Statement of Special Interest
Balaclava House and stables at Redford cavalry barracks dates between 1909 and 1915 and forms part of the complex of infantry and cavalry buildings which make up the extensive and largely intact Redford barracks. The house has some decorative architectural features which are common to the other buildings on the site but is built on a domestic scale. It is little altered to its exterior and still retains its stables. The complex as a whole was the pinnacle of military building prior to the First World War and gives an important and rare insight to the way the military was organized at the beginning of the 20th century.
Age and Rarity
Balaclava House was the residence of the Commanding Officer of the cavalry barracks. The Commanding Officer was in overall change of the regiment that occupied the barracks and lived apart from the other men. He would be expected to entertain visiting Commanding Officers and his house would have had service staff. The Commanding Officer's residence was the largest of the living accommodation and had the most privacy. The Commanding Officer's horses also had the largest stables and were kept apart from the other horses. The house remains in use as the Commanding Officer's residence (2017).
Redford cavalry barracks was built to replace poor cavalry accommodation at Piershill in Edinburgh. Questions had been raised in Parliament in 1900 about the state of the accommodation at Piershill and, by 1909, the barracks there had been recognised as inadequate. As the military troops based in Edinburgh were also housed in cramped conditions at Edinburgh Castle, the decision was taken by the Government to build a new substantial complex incorporating barracks for both infantry and cavalry and including all the necessary associated buildings on the same site at Redford. Although on the same extensive site, the cavalry barracks (located to the east) and infantry barracks (located to the west) were administered separately.
The cavalry barracks were built to be home to the Royal Scots Greys regiment, who moved to Hounslow as their main base in 1937. Redford Barracks was the largest barracks to be built in Scotland since Fort George in Inverness (1748-1769, Scheduled Monument SM6692). The Redford barracks was the most advanced of its type in Britain at the time and the best equipped, incorporating all the latest developments in training and accommodation. The barracks reflect the military confidence of Britain before the start of the First World War.
The magnitude of the building programme at Redford was so great that the builders, Colin MacAndrew Ltd, built their own railway to transport materials from the main line at Slateford. The Scotsman in 1914 noted 'there is no point at the extensive field at Redford where building operations are in progress which are not served by either the broad or narrow gauge railways'.
All of the cavalry buildings lying to the east of the entire barracks site and include a large barracks block with its associated stables, a guard house with its associated gates and gatepiers, a Commander in Chief's house and stables, (Balaclava House), the Officers' mess and stables, a former Sergeants' mess, a band block, an education block, which was originally a school and other auxiliary buildings including further stables, farriers and stores. The cavalry barracks originally included a riding school to the southeast, which is no longer in situ (2016). There were originally married quarters at the centre of the site, but these were demolished in the 1990s. The infantry barracks and all its associated buildings lie to the west of the site.
During the last quarter of the 19th century, the expanding British Empire required more personnel for its administration and its security. To help with the recruitment and training of soldiers, the Secretary of State for War, Edward Cardwell, introduced the Military Localisation Bill in 1872, which introduced new recruiting and training centres around Britain. The majority of the architectural design and planning was carried out by the Director of Design, Major H C Sneddon, and a number of standard types of barracks resulted. Local variations were possible, for example at the Cameron Barracks at Inverness, listed at category B (LB35340) where Scots Baronial architectural features are used. During this period the overall planning and layout of a barracks complex changed from a strict symmetry of buildings around a parade ground to placing the various buildings in the most sensible position according to function.
Up until the beginning of the 20th century, all military fortifications, including barracks were the responsibility of the Royal Engineers. This was reviewed from 1902 and as a result, a civilian department was formed in 1904 under the direction of the Director of Barracks Construction which was responsible for War Department buildings. The new director was Harry Measures. Measures had his own ideas about the design of barracks buildings and he instigated the bringing of various functions under the same roof which had previously had separate buildings. His first project was new cavalry barracks at Norwich, which he designed with all the ancillary and recreational functions in the ground floor of the building with residential accommodation above. This was never built but his ideas on design were realised at Redford.
