Accommodation Block, Winston Barracks, Hyndford Road, Lanark, South Lanarkshire

Description

Probably the War Office, 1936-1939. 2-storey; 41-bay, H-plan accommodation block extended to E and W forming open courtyards. Coursed red brick with predominantly brick dressings. Base course; chamfered cills; flat-arched windows; eaves blocking course to centre block, overhanging eaves to remainder.

S (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: symmetrical; 41-bay arranged 13-15-13; 7 regularly placed round-arched window to ground floor with decorative glazing and sandstone keystone details, sandstone architraved tablet above central window containing George VI monogram surmounted by Imperial crown; regular fenestration to 1st floor; decorative curvilinear gablet to centre of eaves blocking course, enclosing clock. 13-bay blocks advanced to left and right; sandstone architraved window to bay centre of ground floor with keystone detail, oval window to 1st floor above with moulded sandstone surround, regular fenestration to flanking bays to left and right; regular fenestration to 6-bay inside returns, 2-leaf lying-pane glazed timber doors with decorative fanlights to re-entrant angles.

E ELEVATION: symmetrical; 15-bay, arranged 2-11-2; doorway with decorative brick surround to ground floor centre bay of centre block, 2-leaf lying-pane glazed timber door, 3 windows to 1st floor above, regular fenestration to flanking bays to left and right; 2 bays to left and right advanced forming open courtyard, regular fenestration to ground and 1st floors, 10-bay inside returns with regular fenestration.

N ELEVATION: near-symmetrical; 41-bay, arranged 13-15-13; 9-bay kitchen range advanced to centre of centre block, stepped down to N, 5 regularly spaced windows to centre, flanked by advanced 2-bay blocks with boarded timber doors with glazed panels, regular fenestration to left and right returns; round-arched windows with decorative glazing to flanking bays to left and right at ground floor, 2-leaf lying-pan timber doors with letterbox fanlights to outer left and right, 3 windows to 1st floor above; 13-bay blocks advanced to left and right, regular fenestration to ground and 1st floors, regular fenestration to 7-bay inside returns.

W ELEVATION: symmetrical; 15-bay, arranged 2-11-2; doorway with decorative brick surround to ground floor centre bay of centre block, 2-leaf lying-pane glazed timber door, 3 windows to 1st floor above, regular fenestration to flanking bays to left and right; 2 bays to left and right advanced forming open courtyard, regular fenestration to ground and 1st floors, 10-bay inside returns with regular fenestration, boarded timber doors near-centre at ground floor.

Predominantly border glazing pattern to small-pane timber sash and case windows. Piended red concrete pantiled roof. Coped brick stacks breaking pitch and wallhead stack to kitchen range. Cast-iron rainwater goods with decorative hoppers, dated 1946.

INTERIOR: simple mouldings; concrete and boarded timber floors; pelmets over windows in principal rooms; staircases to E and W with geometric iron railings.

Statement of Interest

B-Group with Sergeants' Mess, Officers' Mess, Guardhouse and Museum.. Winston Barracks were built to accommodate the Depot of the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles). Although the barrack buildings were completed by 1939, it was not until 1946 that the Regimental Headquarters were established to the E of Lanark, the Unit being called the No 26 Primary Training Centre and Depot, the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles). The Cameronians were named after Richard Cameron, one of the most notable Covenanters. They were formed in 1689, under the leadership of the Earl of Angus. In 1881 the Cameronians amalgamated with the 90th Perthshire Light Infantry (formed in 1794) and became the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles). Since 1795 the Cameronians Depot had been at Hamilton, however the buildings were in poor condition and the site was suffering from subsidence. In the second half of the 1930's the War Office bought a 44 acre site to the E of Lanark. The new buildings were to "embody all the latest devices of permanent construction" (The Covenanter, May 1937, p7) and the cost was estimated to be ?150,000. In 1948 the Primary Training Centre at Winston Barracks was disbanded. In 1961 the Cameronians were joined by the Royal Highland Fusiliers, in 1964 they moved away from Lanark, and by 1968 the Cameronians had been disbanded. The barracks themselves were of the Sandhurst Type, which was approved by the Royal Fine Arts Commission. The aim of the design and layout was to improve the comfort and health of the men. 250-300 men were accommodated in the main (Sandhurst) accommodation block. There was a central dining hall, and cookhouses, with accommodation to the left and right, central heating, hot water in the bathrooms, sitting rooms, drying rooms and storage rooms provided what was considered to be luxury accommodation all under one roof. In addition to improved living conditions, according to The Covenanter (May 1937) there was also to be "the abolition of one important "fatigue" - the peeling of potatoes. [as] The kitchen will be fitted with machinery which prepares the vegetables and does all the washing-up" (p7). One of the most important features of these forward-looking barracks was their setting. The grounds were spacious, the married quarters having private gardens and a children's playground and there was also a central parade ground and sports fields.

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