Wartime Dining

During World War II Newbattle Abbey College, after only two years of opening to students, was taken over by the military as the Garrison Church for Forces personnel, in particular the Royal Army Medical Corps, who were stationed at the Abbey and the adjoining hutted Camp. This occupied approximately 19 hectares of parkland within the Estate; the full extent of the original military camp is visible on vertical air photographs from 15 April 1946, also appearing on 7th series OS 1"map, as 84 huts to the Northeast and 56 to the Southwest (the other side of the current main road).

The 23 still remaining are used as workshops. A few huts have their original labels on the lintel, the Dining Hall over its three doors (this one boarded up as the hut has suffered a fire) and, very faintly, the Recreation and Reading Room opposite.