c.1868 FLG 7/8 (same design as building FLG 5/6) was originally built as accommodation for the Garrison's commanding officers. This is a 3-storey building of yellow stock Flemish bonded brick which faces onto Napier Road. The panelled entrance doors and twelve sash windows are original. The S elevation is elaborately decorated whilst the other elevations are plain. The interior contains original shutters and shutter boxes and some original fireplaces, cupboards and pannelled doors remain. Although converted for office use the building is in good condition and remains relatively intact. Based on information from Colchester Garrison Historic Building Assessment, Ingram Consultancy (Ingram 2000) which considers this to be a building of primary significance within the Artillery Barracks (Flagstaff / DCTA) group of buildings. [Garrison Buildings Group 1] Ingram: building quality A Ingram: group value A ----------- Chbf: ----------- [In 1859? to 1867, the national network of militia quarters was established and coastal fortification were transformed. In 1864-71, Bismarck achieved the unification of Germany on the Continent. In 1866, Colchester became the headquarters of the Army's newly-formed Eastern District, and it was one of the Army's four 'great camps' in Britain (with Aldershot, Shornecliffe, and the Curragh near Dublin). In 1868, Edward Cardwell became Secretary of State for War. In 1872, the Military Localisation Bill provided the blueprint for the reorganisation of the British Army, with 66 districts for infantry regiments, 12 for artillery and 2 for cavalry (Douet 1998); infantry, artillery and cavalry regiments were stationed at Colchester camp. The brick Cavalry Barracks at Colchester were built in two phases in 1862-4. The brick Artillery Barracks were built next to the Cavalry Barracks in the early 1870s, in the Army's great localisation programme after 1872. The infantry in Colchester were housed in the hutment barracks between Mersea Road and Military Road until 1896, from which date the huts were replaced by brick barracks (1896-1904, Hyderabad and Meeanee Barracks; Douet 1998).] References: Douet 1998 VCH 9 Ref. in Pevsner: '... NAPIER ROAD. Two pairs of houses erected for commanding officers of the artillery barracks, 1868. Stock brick with rusticated quons and deep eaves. Plainer blocks along Flagstaff Road 1874-80 ...' etc, p 281, in "The buildings of England: Essex", by Bettley and Pevsner. [Dr James Bettley is a member of the Colchester Historic Buildings Forum. The series of Pevsner volumes on the architecture of England are a famous and authoritative guide to the best examples of architecture in the country, by county, which are in the process of being updated (2012).] Converted to resiedntial in 2016, now 1 to 8 Nero Court, Arena Place, Napier Road.