Somerset
Drill stations (37)
Axbridge
Barrow Gurney
Bathampton
Bishop Sutton
Bishop's Lydeard
Bitton
Buckland St. Mary
Cheddar
Churchinford
Churchstanton
Evercreech
Farmborough
Hatch Beauchamp
Highbridge
Langford
Langport
Martock
Mells
Milverton
Nailsea
Nether Stowey
North Petherton
Peasedown St John
Portishead
Queen Camel
Queen Charlton
Radstock
Road
Somerton
Ston Easton
Wanstrow
Washford
Watchet
Wedmore
Whitechurch
Williton
Wincanton
Axbridge
ds 'B' Squadron North Somerset Yeomanry
Barrow Gurney
ds 'D' Squadron North Somerset Yeomanry
Bathampton
ds 'A' Squadron North Somerset Yeomanry
Bishop Sutton
ds 'G' 4 Somerset Light Infantry
(revised 14.06.07)
Bishop's Lydeard
ds 'B' Squadron West Somerset Yeomanry
Bitton
ds 'C' 4 Somerset Light Infantry
Buckland St. Mary
ds 'B' Squadron West Somerset Yeomanry
Cheddar
ds 'E' 4 Somerset Light Infantry
Churchinford
ds 'B' Squadron West Somerset Yeomanry
Churchstanton
ds 'B' Squadron West Somerset Yeomanry
Evercreech
ds 'F' 4 Somerset Light Infantry
Farmborough
ds 'A' Squadron North Somerset Yeomanry
Hatch Beauchamp
ds 'B' Squadron West Somerset Yeomanry
Highbridge
ds 'C' Squadron West Somerset Yeomanry
ds 'D' 5 Somerset Light Infantry
Ilminster
ds 'D' Squadron West Somerset Yeomanry
ds 'H' 5 Somerset Light Infantry
Langford
ds 'B' Squadron North Somerset Yeomanry
‘Prince Albert’s Somersetshire Light Infantry, 3rd Volunteer Battalion; H Co.’ (Kelly, 1889)
Langport
ds 'C' Squadron West Somerset Yeomanry
‘5th Battalion Prince Albert’s (Somersetshire Light Infantry) (D Co.).’ ds 'E' (Kelly, 1914)
Martock
ds 'D' Squadron West Somerset Yeomanry
ds 'E' 5 Somerset Light Infantry
Mells
ds 'A' Squadron North Somerset Yeomanry
ds 'D' 4 Somerset Light Infantry
Milverton
ds 'G' 5 Somerset Light Infantry
Nailsea
ds 'B' Squadron North Somerset Yeomanry
K89 ‘Devonshire & Somersetshire Engineers; I Co.’
Nether Stowey
ds 'C' Squadron West Somerset Yeomanry
North Petherton
ds 'C' Squadron West Somerset Yeomanry
ds 'C' 5 Somerset Light Infantry
Peasedown St John
ds 'G' 4 Somerset Light Infantry
Portishead
ds ‘Somerset Royal Horse Artillery, Ammunition Column.’ (Kelly, 1914)
‘Gloucestershire (Gloucester & Somerset) Artillery (1st); No. 10 Battery.’ (Kelly, 1889)
Queen Camel
ds 'C' Squadron North Somerset Yeomanry
Queen Charlton
ds 'D' Squadron North Somerset Yeomanry
Radstock
ds 'G' 4 Somerset Light Infantry
Road
ds 'A' Squadron North Somerset Yeomanry
Somerton
ds 'D' 5 Somerset Light Infantry
Ston Easton
ds 'C' Squadron North Somerset Yeomanry
Wanstrow
ds 'D' 4 Somerset Light Infantry
Washford
ds 'A' Squadron West Somerset Yeomanry
ds 'B' 5 Somerset Light Infantry
Watchet
ds 'B' 5 Somerset Light Infantry
Wedmore
ds 2nd South Western Mounted Brigade Company ASC
Whitechurch
ds 'C' 4 Somerset Light Infantry
Williton
ds 'A' Squadron West Somerset Yeomanry
'B' 5 Somerset Light Infantry (Kelly,1889) D Co, 2 Volunteer Battalion
Wincanton
ds 'C' Squadron North Somerset Yeomanry
Drill halls (28)
Bath
Bathford
Batheaston
Bridgwater
Brislington
Bruton
Burnham
Castle Cary
Chard
Clevedon
Crewkerne
Dulverton
Frome
Glastonbury
Keynsham
Midsomer Norton
Milborne Port
Minehead
Shepton Mallet
South Petherton
Taunton
Twerton
Wellington
Wells
Weston-super-Mare
Winscombe
Wiveliscombe
Yeovil
Bath
Drill Hall, Upper Bristol road (and Ivy Lodge, Upper Bristol road)
Lower Bristol road
‘Prince Albert’s Somersetshire Light Infantry, 1st Volunteer Battalion; A, B, E & F Cos., Lower Bristol
road.’ (Kelly, 1889)
‘North Somerset Yeomanry (A Squadron); head quarters, Ivy lodge, Upper Bristol road; drill hall,
Upper Bristol road.’
