Berwick Barracks

Berwick Barracks is the oldest purpose-built barracks in Britain, a handsome and rather elegant Georgian complex arranged around a parade ground. Designed by Nicholas Hawksmoor and completed in 1721, it houses three separate attractions under the management of English Heritage: the King's Own Scottish Borderers Regimental Museum, the Borough Museum and Art Gallery, and an exhibition on the history of the British infantryman.

The building is worth seeing for its architecture as much as its contents — the formal symmetry of the barracks range around the central square is a fine example of early Georgian military design. The museum collections include material on Berwick's turbulent border history, and there is a decent café on site. Open April to October; check the English Heritage website for current hours and prices.

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A story
Berwick Barracks, built between 1717 and 1721, was one of the first purpose-built barracks in Britain. Before it was constructed, soldiers were typically billeted in private homes and alehouses — a practice that was intensely unpopular with the public. The barracks was designed to house the garrison that maintained order in this strategically sensitive border town, and it set the template for military accommodation across the country for the next century.