Following the First World War and over the course of the 20th century, the practice of warfare and the organisation of the military changed. Military accommodation was updated and smaller residential units became standard. Horses were replaced by machinery and Redford cavalry barracks, was amongst the last of its type to be built on such a large scale. Only the Hyde Park Barracks in London, built by Sir Basil Spence in 1970 for the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment are comparable in size and scale. A number of cavalry barracks in Scotland were demolished in the 1960s, including at Maryhill in Glasgow and at Perth.
Balaclava House at Redford cavalry barracks forms part of a largely intact complex of infantry and cavalry buildings which make up one of the largest barracks sites ever built in Britain. The building is domestic in size, and has features common to the barracks buildings across the site. The building has some good architectural features which are in keeping with the group of buildings at this site. Redford barracks was the pinnacle of military building prior to the First World War and the complex as a whole is a rare survivor.
Architectural or Historic Interest
Interior
The interior of Balaclava House was not seen at the time of the site visit (2016).
The former stables have been converted into offices. Some features have been retained, including a fire surround.
Plan form
Early 20th century villas had a variety of plan forms. An irregular plan form was standard for many which had an Arts and Crafts influence.
Technological excellence or innovation, material or design quality
Balaclava House and its stables share the same rock-faced rubble and light sandstone margins which are seen in the other buildings at the complex, characterised principally by stone with contrasting margins.
The building has some decorative features, including its twin gables, bell-cast roof porch and distinctive wallhead chimney stacks. These are some of the features characteristic of Arts and Crafts, favoured for house design in the first quarter of the 20th century. Colinton is an area particularly rich in Arts and Craft villas which include some by Sir Robert Rowand Anderson, 2 of which are the Category A listed 15 Woodhall Road (LB29948) and the B listed 17 Barnshot Road (LB28273).
The stables have retained their hayloft and stable doors and forecourt, which shows its previous function.
Harry Bell Measures (circa 1862-1940), was based in London and was the first (and only) holder of a new civilian post, Director of Barrack Construction, which was created in 1904 in order to free the Royal Engineers for other, more military, duties. He designed a number of stations for the Central London Railway, several of which survive as current London Underground stations, including Oxford Circus (listed at Grade II). In terms of barracks buildings, however, Douet (1998) suggest that Measures rethought the layout of barracks buildings and 'abandoned the long-entrenched principles of subdivision and separation of the various elements and functions'. Redford Barracks appears to be one of the few barracks sites he completed with his only other large military building the New College at the royal Military Academy at Sandhurst, listed at Grade II (Ref no 1390374).
Setting
Balaclava House and stables at Redford cavalry barracks is situated close to road at the eastern edge of the site and has its own private entrance drives. On the Ordnance Survey Map of 1932, it is shown as having an entrances from Colinton Road, and Oxgangs Road North, and is also accessible from the barracks site. It is therefore able to keep a sense of separation from the barracks. It is situated close to its associated stables, which were an integral part of a Cavalry Commanding Officer's residence. Both are important buildings within the site.
Some of the earliest buildings in the Redford site, including the married quarters which lay to the east of the infantry barracks have been demolished and replaced with modern military accommodation. While there have been some later alterations to the group of buildings at the barracks site, the majority of the 1909-1915 buildings remain, however, and the integrity of the site continues to help our understanding of the organisation of our military in the years leading up to the First World War.
The building is located within the Colinton Conservation Area.
Regional variations
There are no known regional variations.
Close Historical Associations
No close historical associations known at present.
As a major military base in Scotland, Redford barracks has provided accommodation and services for a number of Regiments which have been involved in the defence of the United Kingdom over the course of the 20th and 21st centuries.
Statutory address and listed building record revised in 2017 as part of the Redford Barracks Listing Review. Previously listed as Colinton Road, Redford Cavalry Barracks With Officer's Mess, Balaclava House, Guard House, Gates, Gatepiers, Sergeant's Mess, Former Band Block, Education Block, Former Stables, Stores And Other Ancillary Buildings.
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