‘Wessex Divisional Royal Engineers, 1st Wessex Field Co., Victoria drill hall, Upper Bristol road.’
‘4th Battalion Prince Albert’s (Somersetshire Light Infantry); head quarters [plus Bath (A & B) Cos.],
Lower Bristol road.’
‘2nd South Western Mounted Brigade Field Ambulance, A Section, Royal Army Medical Corps, Drill
quarters, Ivy lodge, Upper Bristol road.’
(Above references to Kelly, 1914)
The Victoria Drill hall was situated on the south side of Upper Bristol road, between Albion place and
Albion terrace.
Bathford
‘Prince Albert’s Somersetshire Light Infantry, 1st Volunteer Battalion; D Co.’ (Kelly, 1889)
Batheaston [PHOTOS]
Former Batheaston Brewery (now Avonvale Place)
The building is Listed Grade 2 and originates from the 17 th century. According to the Batheaston
Historical buildings Survey, 2001-2, by the Batheaston Society, “The Batheaston Brewery closed in
1870. Sometime after 1878 the building was acquired by the local Working Men’s Association; the
ground floor became a drill hall for the 14th Avondale Rifle Volunteers, above were rooms for
bagatelle or billiards, reading and smoking. Sometime thereafter, the building reverted to
commercial-industrial usages...”
The premises now appear to have been converted into contemporary homes. We have been sent a
selection of photographs from which we have chosen two that clearly show the building’s historic
features.
Bridgwater
Clare street
70 Friarn street
Chandos street
‘West Somerset Yeomanry (C Squadron); Clare street.’ (Kelly, 1914)
‘5th Battalion Prince Albert’s (Somersetshire Light Infantry); Armoury, 70 Friarn street (C Co).’ (Kelly,
1914) Kelly, 1889, lists K Company.
‘Army Service Corps Wessex Divisional Transport & Supply Column South Western Brigade Co; head
quarters, Clare street.’ (Kelly, 1914) Also listed in Kelly, 1914, as Chandos street.
Brislington
‘4th Battalion Prince Albert’s (Somersetshire Light Infantry) ([section] C Co.).’ (Kelly, 1914)
Bruton
Infant school
Blue Ball Hotel
ds 'D' 4 Somerset Light infantry
Kelly, 1889, lists ‘Prince Albert’s Somersetshire Light Infantry, 3rd Volunteer Battalion; F Co., Blue
Ball hotel.’
