CBCT - The Guards and Caterham

Caterham grew from a small North Downs village in 1837 to a prosperous country town in 1914. The 1851 census noted 487 inhabitants occupying 92 houses in the parish of Caterham the majority of these were situated on the Hill near the tiny church, rectory and Caterham Court. The villagers were tradesmen or agricultural labourers working for tenant farmers, as there was no resident Lord of the Manor.

The metropolitan asylum, designed for 2000 inmates, opened in 1870. Seven years later the adjoining land was transformed into the Guards' Depot. Farm and common land were soon replaced by small villas and terraced houses for asylum workers. High Street houses were converted to shops and there seemed to be a public house on every corner. Although the newly developed Valley was less than a mile away, the community on the Hill was self-contained, for the dangerously steep and unlit WaIler Lane and Church Hill were a barrier to communication. During the next 30 years new estates were laid out including the extensive Nineham's estate. By 1911 there were 7138 people living on the Hill which included army pensioners, domestic servants, Croydon and City commuters. The small village had been transformed.

Caterham became the largest army depot of the Victorian age, and home to Her Majesty's Foot Guards, the elite personal bodyguard to the Monarch.

The barracks is a prime example of the reform of barrack design in mid-nineteenth century following the Crimean War of 1853-6. A more humane approach to the housing and welfare of solders followed the results of official enquiries that showed that soldiers based at home had a life expectancy half that of their contemporaries in the civilian population. Soldiers were kept in condition of overcrowding and squalor as bad as workhouses or prisons. The reformers, who included Florence Nightingale and Sydney Herbert advocated new standards of health care, sanitation and moral reforms in both civilian and military establishments. The army was forced to respond.

. In all, the aim of the design of the barracks was "the creation of a higher tone of social habits" by providing healthy living conditions, proper sanitation, decent food, and moral and physical education. Further recommendations in a following guidance document on the design of barracks recommended the physical separation of the accommodation and messes for officers and

There was no requirement for a compact fortified layout, instead a greenfield site with scope for experimenting on the lines of the sanitary reformers was possible. It is interesting to note that in 1850s there was no codifying principle for the design of the layout of the barracks and the engineers were given some room for experimentation. Caterham had the benefit of being on the railway and having space for large numbers of soldiers to be trained. For, also in the mode of Aldershot, its purpose was for training and not for the policing role of the civilian population which was traditionally a fundamental duty of the barracks. Further impetus to the reform of the barrack design was given by the Royal Commission's Report 1857 which uncovered that the old evils of barracks were appalling and prevalent.

A new Commission for Improving Barracks and Hospitals was set up as a watchdog. Florence Nightingale was in close association with the Commission and its successor the Army Sanitary Commission. The design of the new barracks was based on the understanding of the transmission of disease via contaminated water supply and "the stagnation of air." Cross-ventilation and cross-lighting of sleeping rooms as implemented at the Caterham barrack blocks. Interestingly, the space allocated for the men was set down in both volume (600 cubic feet) and in plan area (60 square feet). This results in the lofty ceiling heights seen at the barracks; with the tall windows, ample light and ventilation is provided.

The Commissioners insisted that the barracks should also have libraries for the ranks as well as for officers, and that more structured form of exercise should be provided by gymnasiums. At Caterham there was a tradition from the earliest times in the barracks for the rank and file to have places for relaxation, initially a skittles alley, and that theatrical and musical entertainments were organised to which the public were invited. This became a service not just for the recreation for the troops but also a link with, and amenity for, the local community. A new barracks building campaign was initiated in Britain in the 1870s. An expanding volunteer

The detailed architectural and planning work was carried out by the Director of Design Branch, Major H. C. Seddon, who was assisted by a civilian architect at the head of a team of civilian draughtsmen. Seddon worked out design types. Caterham Barracks is the only example of a Type One barracks. It was the largest depot in the country and the home of four regiments each of three battalions (more than 12,000 men).

types of necessary reform, each of which may be seen built into the design of Caterham. First, kitchens should have dining rooms so that soldiers were not obliged to spend their mealtimes in the sleeping rooms (where the food was probably also prepared). Second, separate quarters should be provided for married soldiers and their families; and third, that a fairly-priced bar should be provided for the men so that they would not be tempted to frequent the cheaper gin shops

army and navy was essential to service the Empire. Meanwhile there was growing prosperity and the authorities were having trouble in recruiting sufficient numbers of soldiers when the public status of soldiers was low. This programme came under the Military Localisation Bill 1872 introduced by Edward Cardwell at the War Office. The aim was redistribution of the armed forces into areas populous enough to support a brigade. The intention was also to enhance "ties of kindred and loyalty" and thus make the army more accessible and attractive career. The depot would provide the regimental home and administration (including pay), arms and clothing would be stored and distributed there, and recruits would be attracted and trained.