Wellington Barracks
| Wellington Barracks | |
|---|---|
| London | |
Wellington Barracks
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 Wellington Barracks
Location within London
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| Coordinates | 51°29′59″N 0°8′16″W / 51.49972°N 0.13778°WCoordinates: 51°29′59″N 0°8′16″W / 51.49972°N 0.13778°W |
| Type | Barracks |
| Site information | |
| Owner | Ministry of Defence |
| Operator |
 British Army
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| Site history | |
| Built | 1833 |
| Built for | War Office |
| In use | 1833-Present |
| Garrison information | |
| Occupants | Grenadier Guards Coldstream Guards Scots Guards |
The Foot Guards battalions on public duties in London are located in barracks conveniently close to Buckingham Palace for them to be able to reach the palace very quickly in an emergency. In central London, three companies are based at Wellington Barracks, Westminster, about three hundred yards from Buckingham Palace between Birdcage Walk and Petty France. Wellington Barracks is also home to all of the Foot Guards bands and all of the regimental headquarters.
Wellington Barracks were designed by Sir Francis Smith and Philip Hardwick and opened in 1833. The Guards Chapel was rebuilt in the 1960s after the original chapel was destroyed by a bomb in World War II. On 31 August 2007, Diana, Princess of Wales' two sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, organised a memorial service in the chapel, marking the 10th anniversary of their mother's death. The Grenadier Guards, Coldstream Guards and Scots Guards currently have a company based at the barracks.
Wellington Barracks has many amenities open to those working and living within the barracks. There is a NAAFI Bar for the junior ranks, which has many games available including horse racing and snooker tables. The NAAFI shop with a self-serve restaurant, a masseur and corporals' mess are located here. There is a single serving personnel room with Internet access available, as well as an interactive learning facility open to all serving soldiers and their dependants. Elsewhere there is an officers' mess, sergeants' mess, and a gymnasium with squash courts. The Guards Museum houses a collection of uniforms, colours and artefacts spanning over three hundred years of history of the Foot Guards. The Flanders Fields Memorial Garden is situated in the barracks, adjacent to the Guard's chapel.
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Wikipedia