Burnham
‘5th Battalion Prince Albert’s (Somersetshire Light Infantry) (detachment of D Co.); drill quarters,
Drill hall.’ (Kelly, 1914)
Castle Cary
Former Infant School
Florida place
Park street
‘Prince Albert’s Somersetshire Light Infantry, 3rd Volunteer Battalion; F Co., Armoury, Florida
place.’(Kelly, 1889)
‘4th Battalion Prince Albert’s (Somersetshire Light Infantry) (F Co.); drill hall.’ (Kelly, 1914)
ds 'C' Squadron North Somerset Yeomanry
From the Victoria County History:
‘Volunteer corps were raised locally in the late 18th and early 19th century. In 1794 Castle Cary
provided the first troop of Somerset yeomanry whose cavalry kept order during local food riots in
1795. In 1797 c. 50 volunteers formed an infantry company. A volunteer rifle corps was founded in
1860 with a resident drill instructor and in 1908 it became part of the Territorial Army. In the 1890s
they had their headquarters and armoury in the old infant school and in 1900 a building on John
Donne's estate at Florida was used.
In 1913 a drill hall was built near the school by the War Office at a cost of £3,000. It was opened by
Henry Hobhouse and his daughter Mrs Clay. Apart from the hall the building comprised rifle range,
armoury and stores, canteen, recreation room, first-floor lecture room and officers' quarters, and a
house for the staff sergeant. It was also used for dances in the early 20th century and in 1914 was
the venue for a Bruton and Castle Cary musical festival. In 2001 it was used by the Territorial Army,
Air Training Corps, and army cadets.’
[Mary Siraut, VCH Somerset: Online texts in progress. March 2007. We are grateful to Mary Siraut
for permission to quote this extract.].
The Drill Hall on Park street still stands.
In The Times, July 24th 1912, there is an article headed ‘The Times Engineering Contract List’ which
refers to Bruton – Somerset Territorial Association.- Drill hall, &c., at Castle Cary. (Part., £1 1s., A. J.
Pictor.)
Chard [PHOTOS]
Drill Hall, Fore street
Corn Exchange, rear of Town Hall
‘Prince Albert’s Somersetshire Light Infantry, 2nd Volunteer Battalion; L Co., Town Hall.’ (Kelly,
1889)
‘5th Battalion Prince Albert’s (Somersetshire Light Infantry) (H Co.); head quarters, Drill hall, Fore
street.’ (Kelly, 1914)
ds 'D' Squadron West Somerset Yeomanry
‘The Corn Exchange, in the rear of the Town Hall, erected at a cost of nearly £1,200, is a spacious
building with a stage and is used as a ballroom, &c. and as the territorial drill hall.’ (Kelly, 1914)
REPLACE PARA At some time, in addition to or as a substitute for the Drill Hall on Fore street, a
Drill Hall was opened on Furnham road. The 1931 OS maps show a Drill Hall here, which was
probably built to provide purpose-built premises as a substitute for hiring the Corn Exchange. We
are not certain of the date when this Drill Hall was built, but the accompanying photographs suggest
that it may be of the general Great War era, and we do not yet know whether it was built during or
immediately after the War.
Clevedon
Drill hall, Albert road
Drill Hall, Moore lane
‘Gloucestershire (Gloucester & Somerset) Artillery (1st); No. 9 Battery, Drill hall, Albert road.’ (Kelly,
1889)
‘Devonshire & Somersetshire Engineers; L Co., Drill hall, Moore lane.’ (Kelly 1889)
‘2nd Wessex Field Co. Royal Engineers (3rd & 4th sections), Drill hall, Albert road.’ (Kelly, 1914)
ds 'B' Squadron North Somerset Yeomanry
Crewkerne
Market street (Armoury)
‘5th Battalion Prince Albert’s (Somersetshire Light Infantry) (F Co.); Armoury, Market street.’ (Kelly,
1914)
ds 'D' Squadron West Somerset Yeomanry (Kelly, 1914)
Dulverton
‘4th Battalion Devonshire Regiment (Detachment of E Co.).’ (Kelly, 1914)
Frome
Keyford street
Gentle street
Lamb Hotel, Christchurch street east
‘Prince Albert’s Somersetshire Light Infantry, 3rd Volunteer Battalion; D Co., Gentle street.’ (Kelly,
1889)
‘North Somerset Yeomanry (No. 1 Troop, A Squadron); head quarters, Lamb hotel, Christchurch
Street east.’
‘4th Battalion Prince Albert’s (Somersetshire Light Infantry) (D Co.); head quarters and armoury,
Keyford street.’
