Sunderland Barracks

Sunderland Barracks
Sunderland
Barrack Street, Sunderland: the barracks were demolished in the early 1930s
Sunderland Barracks Location within Tyne & Wear
Coordinates	54.911°N 1.368°W / 54.911; -1.368
Type	Barracks
Site information
Owner	War Office
Operator	British Army
Site history
Built	1794
Built for	War Office
In use	1794-c.1910

Sunderland Barracks was a military installation at Hendon in Sunderland.

History

The barracks, which were designed by Thomas Neill, were built using timber construction as part of the British response to the threat of the French Revolution and were completed in 1794. They included accommodation for 1,528 infantry troops and, from 1803, an 80-bed hospital. The soldiers' quarters were rebuilt using brick construction between 1826 and 1828. In 1873 a system of recruiting areas based on counties was instituted under the Cardwell Reforms and the barracks became the depot for the 68th (Durham) Regiment of Foot and the 106th Regiment of Foot (Bombay Light Infantry).

Following the Childers Reforms and the formation of the Durham Light Infantry from the amalgamation of the 68th and 106th Regiments of Foot in 1881, the Durham Light Infantry moved out of the barracks and established its depot at Fenham Barracks in Newcastle upon Tyne in 1884. After that the Sunderland Barracks were mainly used by Royal Artillery units. By the turn of the century many of the barracks built in the late 18th century were in poor condition and in May 1909, the War Office started considering disposal of the Sunderland site. The barracks were decommissioned shortly thereafter and demolished in the early 1930s to make way for Corporation Quay.