Greater London, Westminster, Hyde Park Cavalry Barracks, Other Ranks' Mess (Block B)
Mess (20th Century)
Site Name Greater London, Westminster, Hyde Park Cavalry Barracks, Other Ranks' Mess (Block B)
Classification Mess (20th Century)
Alternative Name(s) Knightsbridge Barracks; Hyde Park Barracks
Canmore ID 286790
Site Number TQ27NE 12.02
NGR TQ 2750 7971
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/286790
- Council Not Applicable
- Parish Westminster
- Former Region Greater London
- Former District Westminster
- Former County Greater London
Building Notes
The Other Ranks' Mess (Block B) is a four storey, two basement, mixed-use block. It contains the Mess dining room, NAAFI shop, social club and bar. There are workshops and stores in the basement for army trained craftsmen such as sword makers, saddlers and leather workers. The forge is also in this block and is easily accessed either by ramp directly from the stable block, or from the stable yard.
It is a square plan, brick building. The voids, which are cut into the profile, and the varied fenestration add interest to the exterior. The upper two storeys of the north elevation project to create a covered walkway from the stables to the stable yard.
Archive Details
The drawings in the Sir Basil Spence Archive include layout plans for the forge, which show the positioning and installation details of the anvils. The photographs in the Archive include views of the dining room mural, which was painted by Milton Spence.
Archive Summary
The Sir Basil Spence Archive holds 762 drawings relating to the Other Ranks’ Mess Block. The building is also shown on a number of drawings for the whole scheme. The Archive also holds 182 manuscript folders and 809 photographs relating to Hyde Park Calvary Barracks. The photographs include a series of construction photographs, taken month-by-month, of the whole site.
This text was written as one of the outputs of the Sir Basil Spence Archive Project, supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund, 2005-08.
