The barracks
The Barracks 1998
“The Barracks” were almshouse in the 18th Century. It is quite plain to see where the old doors and windows were for one room up and one down. During the French Wars, French prisoners were housed there, hence the name “Barracks”. After the departure of the prisoners, the buildings were converted to cottages, and, in the Census, people are referred to as living at “Sir T.C.Millers Barracks”. The French prisoners are supposed to have quarried the stone in Quarry Bottom to build most of the stone walls of Upper Froyle. For a few years after the Second World War, the area was known as “The Square”.
The picture below, taken about 100 years ago, shows the left hand ‘wing’ in the panoramic picture above of the Barracks in 1998.
The Barracks
The ‘aerial’ picture below, taken from the roof of an adjacent cottage, clearly shows the layout of the square.
Barracks aerial
The Barracks was Grade 2 Listed in May 1985. English Heritage gives the following information:-

The Barracks, Nos. 1,2,&3, Home Farm Cottages, Nos.3&4 GV II 5 cottages, within a U-shaped block; once almshouses and later used to house (Napoleonic) French prisoners, hence the name. Late C18, with C19 alterations C20 improvements. Brick walls and tiled roof. Plain block on 3 sides of a square, of 2 storeys, with fairly regular fenestration (some filled and some new openings). Roof gabled at the outer ends, hipped at the corners, brick dentil eaves. Walls of Flemish, Monk and Flemish Garden Wall bonds, cambered ground floor openings on the inner sides, plinth. Casements. C20 doorways, including 2 glazed porches and 1 gabled porch.
Information from English Heritage, Images of England