According to the 1860 Post Office Directory Whittington Heath comprised 338 acres on the south-east side of the village and was an open sheep walk, where the Lichfield Races were held.

The Victoria History of the County of Stafford tells us that Lichfield Races had been moved to Whittington Heath from Fradley in 1702 and during the eighteenth century became one of the leading meetings of the Midlands.  In the early 1740s the races were held in the first week of September and lasted two days, extending to three in 1744, and formed the focus for a great social occasion with well-attended public breakfasts and dinners, balls and concerts taking place and in and around Lichfield.  The nobility & gentry entertained lavishly at home also.  The line of the course was apparently altered in the early 1740s to give spectators a better view.  In 1766 the landlord of Lichfield's Red Lion pub advertised that he intended to set up a viewing stand and a booth at the course and in 1773 a grandstand was erected by public subscription.  From the 1780s onwards a decline set in, although the opening of a new stand in 1803 suggests at least a temporary revival of its fortunes. 

An article in The Times on Wednesday, September 17, 1806, read:

Lichfield Races were attended by a very numerous assemblage of Nobility and Gentry: amongst whom were, the Marchioness of STAFFORD; Ladies ANSON, DARTMOUTH, WROTTESLEY, and OSSULSTONE; Lords DARTMOUTH, VERNON, CURZON, LEVISON GOWER, OSSULTONE, and NORTHESX; Sirs E LITTLETON, J SCOTT, J WROTTESLEY, &c.  The Balls were fully attended: on the second night there were upwards of 300 distinguished personages.  The Theatricals were very respectable, and performed to crowded audiences, under the management of Mr WARD.  COOKE was engaged to perform there on Friday, but did not fulfil his engagement.

General William Dyott writing in his diary described the 1836 meeting as "a wretched affair" and by 1850 it was reported that the race-goers were "a coarse and common crowd with hardly a gentleman's carriage to be seen".  However, even a hundred years earlier - in 1752 - a Richard Rigby had earned the undying gratitude of the Duke of Bedford, the leader of the Whigs, for rescuing him from a mob at Lichfield Races.

Click here for a map of the racecourse around 1820/1830

Whilst the races were declining, the military use of the Heath was growing.  Officers in the local militia (a forerunner of the Territorial Army) were using Whittington Heath for training and manoeuvres.  The Cardwell Reforms of 1870 led in 1881 to the amalgamation of many old “numbered” regiments to form new named regiments, including the North and South Staffords.  It was decided to establish permanent depots in each regimental area and Lichfield was selected for the Depots of both Staffordshire Regiments.  In 1875 the Marquis of Anglesey agreed to the sale of his land; he (and one other) were paid £5,000 in March 1876 and the common land was bought from the Commoners of the Manor of Longdon for £14,211 in February 1877.

Construction of the Barracks for the Depots of the two Regiments and for a Militia Battalion (of which there were four in the county) started in 1877; Messrs Harry Lovatt & Sons of Wolverhampton were the builders. 

Brickyards were set up near the Swan canal bridge in Whittington and also at Huddlesford, once again near the canal.  In Staffordshire Records Office there is the original document which agreed the building of a horse tramway for carts to carry the bricks up to the building site.  It reads:

This Agreement made the twenty fourth day of December One thousand eight hundred and seventy seven Between the Surveyors of the Highways of the parish of Whittington in the County of Stafford of the one part and Henry Lovatt of Wolverhampton in the County of Stafford Builder and Contractor of the other part.

Whereas the said Henry Lovatt is the Contractor for and is erecting certain Barracks at Whittington Heath and is making bricks at a brick yard at Huddlesford and as the cartage of the bricks cuts up the Highways of the said Parish it was agreed that the said Henry Lovatt shall lay a Horse Tramway on the terms hereinafter stated.

Now it is hereby agreed by and between the said parties hereto as follows:

1.  The said Henry Lovatt shall be at liberty to construct and lay down from Whittington Heath to the said brick yard at Huddlesford along the side of the highways and byeways in the said parish of Whittington including the highway through the Village of Whittington a Horse Tramway of two feet guage with all necessary Turnouts and passing places for the cartage of bricks for all purposes of his said Contract.  The said Henry Lovatt shall lay down the said tramway level with the highways throughout and shall keep the same in proper repair and shall provide sufficient break power and shall keep signal men with danger flags wherever the road is so narrow as to necessitate this precaution.

2.  On the completion of the said contract the said Henry Lovatt shall remove the said tramway and shall restore the Highways over which it runs to their present condition.

