Erskine Barracks
{{Use British English|date=January 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2021}}
{{Infobox military structure
|name=Erskine Barracks
|image=Erskine Barracks.jpg
|caption = Erskine Barracks undergoing demolition
|type = Barracks
|map_type = Wiltshire
|pushpin_map_caption = Location within Wiltshire
|location = Fugglestone St Peter
|coordinates = {{Coord|51|5|13|N|01|51|5|W|region:GB_type:landmark|display=inline,title}}
|ownership = Ministry of Defence
|operator = {{army|United Kingdom}}
|built = 1949
|used=1949-2010
|architect =
|built_for = War Office
|garrison =
|occupants =Headquarters Land Forces
}}
Erskine Barracks was a military installation at Fugglestone St Peter, in Wilton parish some {{Convert|2+3/4|mi|km|0|abbr=}} northwest of Salisbury in Wiltshire, England.
History
The site, which had been farmland{{Cite journal|date=July 2014|title=Erskine Barracks, The Avenue, Wilton, Wiltshire: Historic Building Record andArchaeological Watching Brief Report|url=https://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/archiveDS/archiveDownload?t=arch-425-1/dissemination/pdf/wessexar1-348950_1.pdf|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=24 January 2021|website=Archaeology Data Service|publisher=Wessex Archaeology|doi=10.5284/1052624|author1=Wessex Archaeology}} until used for temporary army buildings during World War II, was acquired by the British Army for use as a headquarters for Southern Command in 1949. The establishment was centred on Fugglestone Farmhouse and an Ordnance Survey map of 1958 labels it as Fugglestone Camp.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=1958|title=SU13 - Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 maps of Great Britain, 1945-1969|url=https://maps.nls.uk/view/95749839|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2021-01-24|website=National Library of Scotland}}
The barracks were later named after General Sir George Erskine,{{cite web|title=Homes Fit For Heroes|url=https://www.ourwilton.org/homes-fit-for-heroes/|access-date=24 January 2021|publisher=Wilton Hill & Erskine Park Community Association}} who had been GOC Southern Command from 1955 until his retirement in 1958.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Sir George Watkin Eben James Erskine]|url=http://www.kcl.ac.uk/lhcma/locreg/ERSKINE.shtml|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131017084121/http://www.kcl.ac.uk/lhcma/locreg/ERSKINE.shtml|archive-date=17 October 2013|access-date=|website=Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives|publisher=King's College London}} The site went on to become in 1968 the headquarters of Army Strategic Command, which was renamed UK Land Forces in 1972 and Land Command in 1995. On 1 April 2008 Land Command amalgamated with Headquarters Adjutant General under 'Project Hyperion' and became Land Forces.[http://www.drumbeat.org.uk/resources/133JUN08.PDF HQ Land Forces on the move] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120307005327/http://www.drumbeat.org.uk/resources/133JUN08.PDF |date=March 7, 2012 }} Drumbeat, June 2008 Land Forces moved from Erskine Barracks to the former RAF Andover site now known as Marlborough Lines on 23 June 2010,{{cite web|url=http://www.andoveradvertiser.co.uk/news/8128867.Andover_becomes_HQ_Land_Forces_on_23_June/ |title=Andover becomes HQ Land Forces on 23 June|publisher= Andover Advertiser|date= 29 April 2010|accessdate=6 April 2014}} and the site became vacant.
At time, that the site covered 9.6 hectares to the north of the railway line and 3.8 hectares (less fully developed) to the south. The former farmhouse had been demolished by 1968 and all standing structures were from 1950 or later. In 2014 the headquarters building was described as "an impressive example of brutal modernism".
Post-Army use
The site was sold to housebuilder Redrow in March 2013,{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=29 March 2013|title=Redrow to develop former Salisbury barracks site|url=http://www.theconstructionindex.co.uk/news/view/redrow-to-develop-former-salisbury-barracks-site|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=20 January 2021|website=Construction Index}} and all its buildings were demolished in 2014. Besides housing, the site has Erskine House which provides 44 flats for former military personnel, and offers training for their return to civilian work.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Veteran's Village Groundbreaking|url=https://www.alabare.co.uk/news/veterans-village-groundbreaking2|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2021-01-24|website=Alabaré}}{{Cite web|date=2019-10-14|title=Her Royal Highness The Countess of Wessex officially opens Wilton's Entrain Space|url=https://www.entrainspace.co.uk/her-royal-highness-the-countess-of-wessex-officially-opens-wiltons-entrain-space/|access-date=2021-01-24|website=Entrain Space|language=en-GB}}
Legacy
The National Army Museum has a Bath stone fireplace salvaged during the demolition in 2001 of Bridge End House, a building of c.1900 used as an administrative block by the Army.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Fireplace, from Bridge End House, Erskine Barracks, Wilton, 1900|url=https://collection.nam.ac.uk/detail.php?acc=2001-10-47-1|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2021-01-24|website=National Army Museum, London}}
During demolition in 2014, a photographic record of selected buildings – including the Sergeants' Mess and the Headquarters – was made by Wessex Archaeology to form a historic building record, as required by Wiltshire Council under a planning condition. No archaeological features were found during a simultaneous watching brief.