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

• Wikidata Q26617964

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