King's Road drill hall, Bury St Edmunds facts for kids
Quick facts for kids King's Road drill hall |
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| Bury St Edmunds | |
King's Road drill hall
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 King's Road drill hall
Location within Suffolk
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| Coordinates | 52°14′40″N 0°42′23″E / 52.24443°N 0.70651°E |
| Type | Drill hall |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1857 |
| Built for | War Office |
| In use | 1857-1977 |
The King's Road drill hall, sometimes called the Old Cavalry Barracks, is a historic military building. It is found on King's Road in Bury St Edmunds. This building was once a place where soldiers trained and prepared. Today, it is a Grade II listed building. This means it's an important historical site that is protected.
Contents
History of King's Road Drill Hall
Building a Training Place
The drill hall was designed by an architect named Richard Phipson. It was built in 1857. The building was first used as the main office for the West Suffolk Militia Regiment. A militia is a group of citizens who train to be soldiers in case of an emergency.
Serving in World Wars
Later, in the early 1900s, the building became the home for the Suffolk Yeomanry. This was a special cavalry unit. In August 1914, at the start of World War I, the soldiers of this regiment gathered at the drill hall. They were then sent to fight in places like Gallipoli and the Western Front.
After World War I, the Suffolk Yeomanry changed. They became part of the Royal Field Artillery. This meant they used cannons and other big guns. They continued to change their name and role over the years. By 1939, they were known as 217 (Suffolk Yeomanry) Battery. They were part of an anti-tank regiment, which meant they specialized in fighting enemy tanks.
After World War II and Beyond
After World War II, the regiment was re-formed. It was called the 308th (Suffolk Yeomanry) Anti-Tank Regiment. Its main office was still in Bury St Edmunds. Over the next few years, this unit joined with other regiments. They became bigger and changed their names several times.
In 1967, the Territorial Army had a big reorganization. The unit at King's Road became smaller. It was then known as 202 (The Suffolk and Norfolk Yeomanry) Battery. This battery was part of the 100 (Medium) Regiment Royal Artillery (Volunteers).
The regiment left the King's Road drill hall in 1977. After that, the building was no longer used for military purposes. In 1991, the site was turned into homes.
