Former married men's quarters at Maindy Barracks

Cadw's description

Location

On the E side of the parade square behind the former school.

History

Maindy Barracks was built in 1877 and was first occupied by the Royal Glamorgan Militia. The Militia was superseded in 1881 by the newly formed Welch Regiment and it remained the headquarters of the regiment until its amalgamation in 1969 with the 1st Battalion of the South Wales Borderers to form the Royal Regiment of Wales.

The barracks, also originally known as a 'localisation depot', was built under the auspices of the Localisation Act of 1872, which instigated the first national barrack-building campaign to be undertaken in peacetime. These are also referred to as the 'Cardwell reforms', after Edward Cardwell, Secretary of State for War 1868-74 who implemented a range of reforming policies. Regimental depots were established in populous districts to provide a focus for recruitment, and raised the profile of the army by giving it a powerful visual presence in the civilian community. The War Office issued standard designs for barracks, although local variations were permitted, particularly in the choice of materials. Local character at Maindy Barracks was achieved by the use of Pennant sandstone and slate roof. Maindy was also characteristic of the period in its overall layout around a central parade square, and incorporated many of the innovations of the period such as a school and married men's quarters in addition to the normal barrack rooms and officers' quarters, and had one of the earliest depot hospitals.

Exterior

A symmetrical 2-storey 6-window block of snecked rock-faced Pennant sandstone, lighter freestone dressings, sill bands and cornice, slate roof behind coped gables and 4 stone stacks. Originally 4-window, the windows set back from the ends in each storey have been converted from original doorways. Otherwise paired windows are all replaced in original openings. The upper storey is recessed behind a balcony that projects on stone corbels and has iron railings. Both storeys have a central entrance beneath segmental arches. The gable ends have 2 narrow vents in the gable, with lean-to the R gable end. The 5-window rear has similar detail to the front, with a segmental-headed window lower centre, while 2-storey projections have been added in the position of doorways set back from the ends.

Reason for designation

Listed, notwithstanding replacement of windows, as an integral component of one of the best-preserved regimental depots in Wales erected under the Cardwell reforms of the 1870s.