The Keep Military Museum

The Dorchester Depot Barracks were built between 1877 and 1881 on the site of a Militia barracks, which had been established there little over a decade earlier. Their creation took place as part of the Cardwell Reforms which encouraged the localisation of British military forces. The site included a large parade ground, which was laid out between the Keep (or armoury) and the building now known as the 'little keep' and flanked by brick-built barrack blocks (including separate accommodation for officers and other ranks), the officers' mess, a gymnasium, stores, offices and other ancillary buildings. The barracks became the depot for the 39th (Dorsetshire) Regiment of Foot and the 75th…

The keep is now a regimental museum for the Devonshire Regiment, the Dorset Regiment, the Devonshire and Dorset Regiment, The Dorset Yeomanry, Queen's Own Dorset Yeomanry, The Dorset Militia, The Royal Devon Yeomanry and 94 Field Regiment RA. The collection includes Adolf Hitler's desk which was taken from the ruins of the Chancellory in Berlin in 1945. The museum occupies the keep of the original barracks. It is a Grade II listed building and the ground floor preserves its previous layout. The museum is entered through the ammunition and powder store, and through this is the archway that used to lead to the rest of the barracks. Close to the archway are the guardroom and cells, one of…