High West Street drill hall
{{Short description|Former military installation in England}}
{{Infobox military structure
|name=High West Street drill hall
|image=57 High West Street, Dorchester.jpg
|caption = High West Street drill hall
|type = Drill hall
|map_type =Dorset
|pushpin_map_caption = Location within Dorset
|location =Dorchester
|coordinates ={{Coord|50.71533 |N|2.43936|W|region:GB_type:landmark|display=inline,title}}
|ownership =
|operator =
|built = 1849
|used=1849-1967
|architect =
|built_for =War Office
|garrison =
}}
The High West Street drill hall is a former military installation in Dorchester, Dorset. It is a Grade II listed building.{{cite web|url=https://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/101218886-56-and-57-high-west-street-dorchester#.WbKwOMiGMdU|title=56 and 57, High West Street|publisher=British listed buildings|accessdate=8 September 2017}}
History
The building, which was built as a residential property in 1849, was converted in the late 19th century for use as the headquarters of the Dorsetshire Rifle Volunteers. This unit evolved to become the 1st Volunteer Battalion, The Dorsetshire Regiment in 1887 and the 4th Battalion, The Dorsetshire Regiment in 1908.{{cite web|url=http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/volmil-england/vinf-so/do-4.htm|title=The Dorset Territorials|publisher=Regiments.org|accessdate=8 September 2017|url-status=bot: unknown|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070415081822/http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/volmil-england/vinf-so/do-4.htm|archivedate=15 April 2007}} The battalion was mobilised at the drill hall in August 1914 before being deployed to India.{{cite web|url=http://www.1914-1918.net/dorsets.htm |title=The Dorsetshire Regiment |publisher=The Long, Long Trail|date= |accessdate=28 December 2015}}{{cite web|url=http://www.drillhalls.org/Counties/Dorset/TownDorchester.htm|title=Dorchester|publisher=The Drill Hall Project|accessdate=8 September 2017}} After the Territorial Army infantry presence in Dorchester was reduced to a single company, C Company (Dorset), Wessex Volunteers, at the newly built Poundbury Road Territorial Army Centre, in 1967,{{cite web|url=https://www.viewnews.co.uk/mayors-pride-dorchesters-rifles/|title=Mayor’s pride in Dorchester’s Rifles|date=25 April 2017|publisher=View News|accessdate=8 September 2017|archive-date=8 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170908202805/https://www.viewnews.co.uk/mayors-pride-dorchesters-rifles/|url-status=dead}} the High West Street drill hall was decommissioned and subsequently converted for commercial use.