Colchester Archaeological Trust

CAT Report 585: summary

A building recording survey of the former Garrison Riding School, Le Cateau Barracks, Cavalry Road, Colchester, Essex - February 2011
by Chris Lister

Date report completed: February 2011
Location: former Garrison Riding School, Le Cateau Barracks, Cavalry Road, Colchester, Essex
Map reference(s): TL 9922 2438 (c)
File size: 7,237 kb
Project type: Building recording survey
Significance of the results:
Keywords:

Summary. The former Garrison Riding School is located amongst the remains of the decommissioned Le Cateau Barracks, itself part of the much larger Colchester Camp. As a Grade II listed building the Riding School is one of a very few number of buildings that has not been demolished during the redevelopment of the area. Le Cateau Barracks and the Garrison Riding School is the last surviving example of the new layout of cavalry barracks first developed at Aldershot in the 1850s, for large scale training. Although several original features have been replaced by later alterations, this has not particularly affected the function and layout of the building. As the majority of these changes evolved with the use of the building for the purpose for which it was constructed, they can be seen to be inconsequential. The additional structures built against the Riding School itself also have little impact upon the function or interpretation of the building as a whole.