Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Construction of Gillingham Brompton Barracks began in 1804 when the Royal Artillery erected the South, North and Officers' Blocks on three sides of the Parade Ground. The barracks became the headquarters of the Royal Engineers in 1856. The School House and Lecture Theatre were subsequently built in 1861. A Triple Memorial Arch was built to commemorate Royal Engineers killed in the Crimean War of 1854-6. A further monument was built for Lord Kitchener and Royal Engineers of the First and Second World Wars, and a Memorial Arch erected in 1905 is in memory of those who fell in the Boer War. A bronze statue of George Gordon was also erected in 1890.

Monument Types

• BARRACKS (Post Medieval to Modern - 1804 AD to 2050 AD)
• PARADE GROUND (Post Medieval to Modern - 1804 AD to 2050 AD)
• WAR MEMORIAL (Post Medieval to Modern - 1854 AD to 2050 AD)
• SCHOOL (Post Medieval to Modern - 1861 AD to 2050 AD)

Full description

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(TQ 763690) Gillingham Brompton Barracks. Scheduled monuments 368-377. The Royal Artillery began to build Brompton Barracks in 1804 with the erection of the South (368), North (369) and Officers' (370) Blocks on three sides of the Parade Ground. In 1856 the barracks became the headquarters of the Royal Engineers who remain here. The School House (371) and the Lecture Theatre (372) were probably built at the same time in 1861. The Triple Memorial Arch(374) commemorates Royal Engineers killed in the Crimean War of 1854-6, and the War Memorial (375) Lord Kitchener and Royal Engineers of the First and Second World Wars, while the Memorial Arch (376) erected in 1905 is in memory of those who fell in the Boer War. The bronze statue of George Gordon (377) was erected in 1890. The Institute Building (scheduled monument 373) lying to the E of the Boer War Triumphal Arch was built in 1872-4 on ground sloping to the river. (1) Additional bibliography. (2)(3)
SAMs KENT 368-377 de-scheduled 18th Feb 2000

The buildings were subject to an assessment prior to planned renovation with demolition of some non-listed elements of the barracks. (5)

Peter Kendall, 2006, Historic barracks in Medway (Unpublished document). SKE15939.

<1> Royal Engineers' Journal 1957 59 289 (S M Lambert) (OS Card Reference). SKE49341.

<2> DOE (IAM) Rec Form 8.1.79 (OS Card Reference). SKE40724.

<3> Bldgs of Eng West Kent and the Weald 1980 292-293 (J Newman) (OS Card Reference). SKE38057.

<4> A handbook of Kent's defences 1540-1945 1973 13 (D Bennett) (OS Card Reference). SKE32800.

<5> Atkins, 2007, RSME Chatham Brompton Barracks: Cultural Heritage Appraisal (Unpublished document). SKE18121.

Sources and further reading

Related records