Former Weedon Barracks, West Blast House Of Series Of Four In Magazine Enclosure

This is a blast house, also known as a traverse, built between 1807 and 1811. It is constructed from red brick in a Flemish bond pattern, with brick arches, and has dentilled eaves to the side walls. Stone copes define the kneelers of the slate roof.

The building has a rectangular plan, running north-south. Originally, the central space was filled with earth and was flanked by a small office and Shifting Room at each end, designed for changing into specialized clothing for working in the magazines. The northern sections of the Shifting Rooms were later demolished, leaving only the southern sections.

The south-facing gables have segmental arches above the central doorway and flanking windows. Originally, there was a beaded 6-panel door in the centre, and 6/6-pane sash windows on either side.

The interior of the blast house remains with a pegged king post roof and, originally, the offices and Shifting Rooms featured boarded or panelled walls.

This blast house is part of a unique, planned military-industrial complex that included a defensible transport system and surrounding walls. While the magazines are smaller than the late 18th century example at Priddy’s Hard, near Portsmouth, they were nonetheless unmatched in scale until the magazines built at Bull Point, Plymouth, in the 1850s. Catenary arches were first used at Tipnor in the 1790s and then at Colonel D'Arcy's magazine at Upnor. The arrangement of traverses utilized in the Weedon complex was innovative in its planning, with blast walls of earth (sometimes brick-faced) becoming a characteristic feature of magazine complexes, and uniquely attaining an architectural form. For more information about the site, see the description of Storehouse No 2.