Bethel Street drill hall facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bethel Street drill hall office |
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| Norwich, Norfolk | |
The frontage of the Bethel Street drill hall office (with the green windows); the former skating rink, yellow building next door would have been suitably large enough to be used as a drill hall.
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 Bethel Street drill hall office
Location in Norfolk
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| Coordinates | 52°37′42″N 1°17′22″E / 52.62846°N 1.28939°E |
| Type | Drill hall |
| Site history | |
| Built | c.1895 |
| Built for | War Office |
| In use | c.1895 – 1920 |
The Bethel Street drill hall office is an old building in Norwich, Norfolk, that was once used by the military. It is a special building known as a Grade II* listed building. This means it is very important and protected because of its history and unique design.
History of the Drill Hall
The building at No. 48 Bethel Street has a small underground room, called an undercroft, that dates back to the 1400s. The main brick building you see today was finished in the late 1800s. It was built to look like old Tudor-style buildings.
Early Uses of the Building
At first, the building was home to a group called the Ancient Order of Foresters. Later, around the same time, it became the main office for military groups. These included the 2nd East Anglian Field Ambulance of the Royal Army Medical Corps and likely the 1st Volunteer Battalion of the Norfolk Regiment.
The Norfolk Regiment
The 1st Volunteer Battalion of the Norfolk Regiment was based nearby in St Giles. This group later changed its name to the 4th Battalion, the Norfolk Regiment, in 1908.
When World War I started, the battalion was called into action from St Giles. They were sent to fight in places like Gallipoli, then later in Egypt and Palestine.
Later Changes
During the war, the battalion moved to another drill hall on Chapel Field Road. After this, the Bethel Street building was no longer used by the military.
Over the years, the building had different owners. It was used by a company that printed bibles, called Goose Press. Later, it became Modern Press. Today, the building is owned by the Greenhouse Trust, a charity that teaches people about climate change.
