Fenkle Street drill hall

The building, which was originally designed as a library and completed in 1834,[1] was extended to form the headquarters of the 1st Volunteer Battalion, The Northumberland Fusiliers in 1887.[2][3] The 1st Volunteer Battalion moved to the Hencotes drill hall in Hexham in 1891 but D Company remained at Alnwick and this unit, together with C Company and G Company, evolved to become the 7th Battalion the Northumberland Fusiliers in 1908.[4] The battalion was mobilised at the drill hall in August 1914 before being deployed to the Western Front.[5]

The battalion was reduced to a cadre at Ashington in 1969 but reconstituted as the 6th (Volunteer) Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers with its headquarters at Fenkle Street in 1975.[6] After the battalion headquarters moved to the Ravensdowne drill hall in Berwick-upon-Tweed in 1975, a rifle platoon forming part of W Company remained at Fenkle Street[6] but, in the 1990s, moved to the Lisburn Terrace Army Reserve Centre.[7] The Fenkle Street building was subsequently converted into offices and is now occupied by the Northumberland County Council Register Office.[8]