Old Bank Road Drill Hall, Golspie
| Old Bank Road Drill Hall | |
|
Sutherland | |
|---|---|
 Old Bank Road drill hall, Golspie | |
| Type: | Drill hall |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | NC83970045 |
| Location: | 57°58’41"N, 3°57’49"W |
| Village: | Golspie |
| History | |
| Built 1892 | |
| For: | War Office |
| Drill hall | |
| Information | |
The Old Bank Road Drill Hall in Golspie, Sutherland, was built in 1892 to serve as the drill hall and headquarters for the 1st Sutherland (The Sutherland Highland) Volunteer Rifle Corps[1] at the height of the volunteer movement. It remained a military headquarters, serving the Territorial Army until 1980.
History
The hall was built as the drill hall for the local band of volunteers. The 1st Sutherland evolved to become the 5th (The Sutherland and Caithness) Battalion of the Seaforth Highlanders (Ross-shire Buffs, The Duke of Albany's) in 1908.[2] It was at this drill hall that the battalion was mobilised in August 1914 before being deployed to the Western Front.[3] In 1921 with the creation of the Territorial Army, the battalion amalgamated with the 4th Battalion, the Seaforth Highlanders to form the 4th/5th Battalion, The Seaforth Highlanders (Ross-shire Buffs, The Duke of Albany's), with its headquarters at the Old Bank Road Drill Hall in Golspie.[2] The 4th Battalion and 5th Battalion operated separately from 1939 and 1941, when they amalgamated again after the surrender at Saint-Valery-en-Caux.[4]
After the Second World War, the combined battalion amalgamated with 6th (Caithness and Sutherland) Battalion and 7th (Morayshire) Battalion to form 11th Battalion, The Seaforth Highlanders (Ross-shire Buffs, The Duke of Albany's), with D Company of the 11th Battalion based at the Old Bank Road drill hall.[5] The 11th Battalion then amalgamated with the 4th/5th Battalion, The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders to form the home defence battalion of the Queen's Own Highlanders (Seaforth and Camerons) in 1967.[5]
The home defence battalion of the Queen's Own Highlanders (Seaforth and Camerons) was in turn absorbed into the 51st Highland Volunteers in 1969; the building continued to be used on an occasional basis until 1980 since when it has been left to decay.[6] It is now considered to be at risk.[6]
References
- ↑ CANMORE (RCAHMS) record of Golspie, Old Bank Road, Volunteer Drill Hall
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "5th (The Sutherland and Caithness) Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders". Regiments.org. Archived from the original on 29 December 2005. https://web.archive.org/web/20051229191750/http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/volmil-scotland/vinf/seaf-5.htm. Retrieved 24 June 2017.
- ↑ "Seaforth Highlanders". The Long, Long Trail. http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/regiments-and-corps/the-british-infantry-regiments-of-1914-1918/seaforth-highlanders-ross-shire-buffs-the-duke-of-albanys/. Retrieved 24 June 2017.
- ↑ "4th (Ross Highland) Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders". Regiments.org. Archived from the original on 29 December 2005. https://web.archive.org/web/20051229200850/http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/volmil-scotland/vinf/seaf-4.htm. Retrieved 24 June 2017.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 "11th Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders". Regiments.org. Archived from the original on 3 January 2006. https://web.archive.org/web/20060103161733/http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/volmil-scotland/vinf/seaf-11.htm. Retrieved 24 June 2017.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Territorial Army Drill Hall (Former)". Buildings at risk register. http://www.buildingsatrisk.org.uk/details/895742. Retrieved 24 June 2017.