The Church Street drill hall is a former military installation in Brighton. It is a Grade II listed building.[1]

History

The building was designed by Edmund Scott as the headquarters of the 1st Volunteer Battalion, The Royal Sussex Regiment and was completed in 1890.[2] This unit evolved to become the 6th (Cyclist) Battalion, The Royal Sussex Regiment but moved to Montpelier Place in Brighton before the First World War.[3]

Meanwhile, the Sussex Imperial Yeomanry had been located at the Church Street drill hall from their re-formation in 1901.[4][5] The regiment was mobilised at the drill hall in August 1914 before being deployed to Gallipoli and, ultimately, to the Western Front.[6] After the First World War, the unit converted to artillery and was reduced to battery size, becoming 389 (Sussex Yeomanry) Battery, the 98th (Sussex Yeomanry) Brigade, Royal Field Artillery.[4]

After the Second World War, the battery was reformed as P Battery, 344th (Sussex Yeomanry) Light Anti-Aircraft and Searchlight Regiment, Royal Artillery and then as P Battery, 258th (Sussex Yeomanry) Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery in 1955.[4] After the defence cut-backs of 1967, the drill hall was decommissioned and became a Royal Mail sorting office[1] and, more recently, it has been used as an antiques warehouse.[7]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Historic England. "Former drill hall, now Royal Mail sorting office (1380394)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 10 December 2017.
  2. ^ "Home to the Sussex Volunteer Rifles". North Laine Community Association. Retrieved 10 December 2017.
  3. ^ "Brighton". The Drill Hall Project. Retrieved 10 December 2017.
  4. ^ a b c "The Sussex Yeomanry". Regiments.org. Archived from the original on 18 April 2007. Retrieved 10 December 2017.
  5. ^ "Sussex Yeomanry in the First World War". The First World War in East Sussex. Retrieved 10 December 2017.
  6. ^ "Sussex Yeomanry". The Long, Long Trail. Retrieved 10 December 2017.
  7. ^ "Patrick Moorhead Antiques Warehouse". Retrieved 10 December 2017.