Quite a few of London’s buildings seem relatively ordinary from the outside but are actually quite extraordinary on the inside—London Scottish House is one such building. The exterior makes the London Scottish House look like an average office building, but the interior features a unique multi-story Victorian-era military drill hall that has been given a Grade II listing.
The history of the drill hall starts with the London Scottish Regiment. Initially, this was an all-volunteer military force founded in 1859 by the Highland Society of London and the Caledonian Society of London and commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Lord Elcho. The volunteers functioned in a way similar to reservists in other countries’ present-day militaries; they would meet for drills during the day on the weekends and then return home afterward.
The regiment’s drill hall was originally constructed at the address of 59 Buckingham Gate between 1882 and 1886. This hall was 120 feet (36.6 meters) long and 62 feet (19 meters) wide and featured two tiers of galleries overlooking the main floor. Spectators sometimes stood in these galleries to watch special ceremonies on the ground floor of the hall. A massive glass roof with a wrought iron frame stood over everything.
The London Scottish Regiment went on to serve in multiple wars, including both World Wars, and the individual members of the regiment would earn multiple accolades, including three Victoria Crosses. However, some of the conflicts that the regiment has been involved in, such as the Second Boer War and the War in Iraq, are perceived either questionably or negatively in a historical context, which may tarnish perspectives of the regiment. Even so, multiple war memorials related to these conflicts have been added to the regiment’s drill hall over the decades.
In the 1960s, the drill hall ceased to be used by the military. Aside from the drill hall being antiquated for the modern military’s needs, the building itself was also aging. However, instead of just demolishing the historically important structure, multiple components of the drill hall, including the memorials, the galleries, and the roof, were relocated in 1988 to a new building at 95 Horseferry Road.
The Victorian-era drill hall may no longer serve any military training purposes, but it still has several other functions. The hall is ideal for holding events, and it also serves as a rehearsal place for the London Scottish Pipes and Drums. Additionally, the galleries now contain museum displays that describe the history of the London Scottish Regiment and its training hall.
