Caernarfon Barracks is a military installation in

Caernarfon Caernarfon (; ) is a List of place names with royal patronage in the United Kingdom, royal town, Community (Wales), community and port in Gwynedd, Wales. It has a population of 9,852 (with Caeathro). It lies along the A487 road, on the easter ...

Wales Wales ( ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by the Irish Sea to the north and west, England to the England–Wales border, east, the Bristol Channel to the south, and the Celtic ...

History

The building was commissioned by John Lloyd, County Surveyor of Caernarfonshire, as a military headquarters and was completed in 1855. It became the headquarters of units of the Carnarvon Rifle Volunteer Corps when they were raised in March 1860 and went on to become the headquarters of the 3rd Volunteer Battalion, Royal Welch Fusiliers, when that unit was formed in 1897. The battalion evolved to become the

6th (Caernarvonshire and Anglesey) Battalion, Royal Welch Fusiliers The 6th (Caernarvonshire & Anglesey) Battalion, Royal Welch Fusiliers, was a Wales, Welsh unit of the British Army's auxiliary forces. Formed in 1908, from Volunteer Force, Volunteer units that dated back to 1860, it fought at Gallipoli campaign, ...

, in 1908. The battalion was mobilised at the drill hall in August 1914 before being deployed to

Gallipoli The Gallipoli Peninsula (; ; ) is located in the southern part of East Thrace, the European part of Turkey, with the Aegean Sea to the west and the Dardanelles strait to the east. Gallipoli is the Italian form of the Greek name (), meaning ' ...

and ultimately to

Palestine Palestine, officially the State of Palestine, is a country in West Asia. Recognized by International recognition of Palestine, 147 of the UN's 193 member states, it encompasses the Israeli-occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and th ...

. After the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

the battalion converted to become the 635th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery (Royal Welch) and evolved to become the 446th (Royal Welch) Airborne Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery, while still based at the barracks, in 1955. It reverted to infantry stratus and amalgamated with the 7th Battalion, Royal Welch Fusiliers to form the 6th/7th Battalion, The Royal Welch Fusiliers in 1956. However, the presence at the barracks was reduced to a single company, D Company of the 3rd (Volunteer) Battalion, The Royal Welch Fusiliers in 1971 and further reduced to a rifle platoon of D Company, The Royal Welsh Regiment in 1991 and evolved to be a rifle platoon of D Company, The 3rd Battalion, The

Royal Welsh The Royal Welsh (R WELSH) () is an Infantry, armoured infantry regiment of the British Army. It was established in 2006 from the Royal Welch Fusiliers, Royal Welch Fusiliers (23rd Foot) and the Royal Regiment of Wales, Royal Regiment of Wales ...

in 2006. Although the

Ministry of Defence A ministry of defence or defense (see American and British English spelling differences#-ce.2C -se, spelling differences), also known as a department of defence or defense, is the part of a government responsible for matters of defence and Mi ...

had previously indicated its intention to close the barracks, a reprieve was announced in March 2017.

References

{{reflist Grade II listed buildings in Gwynedd Drill halls in Wales