As Witness the hands of the said parties

 H Lovatt

W. A Thomas, George Bates - surveyors

The Barracks were simple in design based around a large parade square, which survives to this day.  The original entrance was on the shorter side of the rectangle at the western (Lichfield) end, whereas today the main entrance is directly from the A51, Lichfield/Tamworth Road. Whilst some of the original buildings survive, many have disappeared, for example the Military Hospital, which was sited to the north of the present day Officers' Mess.  Another building to have disappeared was the Roman Catholic Chapel, built in 1920; Catholics in Whittington Village would attend church here.  It was demolished in the 1980s, but the stained-glass windows were rescued.  As part of the 125th Birthday celebrations they were installed in the Garrison Church.

The first building to be completed - around 1878 - was the "chapel school" used as a schoolroom for children of the soldiers during the week and for services on Sunday; today it is the Garrison Church.  October 29th 1880 was the date recorded as the formal handing over of the whole site.

In 1895 race meetings finally came to an end, when, despite local protest,  the War Office banned them, saying it was "undesirable to hold a race meeting at the gate of the barracks."

The following letter appeared in The Times on Monday, 23 September 1895:

LICHFIELD RACE MEETING: The Lichfield branch of the National Sporting League received on Saturday the following official reply from the War Office to memorials forwarded to the Secretary for War asking for the restoration of Lichfield race meetings: -

"War Office, Pall-mall, Sep 17, 1895.  Sir, With reference to your letter dated August 13, forwarding three memorials as to the continuance of the Lichfield races, I am directed by the Secretary of War to acquaint you that he has also received a memorial signed by the Bishop of the diocese and a large number of the inhabitants of Lichfield praying that the Lichfield races may be discontinued.  The decision to put a stop to the meeting was arrived at some years since.  After full inquiry into the circumstances the military authorities adhere to their opinion that the holding of the meeting at the very gates of the barracks is most undesirable.  The barracks have recently been enlarged and the increase in the number of troops which will accommodated in them will be a considerable gain to the tradesmen of Lichfield.  It was intimated to the race committee by the then Secretary of State for War in 1890 that at the termination of five years the privilege of holding the meeting on Government land would be withdrawn.  The five years expired in 1894 and Sir H Campbell-Bannerman, as a special concession, agreed that one more meeting (that of last spring) should take place, on the distinct understanding that no further application would be entertained.  Under these circumstances Lord Lansdowne feels that he would not be justified in altering the decision arrived at by his predecessor.  I have the honour to be, Sir, your obedient servant, G. Lawson."

The old grandstand for the race course was taken over as a Soldiers’ Home.  Miss M Allen was the 1^st Lady Superintendent, but the best remembered was Mrs Key (her husband was Mayor of Lichfield for 2 years 1928/1929).  She was superintendent for 30 years.  Many of the soldiers who passed through Whittington Barracks remember the canteen open from 10 am to 11 pm and the “Blue Room” with deep comfortable armchairs and books and writing materials.   Mrs Key died in 1932; her funeral service was held in the Garrison Church and was conducted by the Royal Chaplain, attended by senior officers as well as lowly ranks.  The Home continued in use by the Army until 1957, when it was acquired by Whittington Golf Club from the War Office for a clubhouse.  Previously its club house was on the site of what is now the Whittington Arms.

Golf at Whittington began as a result of the passion for the game of Colonel George Simon.  He was, Medical Officer at the Barracks.  In 1886 he had a quiet word with the Commanding Officer requesting permission to work on creating a golf course.  He selected positions for 9 holes and greens and soldiers on fatigue duty were set to work.  With a mammoth roller and two scythes clear spaces were cleared and smoothed out of the heather.  Whittington Barracks Golf Club secured a lease on the course in 1910 and in 1994 bought the land from the army, becoming Whittington Heath Golf Club.

During the Second World War, Whittington Barracks was essentially handed over to the US Army to serve as their 10th Replacement Depot.  We have been told that while the white GIs were accommodated within the Barracks, the coloured soldiers camped out under canvas on the Heath.

After the War the two Depots of the South and North Staffords returned, but by January 1959 the two battalions had been amalgamated and in the same year Whittington Barracks became the Mercian Brigade Depot.  During the 1960s there was a major programme of modernisation which involved the demolition of old buildings and the development of the married quarters estate to the north.

In 1986 the Mercian Brigade also ceased to exist and Whittington Barracks became the depot of the Prince of Wales's Division until January 1993 when this depot too closed and Whittington Barracks became the home of the Army Training Regiment.

For a more complete history there is a booklet available for sale in the Military Museum "Whittington Barracks - 125 years of history" - telephone number: 0121 311 3229.

and on-line you will find an interesting selection of historical photographs of the Whittington Barracks and its regiments (search on Whittington) at:

Staffordshire Past Track