Type Barracks In use 1813-Present Owner Ministry of Defence | Operator British Army Occupants 160th (Wales) Brigade Built for War Office | |
 | ||
Occupant 160th Infantry Brigade and Headquarters Wales | ||
The Barracks, Watton is a military installation in Brecon in Wales.
History
The original barracks, which were constructed of red brick, were built at the Watton in 1805 and then extended in 1813. It was from here that troops were despatched to the Battle of Rorke's Drift during the Anglo-Zulu War in 1879. A keep, for the storage of arms and ammunition, was added to the barracks in 1879. Their creation took place as part of the Cardwell Reforms which encouraged the localisation of British military forces. The barracks became the depot for the two battalions of the 24th (2nd Warwickshire) Regiment of Foot. Following the Childers Reforms, the regiment evolved to become the South Wales Borderers with its depot in the barracks in 1881.
The South Wales Borderers Museum opened at the barracks in 1935. The barracks were designated as a Regional Seat of Government in the Cold War. The barracks are now the home of 160th (Wales) Brigade. In November 2016 the Ministry of Defence announced that the site would close in 2027.