Home Front Legacy 1914-18
Claire Corkill, Chris Kolonko, 2020. https://doi.org/10.5284/1059297. How to cite using this DOI
Data copyright © Council for British Archaeology unless otherwise stated
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
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Resource identifiers
- ADS Collection: 3366
- DOI:https://doi.org/10.5284/1059297
- How to cite using this DOI
Full Record - Easdale Drill Hall (PRN: 277)
| PRN | 277 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Site or location name | Easdale Drill Hall | ||||
| Summary | Easdale Island Community Hall | ||||
| Description | Canmore gives 'A drill hall on Easdale Island is marked on the 2nd epoch 1:2500 map (surveyed 1898). It is a square, slate rubble structure with a high pyramidal roof, whose central post was a mast recovered from a wrecked ship. It is not clear which unit was using the hall in 1914, and which was using the other drill hall nearby: Osborne (2006) records the presence of 'H' Squadron, 2nd Scottish Horse and 'H' Company, 8th battalion Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders in the area. The building survives but was completely refurbished in 2004. Information from HS/RCAHMS World War One Audit Project (GJB) 18 September 2013.' Slate Islands Heritage Trust added in 2014 'The drill hall on Easdale Island was opened in May 1870. Its unique design incorporated the mast of a wrecked ship to support a pyramidal roof. The hall still stands, completely renovated in 2003 as an arts and community centre. Tiny Easdale Island was heavily populated in 1860 when the slate quarrymen formed Number 1 Company of Argyll's Volunteer Artillery. Together with Number 2 Company at Ellenabeich, just two hundred metres away on the Isle of Seil, these part-time soldiers manned four huge 32-pounder cannon, a link in the chain of batteries around Britain's coast to defend our shores if the French invaded. In 1908, with the creation of the Territorial Force, artillery gave way to infantry. H Company of 8th Battalion Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders was formed on the Slate Islands. The men used both drill halls until the Territorials were mobilized in 1914. After the war, H Company moved to Oban, but a small detachment remained at Easdale until the outbreak of the Second World War.' Historic Scotland gives 'With much of the regular army engaged in Imperial wars with the French Emperor Louis Napoleon throughout the mid nineteenth century volunteer forces were raised by the Scottish regiments to defend the more isolated areas of coastline. With more than 500 men employed by the Easdale Marble and Slate Company it was logical that the first volunteer force established by the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders was at Easdale. Quarriers were encouraged to enlist by the company and island's owner, Lord Breadalbane, who provided the Drill Hall. A battery was also built on the west side of the island overlooking the Firth of Lorn and equipped with cannons from the Clyde naval yard, discarded after ship refits. The volunteers were run until the closure of the quarries in when most of the young men were forced to leave the island for work. Since then it has been used as a storehouse, a fish processing plant and a community centre. A similar Drill Hall was built across on the mainland at Ellanabeich.' | ||||
| Monument Type | DRILL HALL;DRILL HALL | ||||
| Desgination | None | ||||
| Material | RUBBLE, SLATE | ||||
| Location | |||||
| Country | SCOTLAND | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| County | Kilbrandon and Kilchattan | ||||
| Site Location | Public hall near to harbour | ||||
| Postcode | |||||
| Map Reference | NGR: NM7396017047 (173960, 717047) | ||||
| Condition/Threat | |||||
| Condition (Date) | Good (31-08-2015) | ||||
| Source | |||||
| Historic Environment Scotland (2014) Easdale, The Drill Hall. Canmore. http://canmore.org.uk/site/232997 | |||||
| (2015) Easdale Island, The Drill Hall. Historic Environment Scotland. http://portal.historicenvironment.scot/designation/LB48057 | |||||
| Administration | |||||
| Recorded By (Date) | John M - Geograph (24-08-2010) | ||||
| Copiled On | 31-08-2015 | ||||
| Last Updated | 31-08-2015 | ||||
| Associated data |
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Documentation
| Image metadata | CSV | 590 Kb |
Data
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Easdale Island Community Hall, formerly Easdale Drill Hall (Ellenabeich, Argyll and Bute). Front elevation. (File name: 277_439.jpg) |
JPG | 151 Kb |