‘Royal Army Medical Corps, 2nd South Western Mounted Brigade Field Ambulance; head quarters &
Transport Section, Keyford.’
(Last three references Kelly, 1914)
The drill hall on Keyford Terrace is recorded as extant in the Somerset Historic Environment Record,
2007, record created May 2006.
Glastonbury
High street (Armoury)
G Co., 3 Volunteer Battalion (Kelly 1889)
‘4th Battalion Prince Albert’s (Somersetshire Light Infantry) (½ H Co.); Armoury, 45 High street.’
(Kelly, 1914)
ds 'C' Squadron West Somerset Yeomanry
ds Battery Somerset RHA
We believe that t The drill hall on Street road may be 1920s. It is shown on the 1931 OS map. A
local contact has offered the information that prior to the Great War, the local blue lias stone was
used; his opinion is that red brick was not used until the 1920s.
Keynsham
Drill Hall, Bath hill
‘Prince Albert’s Somersetshire Light Infantry, 1st Volunteer Battalion; C Co.’ (Kelly, 1889)
‘4th Battalion Prince Albert’s (Somersetshire Light Infantry) (C Co.), Bath hill.’ (Kelly, 1914)
ds 'D' Squadron North Somerset Yeomanry
Kelly, 1914, reports: ‘Drill Hall, Bath hill, to seat 500, Wm. Codrington, caretaker.’
Midsomer Norton
‘Prince Albert’s Somersetshire Light Infantry, 1st Volunteer Battalion; G Co.’ (Kelly, 1889)
‘The G Company 4th Territorial Force Battalion of the Prince Albert’s Somersetshire Light
Infantry Regiment is quartered here and has a drill hall.’ (Kelly, 1914))
Milborne Port
Old Town Hall
‘The Old Town hall is now used as a Drill hall for G Co., 4 th Battalion Dorset Regiment.’ (Kelly, 1914)
Minehead
Quay Lane (Armoury)
‘5th Battalion Prince Albert’s (Somersetshire Light Infantry) (B Co.); The Armoury, Quay lane.’(Kelly,
1914)
ds 'A' Squadron West Somerset Yeomanry
Shepton Mallet
Drill Hall, Charlton road [Drill Hall lane, off Charlton road]
Commercial road (armoury)
‘Prince Albert’s Somersetshire Light Infantry, 3rd Volunteer Battalion; E Co., Armoury, Commercial
road.’ (Kelly, 1889)
‘North Somerset Yeomanry, C Squadron, head quarters, drill hall, Charlton road.’
‘Somerset Royal Horse Artillery (left half battery), head quarters, drill hall, Charlton road.’
‘4th Battalion Prince Albert’s (Somersetshire Light Infantry) (half of F. Co.); head quarters, drill hall,
Charlton road.’
(All references to Charlton road from Kelly, 1914)
‘The Drill Hall for the Territorial Force in the Charlton road was opened in 1912, the cost being nearly
£4,000. The building comprises a large drill hall, offices for the North Somerset Yeomanry and the C
Squadron of the regiment; the left half battery of the Somerset Royal Horse Artillery and half of F.
Co., 4th Battalion Prince Albert’s (Somersetshire Light Infantry); recreation rooms for officers and
men, a bar and a skittle alley and rifle range; there is also a house adjoining for the residence of the
sergt.-major of the R.H.A..’ (Kelly, 1914)
This building is still used by the cadet forces. The building appears to have at least three wings similar arrangement to an H block. Behind the main building is what would have been a large
parade area and at the back, a stable block which now backs on to the road called Yeomanry Way.
The photographs show front of the building and the side view entry gate.
We are grateful to Malcolm Linham for the information on the current status of the Drill Hall and for
the photographs.
The drill hall on Charlton road is recorded as extant in the Somerset Historic Environment Record,
2007, record updated October 2006. It is on Drill Hall Lane, off Charlton road.
