The building was designed for the Shropshire Rifle Volunteers and was completed around 1865. The unit evolved to become the 1st Volunteer Battalion, The
King's Shropshire Light Infantry in 1883 and the 4th Battalion, The King's Shropshire Light Infantry in 1908. The battalion was mobilised at the drill hall in August 1914 before being deployed to
India. A Squadron,
Shropshire Yeomanry were also based at the drill hall at the time of the
First World War. After the unit moved to the present Copthorne Road
Army Reserve Centre in the early 1990s, the Longden Coleham drill hall was decommissioned and acquired by
Barnabas Community Church. ==References==