Former Sandes Soldiers' Home

Former Sandes Soldiers' Home
Map
General information
LocationCatterick Garrison
CountryEngland
Coordinates54°22′26″N 1°43′06″W / 54.3740°N 1.7184°W / 54.3740; -1.7184
Ordnance SurveySE184976
Named forElise Sandes
CompletedNovember 1928
Opened23 November 1928
Listed Building – Grade II*
Designated25 July 2024
Reference no.1488335

The Former Sandes Soldiers' Home, is a grade II* listed building within Catterick Garrison, North Yorkshire, England. Historic England stated that the building had been grade II* listed due to its "architectural quality and its historical association with Elise Sandes". The awarding of the grade II* status places it in the top 8% of buildings listed by Historic England.

History

Catterick Garrison (known as Catterick Camp until 1973) was opened during the First World War as a training facility, but in 1923 it was decided to retain the site as a permanent army base, a decision which prompted General Sir Charles Harington ask for the home to be built.[1][2] The building was opened on 23 November 1928 and provided a place where soldiers could go without the pressure of the military environment.[3] The building was designed by a firm of architects based in Belfast, and, at the insistence of Elise Sandes who ran the Sandes homes, it was constructed using a workforce recruited from largely from Ulster. When the home was opened, it included a canteen, cinema, billiards room, reading room, a library, and accommodation rooms if soldiers wished to take a break from barracks life.[4] Elise Sandes had provided 31 of these homes for soldiers throughout the British Empire, including in India and Ireland, but homes also were built in Iceland and France during the Second World War.[5] Part of the building had been converted into a swimming pool, but use of the pool was discontinued in the 1970s when the pool at Shute Road had a roof fitted, and also the opening of the public swimming pool at Richmond.[6]

The main façade of the building, which is 240 feet (73 m) in length, faces onto one of the public roads running through Catterick Camp.[7] It was listed for sale in January 1976, and ceased to be used for its intended purpose in 1983, being refurbished and reopened as a training establishment in 1986, though the Sandes homes charity continued until final closure in 2023.[8][9] The building was listed at grade II* with Historic England, which places it in the top 8% of listed buildings in England.[10] Newly listing a building at II* level is a "rare occurrence" according to Historic England, but they said that "..the former Sandes Home thoroughly deserves this higher level of listing in recognition of both its architectural quality, and its association with Elise Sandes."[11]

References

  1. ^ Historic England. "Former Sandes Soldiers' Home, Cattterick Garrison (Grade II*) (1488335)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
  2. ^ "Interior view of the Former Sandes Soldiers' Home at Catterick Garrison, showing an open doorway (DP486215) Archive Item - Historic England Collection | Historic England". historicengland.org.uk. Retrieved 11 October 2024.
  3. ^ Cole 1972, pp. 31, 70.
  4. ^ Lloyd, Chris (27 September 2024). "The heart of the British army". Darlington & Stockton Times. No. 2024–39. p. 28. ISSN 2516-5348.
  5. ^ Cole 1972, p. 70.
  6. ^ Fowler, Peter (2013). 100 years of Catterick 1914 – 2014. York: York Publishing. p. 106. ISBN 978-0-9927819-0-3.
  7. ^ Cole 1972, pp. 69–70.
  8. ^ Fowler, Peter (2013). 100 years of Catterick 1914 – 2014. York: York Publishing. p. 101. ISBN 978-0-9927819-0-3.
  9. ^ "Sandes: the soldier's friend – Council of Voluntary Welfare Workers". cvww.org.uk. Retrieved 11 October 2024.
  10. ^ Sutton, Harriet (4 October 2024). "Architectural accolade for home on garrison". The Yorkshire Post. p. 14. ISSN 0963-1496.
  11. ^ "Former Catterick Garrison soldiers' home given listed status". BBC News. 24 September 2024. Retrieved 16 November 2024.

Sources

  • Cole, Howard N. (1972). The story of Catterick Camp, 1915-1972. Catterick: Headquarters Catterick Garrison. ISBN 0950309206.