South Petherton
‘Prince Albert’s Somersetshire Light Infantry, 2nd Volunteer Battalion; M Co.’(Kelly, 1889)
‘Territorial Force Battalion 5th Prince Albert’s (Somersetshire Light Infantry) (F Co.; South Petherton
detachment), drill hall.’ (Kelly, 1914)
ds 'D' Squadron West Somerset Yeomanry
Taunton
Cheapside
Upper High street
County Territorial Hall
‘Prince Albert’s Somersetshire Light Infantry, 2nd Volunteer Battalion; A & B Cos., Cheapside.’(Kelly,
1889)
Headquarters, B Squadron West Somerset Yeomanry
‘Somerset [Royal] Horse [Artillery] (Battery); head quarters, 10 Upper High street.’ (Kelly, 1914)
County Territorial Hall – Headquarters, battery and Ammunition Column
‘5th Battalion Prince Albert’s (Somersetshire Light Infantry); head quarters [and A Co.], 11 Upper
High street.’ (Kelly, 1914)
Twerton
‘Prince Albert’s Somersetshire Light Infantry, 1st Volunteer Battalion; H Co.’ (Kelly, 1889)
Wellington
Mantle street
South street (Armoury)
C Co 2 Volunteer Battalion (Kelly, 1889)
‘West Somerset Yeomanry (A Squadron); Mantle street.’
‘5th Battalion Prince Albert’s (Somersetshire Light Infantry) (G Co.); Armoury, South street.’
(Both references Kelly 1914)
Wells
High street
Bishops Barn
C Co 3 Volunteer Battalion (Kelly, 1889)
‘The territorial force in the city comprise the H Co. 4 th Territorial Battalion of Prince Albert’s
(Somerset Light Infantry), with an Armoury in the Bishops Barn.’ (Kelly, 1914)
ds 'C' Squadron North Somerset Yeomanry
ds Ammunition Column Somerset RHA
Weston-super-Mare
Drill Hall, George street
Drill Hall, High street
Drill Hall, Churchill road
‘Prince Albert’s Somersetshire Light Infantry, 3rd Volunteer Battalion; head quarters [and B Co.],
Great George street.’
‘Gloucestershire (Gloucester & Somerset) Artillery (1st); No. 11 Battery.’
‘Devonshire & Somersetshire Engineers; H Co., Drill hall, Great George street.’
Above references from Kelly, 1889)
North Somerset Yeomanry (B Squadron)
'4th Battalion Prince Albert’s (Somersetshire Light Infantry) (E Co.), Drill hall, George street.’
‘2nd South Western Mounted Brigade Transport & Supply Column, Army Service Corps, Drill hall,
High street.’
‘2nd South Western Mounted Brigade Field Ambulance Royal Army Medical Corps (B Section).’
‘2nd Wessex Field Co. Divisional Royal Engineers, Drill hall, Churchill road.’
(Above references from Kelly, 1914)
Winscombe
'4th Battalion Prince Albert’s (Somersetshire Light Infantry) ([section] E Co.).’ (Kelly, 1914)
Wiveliscombe
Court place (Armoury)
‘Prince Albert’s Somersetshire Light Infantry, 2nd Volunteer Battalion; E Co., Armoury, Court
place.’(Kelly, 1889)
ds 'G' 5 Somerset LI
ds 'A' Squadron West Somerset Yeomanry
Yeovil [PHOTOS]
Drill Hall, Sherborne road
‘Prince Albert’s Somersetshire Light Infantry, 2nd Volunteer Battalion; F Co., Hendford.’(Kelly, 1889)
D Squadron West Somerset Yeomanry (Kelly, 1914)
E Co. 5th Battalion Prince Albert’s (Somersetshire Light Infantry (Kelly, 1914)
‘The Territorial Force stationed in the town comprise the D Squadron West Somerset Yeomanry… and
E Co. 5th Battalion Prince Albert’s (Somersetshire Light Infantry), which has head quarters in
Sherborne road. The drill hall, built in 1913, includes a shooting gallery, 90 feet in length, officers’
and non-commissioned officers’ rooms and men’s recreation rooms.’
This Drill Hall is extant but may have been modified during its lifetime.