The building was designed as the headquarters of the
Isle of Wight Rifle Volunteers in 1860. This unit evolved to become the 5th (Isle of Wight, Princess Beatrice's) Volunteer Battalion, The
Hampshire Regiment in 1885 and the 8th Battalion, The Hampshire Regiment in 1908. The battalion was mobilised at the drill hall in August 1914 before being deployed to
India. The regiment converted to the Princess Beatrice's (Isle of Wight Rifles) Heavy Regiment,
Royal Artillery in 1938, a unit which evolved to become the 530th The Princess Beatrice's (Isle of Wight Rifles) Coast Regiment, Royal Artillery in 1940 and the 428th The Princess Beatrice's (Isle of Wight Rifles) Coast Regiment, Royal Artillery in 1947. and an active
Army Cadet Force Centre. ==References==