Bawdsey Manor
Encyclopedia
Bawdsey Manor stands at a prominent position at the mouth of the River Deben
close to the village of Bawdsey
in Suffolk
, England
, about 118 km northeast of London
.
Built in 1886, it was enlarged in 1895 as the principal residence of Sir William Cuthbert Quilter
. Requisitioned by the Devonshire Regiment during World War I
and having been returned to the Quilter family after the war was purchased by the Air Ministry for £24,000 in 1936 to establish a new research station for developing the Chain Home
RDF (radar
) system, Bawdsey was used as an RAF base through the Cold War
until the 1990s. The Manor is now used for weddings and courses with a small museum in the Radar Transmitter Block.
and was Liberal Unionist Member of Parliament
for Sudbury
. He established a steam-powered chain ferry across the River Deben
in 1894 to access the nearest railway station at Felixstowe. It was known as the Bawdsey Ferry and ran until 1931. The ferry now operates using a motor-launch at weekends during the summer.
Maude Marion Quilter (born about 1868) of Bawdsey Manor, daughter of Sir William Cuthbert Quilter, 1st Bt., married Frederick Denny in 1888 and later had Horwood House
as her country residence. It was at Bawdsey Manor that she knew of Harry Thrower, the father of Percy Thrower
, as he was a gardener there, it being his first gardening position. When Maude wanted a head gardener at Horwood House, she recruited Harry and he remained there the rest of his life.
for practical military use and it became known as RAF Bawdsey
. Stables and outbuildings were converted into workshops and 240 ft wooden receiver towers and 360 ft steel transmitter towers were built. Bawdsey was the first Chain Home
Radar Station. By the outbreak of World War 2 a chain of radar stations was in place around the coast of Britain. Bawdsey Manor continued as an RAF base through the Cold War
and Bloodhound Missiles were sited on the cliffs until the Bloodhound force ceased operations in 1990, when all the missiles were withdrawn to RAF West Raynham
. RAF Bawdsey was closed in 1991.
For more information on the activities during this period refer to the article on RAF Bawdsey
.
The Transmitter Block is a museum, with limited opening hours, and was featured in the BBC Restoration program. The exhibit is known as "The Magic Ear", and is operated by the Bawdsey Radar Group.
River Deben
The River Deben is a river in Suffolk rising in Debenham -to be precise it has two main sources but the others are mostly fields runoff then , passes through Woodbridge, turning into a tidal estuary before entering the North Sea at Felixstowe Ferry...
close to the village of Bawdsey
Bawdsey
Bawdsey is a village and civil parish in Suffolk, eastern England. Located near Felixstowe, it had an estimated population of 340 in 2007.Bawdsey Manor is notable as the place where radar research took place early in World War II, before moving to Worth Matravers, which is four miles to the west of...
in Suffolk
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, about 118 km northeast of London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
Built in 1886, it was enlarged in 1895 as the principal residence of Sir William Cuthbert Quilter
Sir William Quilter, 1st Baronet
Sir William Cuthbert Quilter, 1st Baronet was an English stock broker, art collector and Liberal/Liberal Unionist politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1885 to 1906....
. Requisitioned by the Devonshire Regiment during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and having been returned to the Quilter family after the war was purchased by the Air Ministry for £24,000 in 1936 to establish a new research station for developing the Chain Home
Chain Home
Chain Home was the codename for the ring of coastal Early Warning radar stations built by the British before and during the Second World War. The system otherwise known as AMES Type 1 consisted of radar fixed on top of a radio tower mast, called a 'station' to provide long-range detection of...
RDF (radar
Radar
Radar is an object-detection system which uses radio waves to determine the range, altitude, direction, or speed of objects. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, weather formations, and terrain. The radar dish or antenna transmits pulses of radio...
) system, Bawdsey was used as an RAF base through the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
until the 1990s. The Manor is now used for weddings and courses with a small museum in the Radar Transmitter Block.
Quilter period: 1886 to 1936
Bawdsey Manor was built in 1886 and enlarged in 1895 by Sir William Cuthbert Quilter who was an art collector, one of the founders of the National Telephone CompanyNational Telephone Company
The National Telephone Company was a British telephone company from 1881 until 1911 which brought together smaller local companies in the early years of the telephone...
and was Liberal Unionist Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Sudbury
Sudbury (UK Parliament constituency)
Sudbury was a parliamentary constituency which was represented in the British House of Commons. A parliamentary borough consisting of the town of Sudbury in Suffolk, it returned two Members of Parliament from 1559 until it was disenfranchised for corruption in 1844...
