St Mary's Road drill hall, Southampton

The building was designed by W H Mitchell as the headquarters of the 1st Hampshire Artillery Volunteers and completed in 1889.[2] It was an initiative of Colonel Edward Bance, former Mayor of Southampton, and was opened by Edward Stanhope, Secretary of State for War, in 1890.[1] With the formation of the Territorial Force in 1908, the 1st Hampshire AV became the Hampshire Royal Garrison Artillery, but the drill hall also became the home of the Hampshire Royal Horse Artillery in 1908.[3] Both units were mobilised at the drill hall in August 1914, with the Hampshire RGA manning coast forts and the Hampshire RHA being deployed to the Middle East.[4][5]

After World War I, the Hampshire RGA resumed its coast defence role while the Hampshire RHA amalgamated with the Hampshire Yeomanry and evolved to become 378 (Hampshire RHA) Battery with its base in Southampton.[3][6] It was renamed 218 (Hampshire RHA) Battery in 1937 and served as part of 72nd (Hampshire) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, RA, during World War II. The heavy regiment formed three coast artillery regiments during the war that manned the Portsmouth and Southampton defences.[3][6]

Postwar, the drill hall was decommissioned and converted for leisure use in 1974.[2]