Dale Barracks
| Dale Barracks | |
|---|---|
| Chester | |
| Site information | |
| Type | Barracks |
| Owner | Ministry of Defence |
| Operator | British Army |
| Location | |
Dale Barracks Location within Cheshire | |
| Coordinates | 53°13′31″N 02°53′42″W / 53.22528°N 2.89500°W |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1939 |
| In use | 1939–1956 1987–Present |
Dale Barracks is a British Army base at Moston near Chester, England. It is home to the 2nd Battalion, Royal Yorkshire Regiment.
History
The barracks are situated in the grounds of Moston Hall, a house built in 1789 for Richard Massey.[1] The house was acquired by the Swetenham family who sold it to the Lockett family in 1918.[2] During the First World War, the house was used as a military hospital.[3][4]
The rest of the site was occupied by a house known as The Dale which was built in the 1880s and was bought by the War Office in 1938.[2] The Dale became the depot of the Cheshire Regiment who arrived from Chester Castle in 1939.[5]
During the Second World War, the Machine Gun Training Centre was established here. After the war, it became a Primary Training Centre for the Infantry.[5]
Between 1956 and 1987, it was part of Western Command and home to 165 Western Command Provost Company (RMP);[6][7] part of the Dale was also used for civilian purposes as a secure asylum before it was returned to military use as the officer's mess for the barracks of the 1st Battalion the King's Regiment.[5]
The 1st Battalion Royal Welsh moved out of the barracks in April 2014,[8] and the 2nd Battalion Mercian Regiment arrived in July 2014.[9] The 2nd Battalion Mercian Regiment then left in Summer 2018 and was replaced by 1st Battalion The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment, which arrived in November 2018.[10] The 1st Battalion Duke of Lancaster's Regiment left the barracks in August 2022, moving to Episkopi. They will be based at Weeton Barracks on their return to the UK.[11]
After returning from Episkopi, the 2nd Battalion, Royal Yorkshire Regiment was based here at Dale Barracks from summer 2022[12][13] until summer 2024, when it moved to Battlesbury Barracks in Warminster.[14]
In July 2024, 22 Multi-Role Medical Regiment moved from Keogh Barracks to Dale Barracks.[15]
Future
In November 2016, the Ministry of Defence announced that the site would close in 2023.[16] This was later extended to 2030.[17]
References
- ^ "Moston Hall". Parks and Gardens. Archived from the original on 25 May 2014. Retrieved 24 May 2014.
- ^ a b "Moston Hall". History of Upton by Chester. Retrieved 24 May 2014.
- ^ "Chapel of the Military Hospital (Moston Hall)". National Archives. Retrieved 24 May 2014.
- ^ "Faculty of Health and Social Care Riverside Museum". Retrieved 24 May 2014.
- ^ a b c "Military & Wartime Activities during the 20th Century" (PDF). History of Upton by Chester. Retrieved 24 May 2014.
- ^ "ROYAL MILITARY POLICE OLD COMRADES LINK UP NEWSLETTER #165 MARCH 2021" (PDF). rhqrmp.org. Retrieved 16 October 2022.
- ^ "Royal Military Police: Provost Companies 101 to 169". british-army-units1945on.co.uk. Retrieved 16 October 2022.
- ^ "Royal Welsh bids farewell to Dale Camp". Chester Chronicle. 4 April 2014. Retrieved 24 May 2014.
- ^ "Dale Barracks Chester welcomes 2 Mercian Regiment". Chester Chronicle. Ministry of Defence. 18 August 2014. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
- ^ "How the Army moved an entire battalion from Cyprus to Chester". Cheshire Live. 28 November 2018. Retrieved 5 January 2019.
- ^ "Battalion leaves Dale Barracks in Chester for new post in Cyprus". Chester and District Standard. 22 August 2022. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
- ^ "2 YORKS". The Royal Yorkshire Regiment. 30 May 2022. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
- ^ Bell, Phil (31 March 2022). "An update from Your County Regiment". The Yorkshire Society. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
- ^ "An update from Your County Regiment". The Yorkshire Society. Retrieved 12 October 2025.
- ^ Vassallo, Colonel David (17 November 2024). "A History of 22 Multi-Role Medical Regiment" (PDF). Friends of Millbank. Retrieved 12 October 2025.
- ^ "A Better Defence Estate" (PDF). Ministry of Defence. November 2016. Retrieved 8 November 2016.
- ^ "Defence Disposal Timeline" (PDF). Retrieved 25 July 2025.