Aldershot Garrison

Aldershot Garrison stands between Aldershot and Farnborough in Hampshire. It began in 1854 as a permanent training camp when the War Department bought heathland near the village. The camp grew into a military town that still serves the Army today. It covers about 200 hectares and has a population of around 10,500. Nearby lies 2,700 hectares of open military training land. The garrison hosts headquarters for the Army’s Regional Command and Home Command. The site is important in British military history. Queen Victoria and Prince Albert took a close interest in its development. In 1855 they had a wooden Royal Pavilion built for their visits. Prince Albert also founded the Prince Consort’s Library in 1860. The garrison became home to a division of regular troops after the Crimean War. In 1876 it became headquarters for the 2nd Corps under a new mobilisation scheme. Visitors find a mix of historic buildings and military sites. Government House, built in 1883, once housed the garrison commander. Brick barracks replaced earlier wooden huts between 1889 and 1893. Stanhope Lines and Marlborough Lines contain barracks named after famous battles. A memorial stone marks the 1972 IRA car-bomb site outside the 16th Parachute Brigade mess. The Military Headquarters Building in Steeles Road dates from 1895.