Description

PORTSMOUTH

SZ6399 HIGH STREET
774-1/12/49 (South East side)
25/09/72 Outbuildings to south-west of
Portsmouth Grammar School

GV II

Formerly known as: Cambridge Barracks HIGH STREET.
Warehouses, later barracks, now outbuildings to school (qv).
Late C18-early C19, converted to barracks 1825, offices added
1860-80. Red brick in Flemish bond. Low pitch Welsh slate
hipped roofs, ridge stacks to office extension.
PLAN: an asymmetrical open courtyard formed from an L-shaped
former warehouse to the SE and SW, attached to a longer range
to the NW, enclosing the lower end of the former parade ground
fronted by the officer's quarters to High Street. Each range
consists of single-depth stores, later soldier's rooms,
separated by transverse passages with stairs, the longer SE
range has 2 of these sections separated by a through-arch.
Double-depth former offices attached at the E end of the NW
range.
EXTERIOR: 3 storeys. NW 7-window, SW 5-window, SE 11-window
ranges, with 2 storey 6-window office extension to NE end. NW
and SW ranges have symmetrical fronts with later parapet,
rubbed brick segmental-arched windows containing 8/8 pane
sashes, and central entrance bays with altered doorways and
taller former hoist doors above. SW range has a round-arched
doorway in the W end and a flat-headed door to the E. SE range
has a large central round through-arch with ashlar voussoirs,
and similar fenestration as the other ranges; central former
hoist bays of the flanking sections have mid C20 render;
similar rear elevation.
Former barracks office has rubbed brick flat arches to
6/6-pane sashes, doorway three from the left with boarded
door, and a glazed verandah on iron columns extending across
the centre and left sections; ridge and cross ridge stacks
with cornices.
INTERIOR: former warehouses have axial timber supports to
heavy cross beams; NW range divided into two by a central
entrance stair hall containing a stone dogleg stair with iron
balusters, with doorways each side with fire-proof cast-iron
frames.
HISTORY: these warehouses built during the French wars were
converted to create the Cambridge soldiers barracks, and
formed part of the adjoining Clarence barracks when the
officers' quarters were bought by the Grammar School in 1926.

The later NE block contained the CO's office. An interesting
example of a traditional warehouse with some fire-proof
details. Conversion of industrial buildings for barracks was a
widespread use which predated the general use of purpose-built
accommodation, of which this is a rare and little-altered
example. It forms part of the only remaining complete barracks
from an area just inside the former Portsmouth Lines formerly
with a high concentration of soldier's accommodation. The
irregular layout is a rare survival which reflects the cramped
location of the old barracks.

Listing NGR: SZ6353399541

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26617964

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

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