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As
the British Army constructed its new camp during the 1850s and 60s
it undertook a number of projects to sculpt the surrounding area to
its own unique needs. One such major undertaking was the building
of the retaining wall in 1854 surrounding Mount Pleasant on the southern
ridge, the land which was to become the Southern or Beaumont barracks.
A closer
look at a contemporary map reveals the original landscape, with
the land sloping gently upwards to a narrow ridge southwest of the
military or Thornhill railway, before rising more steeply towards
the police station on Mount Pleasant. The soil in this area was
‘Bagshot Sand’ - poor quality not suited to heavy construction
- but the small ridge did provide good drainage and was therefore
considered suitable for a small range of stables. With political
pressure being applied in the aftermath of the Crimean War, when
so many horses had been killed, this location was finally chosen
for the building of a central infirmary stable. In 1858, construction
was begun on the three ranges of infirmary stables.
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