York Historic Environment Record

The Drill Hall in Colliergate opened in 1872. In 1913 it was Headquarters, A, B, C 5th Battalion, Prince of Wales Own Yorkshire Regiment. The building was designed by Gould and Fisher for the First West Yorkshire (York) Rifle Volunteer Battalion. An inscription above the doorway reads "Pro aris et focis" (literally "For our altars and our hearths"; or "For home and hearth" or "For God and country"). The Colliergate frontage has a red and white brick facade. The foundation stone is obscure but it is possible to see the inscription: "STONE/ FOR THIS DRILL HALL AND ARMOUR / FOR THE 1ST WEST YORKSHIRE (YORK)/ RIFLE VOLUNTEERS/ WAS LAID BY/..." For a discussion of Drill Halls see http://drillhalls.org