constructed of Plymouth limestone ashlar with a steel frame behind and features a flat roof that is hidden by a parapet. It has a large rectangular plan and is a single storey structure.

The exterior is symmetrical with a front that has a 1:9:1:9:1 bay arrangement. It includes a plinth, rusticated pilasters that divide the bays, a parapet entablature, and segmental arches over the openings. The wide central entrance bay and the narrow blind end bays are slightly projected forward and topped with pediments. Each of the symmetrical 9-bay side elevations has two large entrances in the 3rd and 7th bays, supported by rusticated columns and an entablature with a large segmental pediment. The terminal bays match those of the front.

Inside, the shed is noted for its iron supports that hold up an iron-trussed roof. Historically, sailors lived in hulks until the first barracks were constructed in Devonport in the late 19th century, with similar designs following at Chatham and Portsmouth. HMS Drake is unique for being built in ashlar. Indoor drill sheds were introduced into barracks during the 1880s, and this building is comparable to the large examples found at other naval barracks. It is part of one of the finest and most complete barracks in England, reflecting the status and importance of the Royal Navy during that period.