Government House, Aldershot

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Government House
Hampshire
Location
Grid reference: SU86655331
Location: 51°16’21"N, 0°45’33"W
Village: Aldershot
History
House
Information

Government House is a building in Aldershot Garrison near Aldershot, at the eastern edge of Hampshire.

The house is a Grade II listed building.[1]

History

The house was built in Queen Anne revival style as the garrison commander's house in 1883.[1] A military horse cemetery was created in the grounds of the house in the late 1880s.[2]

After a serious fire in 1903, the house was remodelled internally and it became the garrison officers' mess.[3] In May 1904, shortly after the house re-opened, Lieutenant General Sir John French, Commanding the Troops at Aldershot, hosted a visit by the Prince and Princess of Wales there[4] and in July 1914 Lieutenant General Sir Douglas Haig, Commander-in-Chief Aldershot Command, was waiting anxiously inside the house when he heard that the First World War had broken out.[5]

Government House circa 1890

In the 1920s and 1930s searchlight military tattoos were held in the grounds of Government House.[6]

The building was again extensively refurbished in 2012 by Rydon[7] and the Queen's Dining Room continues to be used to entertain important visitors to the garrison.[3] The stables at the house will be converted for use as accommodation as part of the'Army 2020' plan.[8]

References