Building No 25, 8th Brigade HQ, Parade Ground, Ebrington Barracks, Limavady Road, BT47 6HH

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Two storey hipped metal roof building (Kingspan or similar) in red brick with central single storey canted brick entrance porch with parapet.

Eight structural bays long facing north onto parade ground. At first floor each bay has a group of 3 windows, central larger (Georgian paned pvc) flanked by 2 smaller with continuous concrete cill. Ground floor similar. No chimneys

West elevation: similar pattern at first floor – rendered masonry escape stair dropping to bullnose step along façade. Concrete string course over ground floor windows around building.

East façade blank apart from single-sheeted door at base.

To rear, pattern of windows as on front is continued. Bridge link to Block 11 at high level near south west end.

Historical information

Building not recorded on the 1955 Ordnance Survey Map but reported elsewhere as being constructed in 1949. It certainly appears to date from the early 1950’s from its detailing. It functioned as the headquarters of Sea Eagle and then of the Western Command Area of the Army (8th Brigade) during most of the 30 years of the Troubles (there was a short break for three years in the early 1980’s when the Brigade moved to Armagh). The building had a flat roof until the early 1970's. The plaques recorded below were removed as the Army vacated the base in 2003.

Plaque in entrance hall commemorates the construction of the barracks in 1841:

‘The construction of this military establishment was undertaken by Lieut. General the Right Hon Sir B Husser Vivian Bart GCB & GCK Master General of the Ordnance and it was named Ebrington Barracks on the anniversary of her Majesty Queen Victoria’s birthday AD 1841 by his Excellency Hugh Viscount Ebrington Lord Lieutenant and General Governor of Ireland, and the first stone of it was laid on 26th July 1841. Lieut. General the RT Hon Sir Edward Blakency KCB & GCK being commander of the forces and Lieut. Colonel Holloway CB under whose direction the designs have been prepared. Commanding Royal Engineers in Ireland’

Plaque below commemorates the Royal Navy involvement in the base;

‘1941-1970 These barracks were occupied by the Royal Navy at first commissioned as HMS Ferret then renamed HMS Sea Eagle when in 1947 they became the base for the RN/RAF Joint Anti- Submarine School which trained the escorts, aircraft and submarines of the Western World. On the 25th June 1970 they were handed back to the Army’

Also in the entrance hall plaques recording the ‘Role of Honour’ of all those of Eighth Brigade who died as a result of the Troubles and a second plaque remembering those who died as members of the RUC in the 8th Brigade Area. A large room to the western side of the building was formerly a double height space but has now had the ceiling lowered. This was the command room for naval exercises.

References-
Primary sources

Ordnance Survey Maps 1831, 1854, 1873, 1904, 1933, 1955
O’Hagan’s Map of Londonderry 1847
Derry Journal 6th April 1841 ‘Notice to Builders’
Plaques and framed history in entrance hall.

Secondary sources
History of Ebrington Barracks (Anonymous, circa 1970’s) EHS files
Site officer at time of survey.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

Two storey hipped metal roof building in red brick. A 1950s office building of historic interest as the headquarters of Sea Eagle naval base and of the western command area of the Army during the 30 years of the Troubles. Historic areas of interest have been altered however. Architecturally it is not of interest and partially obscures the original composition of the barracks’ complex.