. He established a steam-powered chain ferry across the River Deben
River Deben
The River Deben is a river in Suffolk rising in Debenham -to be precise it has two main sources but the others are mostly fields runoff then , passes through Woodbridge, turning into a tidal estuary before entering the North Sea at Felixstowe Ferry...
in 1894 to access the nearest railway station at Felixstowe. It was known as the Bawdsey Ferry and ran until 1931. The ferry now operates using a motor-launch at weekends during the summer.
Maude Marion Quilter (born about 1868) of Bawdsey Manor, daughter of Sir William Cuthbert Quilter, 1st Bt., married Frederick Denny in 1888 and later had Horwood House
Horwood House
Horwood House lies south east of the village of Little Horwood in Buckinghamshire. This mansion is a comparatively modern house, built in 1911, the date being embossed into the gutter hopper-heads...
as her country residence. It was at Bawdsey Manor that she knew of Harry Thrower, the father of Percy Thrower
Percy Thrower
Percy John Thrower MBE was a British gardener, horticulturist, broadcaster and writer born at Horwood House in the village of Little Horwood in Buckinghamshire....
, as he was a gardener there, it being his first gardening position. When Maude wanted a head gardener at Horwood House, she recruited Harry and he remained there the rest of his life.
RAF Base: 1936 to 1990
In February 1936 research scientists, including Robert Watson-Watt moved into the Manor to begin research and development into radarRadar
Radar is an object-detection system which uses radio waves to determine the range, altitude, direction, or speed of objects. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, weather formations, and terrain. The radar dish or antenna transmits pulses of radio...
for practical military use and it became known as RAF Bawdsey
RAF Bawdsey
RAF Bawdsey was an RAF station situated on the eastern coast in Suffolk, England.Bawdsey Manor, dating from 1886, was taken over in March 1936 by the Air Ministry for developing the Chain Home RDF system...
. Stables and outbuildings were converted into workshops and 240 ft wooden receiver towers and 360 ft steel transmitter towers were built. Bawdsey was the first Chain Home
Chain Home
Chain Home was the codename for the ring of coastal Early Warning radar stations built by the British before and during the Second World War. The system otherwise known as AMES Type 1 consisted of radar fixed on top of a radio tower mast, called a 'station' to provide long-range detection of...
Radar Station. By the outbreak of World War 2 a chain of radar stations was in place around the coast of Britain. Bawdsey Manor continued as an RAF base through the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
and Bloodhound Missiles were sited on the cliffs until the Bloodhound force ceased operations in 1990, when all the missiles were withdrawn to RAF West Raynham
RAF West Raynham
RAF West Raynham was a Royal Air Force station located west of the village of West Raynham in Norfolk, England. It opened in the 1930s and closed in 1994. During the Second World War, RAF Bomber Command operations from RAF West Raynham claimed 86 aircraft. The site was sold by the Ministry of...
. RAF Bawdsey was closed in 1991.
For more information on the activities during this period refer to the article on RAF Bawdsey
RAF Bawdsey
RAF Bawdsey was an RAF station situated on the eastern coast in Suffolk, England.Bawdsey Manor, dating from 1886, was taken over in March 1936 by the Air Ministry for developing the Chain Home RDF system...
.
Since 1990
The Manor is now used for weddings and courses.The Transmitter Block is a museum, with limited opening hours, and was featured in the BBC Restoration program. The exhibit is known as "The Magic Ear", and is operated by the Bawdsey Radar Group.
See also
- Bawdsey Ferry
- Quilter BaronetsQuilter BaronetsThe Quilter Baronetcy, of Bawdsey Manor in Bawdsey in the County of Suffolk, is a title in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom. It was created on 13 September 1897 for the businessman and politician William Quilter...
- RAF BawdseyRAF BawdseyRAF Bawdsey was an RAF station situated on the eastern coast in Suffolk, England.Bawdsey Manor, dating from 1886, was taken over in March 1936 by the Air Ministry for developing the Chain Home RDF system...