Ramsden Garden Wall Memorial, Montgomery Lines
RAMSDEN GARDEN WALL MEMORIAL, MONTGOMERY LINES
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1393809
- Date first listed:
- 20-May-2010
- List Entry Name:
- Ramsden Garden Wall Memorial, Montgomery Lines
- Statutory Address:
- RAMSDEN GARDEN WALL MEMORIAL, MONTGOMERY LINES
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Location
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1393809
- Date first listed:
- 20-May-2010
- List Entry Name:
- Ramsden Garden Wall Memorial, Montgomery Lines
- Statutory Address 1:
- RAMSDEN GARDEN WALL MEMORIAL, MONTGOMERY LINES
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.
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.
Location
- Statutory Address:
- RAMSDEN GARDEN WALL MEMORIAL, MONTGOMERY LINES
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- County:
- Hampshire
- District:
- Rushmoor (District Authority)
- Parish:
- Non Civil Parish
- National Grid Reference:
- SU 86121 51541
Reasons for Designation
The Ramsden Wall Memorial at Montgomery Lines is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons: * Architectural interest: a Brutalist concrete wall that forms a backdrop to a garden in the post-war barracks complex and is a striking structure of its time, employing concrete to dramatic effect with its random exposure of aggregate, and effectively rough finish and period lettering. * Historic interest: although contemporary in its styling, the wall commemorates the post-war rebuilding of the Victorian barracks at this major Army site by the noted political figure, James Ramsden MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for war at the time; it evocatively used bricks from the demolished barracks on the site as part of the design.
Details
991/0/10059 Ramsden garden wall memorial, Montgome 20-MAY-10 ry Lines
II Commemorative garden wall, about 24m long, and dated 1962. It forms the southern edge of a part-sunken garden within the cluster of barracks and parade grounds at the Montgomery Lines.
Concrete, designed in a consciously Brutalist style, and with aggregate comprised of brick from the demolished Victorian Corunna, Barossa and Albuhera barracks. The material effect is rough, with irregularly exposed aggregate and an irregularly stepped profile to the top, with vertically grooved shuttered concrete finish.
An inscription band in stone with blocky sans serif lettering at the base of the wall marks its unveiling by James Ramsden, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for War, in 1962 to commemorate the beginning of Aldershot Barracks rebuilding. Inscription reads 'THIS STONE UNVEILED BY MR JAMES RAMSDEN MP PARLIAMENTARY UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR ON 4TH OCTOBER 1962 COMMEMORATES THE START OF THE REBUILDING OF BARRACKS IN ALDERSHOT'
The rear elevation is plainer but the brick aggregate and the geometric styling are apparent.
HISTORY: Arnhem Barracks, Bruneval Barracks, Normandy Barracks and Rhine Barracks are collectively known as the Montgomery Lines after Field Marshal the Viscount Montgomery of Alamein, who was Colonel Commandant of the Parachute Regiment from 1944 to 1956. These four barracks were designed to house the 16th Parachute Brigade and were built in 1962 on the original site of Corunna, Barossa and Albuhera Barracks. An inscription on the contemporary wall of a small garden between the new barracks records the start of the new rebuilding as being from 1962 and initiated by James Ramsden MP (b.1923), Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for War from 1960-63, when the barracks were built; Ramsden was the last holder of this office, which was re-named the Secretary of State for Defence in 1964. The wall was constructed in part from re-used brick from the Victorian barracks demolished for the post-war rebuilding.
SOURCES Douet J, British Barracks, 1600-1914, their Architecture and Role in Society (1998) 130-133 English Heritage, Barracks Thematic List Review (1993) 19 Hantsweb Hampshire County Council (Accessed 23/10/09); Aldershot local history pages: http://www3.hants.gov.uk/museum/aldershot-museum/local-history-aldershot/barracks/montgomery-lines.htm 216 Parachute Squadron website (accessed 23/10/09) http://www.216parasigs.org.uk/history/216pss.htm
The Ramsden Wall Memorial at Montgomery Lines is designated at Grade II for the following principal reasons: * Architectural interest: a Brutalist wall that forms a backdrop to a garden in the post-war barracks complex and is a striking structure of its time, employing concrete to dramatic effect with its random exposure of aggregate, and effectively rough finish and period lettering. * Historic interest: Although contemporary in its styling, the wall commemorates the post-war rebuilding of the Victorian barracks at this major Army site by the noted political figure James Ramsden MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for war at the time; it evocatively used bricks from the demolished barracks on the site as part of the design.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
- Legacy System number:
- 507673
- Legacy System:
- LBS
Legal
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
Map
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 24-Jun-2026 at 23:24:03.
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