Brompton Barracks, Gymnasium

BROMPTON BARRACKS, GYMNASIUM, BROMPTON ROAD

Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places

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Overview

Heritage Category:
Listed Building
Grade:
II*
List Entry Number:
1375603
Date first listed:
08-Jul-1998
List Entry Name:
Brompton Barracks, Gymnasium
Statutory Address:
BROMPTON BARRACKS, GYMNASIUM, BROMPTON ROAD
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Official list entry

Heritage Category:
Listed Building
Grade:
II*
List Entry Number:
1375603
Date first listed:
08-Jul-1998
List Entry Name:
Brompton Barracks, Gymnasium
Statutory Address 1:
BROMPTON BARRACKS, GYMNASIUM, BROMPTON ROAD

The scope of legal protection for listed buildings

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

The scope of legal protection for listed buildings

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

Location

Statutory Address:
BROMPTON BARRACKS, GYMNASIUM, BROMPTON ROAD

The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.

District:
Medway (Unitary Authority)
Parish:
Non Civil Parish
National Grid Reference:
TQ 76389 68895

Details

TQ 7668 NW GILLINGHAM BROMPTON POAD
(South side), Brompton
5/2
Brompton Barracks,
Gymnasium

GV II* (star)

Gymnasium at barracks. 1863, by Archibald Maclaren, building supervised by Captain Mann RE. Yellow brick, blue brick plinth and slate roof Italianate style. PLAN: T-shaped plan of gym, and school of arms with changing rooms at the end. Italianate style. EXTERIOR,: single storey; 7-window gym; sides 4-bay gable and 9-bay school of arms. Sides have arcades of pale rubbed brick round arches connected by a moulded impost band, with a Lombard frieze to the eaves, and 4-bay gables with an oculus; the N changing room end defined by rusticated clasping pilasters with 2 pairs of lower windows to the sides. Long sides to school of arms have alternate metal framed windows and blind bays. Main side to gym has a central gabled porch with a round-arched doorway and oculus above, tall windows each side, and blind windows to the end gables. At the crossing is a large square lead-clad lantern with pyramidal roof and finial. INTERIOR: contains a wide-span queen post roof with king post above the collar, a brick diaphragm arch at the changing room end to the public gallery and former officers' fencing room; escalading apparatus remains at one end of the gym. HISTORY: the second oldest surviving army gym after that at Sandhurst, designed by the pioneer of gymnasia, Maclaren, and when opened the largest and most advanced in the country. In 1862 gyms were ordered to be constructed at all the army barracks, staffed by the new Army Gymnastic Staff, to improve the physical standard of the soldiers. This early and complete example forms part of a good group of listed barrack buildings on both sides of the Brompton Road, and is included for its architectural interest and group value. (History of the Army Gymnastic StafF. 1952-: 1-10; journal of the United Studies Institute: Maclaren A: Military Gymnasia: 1865-: 217).

Listing NGR: TQ7638968895

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:
469567
Legacy System:
LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Oldfield, E A L, History of the Army Gymnastic Staff, (1952), 1-10
Maclaren, A, Journal of the United Services Institute in Military Gymnasia, (1865), 217

Legal

This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.

Ordnance survey map of Brompton Barracks, Gymnasium

Map

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© Crown copyright [and database rights] 2026. OS AC0000815036. Use of this mapping is subject to Terms and Conditions.

End of official list entry

All text content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 , except where otherwise stated. Any supplied maps are © Crown Copyright [and database rights] 2026 OS AC0000815036 and may not be reproduced without permission.

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