Marsland Hill, originally the site of Pukaka pā, became the military heart of New Plymouth during the Taranaki Wars. In March 1856, the government constructed prefabricated corrugated iron barracks on the levelled hilltop. These barracks served as the headquarters for British regiments and the centre of military operations in northern Taranaki until 1870.

The Marsland Hill NZ Wars memorial was unveiled on this prominent site in 1909 to commemorate the colonial, imperial, and kūpapa (Māori fighting alongside the Crown) forces who served in the conflicts. The original monument featured a marble soldier modelled by the architect's brother. This statue was knocked down during a Waitangi Day protest in 1991 and was not restored, leaving only the plinth.

The memorial is accessible from Marsland Hill Reserve. Nothing survives of the barracks or the earlier pā.