Archaeology Notes

Event ID 841123

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/841123

ND39SW 21 30746 92272

A rendered concrete building in 'art deco' style is situated on the W side of the B9047 road about 77m NW of a sharp bend at Swartland Cottage. The building measures approximately 23m by 4m overall, is of two storeys and has an entrance porch on the NE elevation. It is now a private house and has been painted in black and white.

Fomerly 'The Garrison' theatre and built in 1942 during World War II, the SW (rear) elevation shows evidence of the location of the dance floor, auditorium and stage hut areas in the form of the outline marks of the Nissen type huts which extended to the rear. In addition a blocked entrance can aslo be seen. The concrete hut base of one hut survives whilst the other now is beneath a lawn.

A moulded 'regimental' badge has been mounted on the front elevation above the central upper second floor window taking the form of a flaming bomb with the word 'Ubique' below.

Of the large hutted accommodation camp to to the rear of the theatre only three remain standing, two in a ruinous state.

The camp is visible on RAF vertical air photographs (LEU/UK 4, [Pt.1], 7022-7023, flown 17 April 1948) which shows that seven huts still stood at this date. The photographs also show that there were a total of 58 huts plus the two lage huts for the theatre area. Most of these can still be traced in the grazing ground to the rear of the theatre, where many concrete hut bases and the soil marks of huts are visible.

The Nissen type huts extending from the rear, housed the theatre/dance hall (to the N) and cinema (to the S). Shows were organised by the Entertainments' National Service Association ( ENSA), and attracted many famous acts and performers of the day.

Visited by RCAHMS (DE, GS, SW), August 1997, 1999.