The Charterhouse (Former Sergeants' Mess And Quarters)

1783/0/10003

MANBY, MANBY BUSINESS PARK, The Charterhouse (former Sergeants' Mess and Quarters)

GV II

Sergeants' Mess and Quarters, now offices. 1936-7. A Bulloch, architectural advisor to the Air Ministry's Directorate or Works and Buildings (drawing no. 3690/35). Cavity brick construction, interlocking tile roof covering to parapetted hipped roofs, brick stacks.

PLAN: Overall U-shaped plan, with central E facing mess block with rear service ranges linked to matching accommodation blocks to N and S.

EXTERIOR: 2 storeys. All windows are wood sashes, set to flush boxes with brick voussoir heads and concrete sills. South block: Symmetrical 7-window S front has 12-pane sashes, 8-pane to outer bays, and panelled door set in semi-circular arch of header bricks with blind tympanum; channelled rustication to door surround. 3-window returns, with central door to right (E). Matching N block with main N elevation, at present (2003) boarded up. Central block: Taller and projecting forward as an E-facing elevation is the parapetted central block, which has a similar 9-window range with central door. To rear (W) of this is a parapetted 4-window single-storey service range with a hipped roof, and a rendered extension of c1942.

INTERIOR: some original joinery including panelled doors; staircases with steel balustrades.

HISTORY: This is a distinctive design of 1935 by the Air Ministry architect, A Bulloch. Detailing is restrained throughout, but massing, spacing and proportions are carefully considered, in the neo-Georgian style favoured at this period, and influenced by the impact of the Royal Fine Arts Commission, especially though the architect, Sir Edwin Lutyens. Manby ranks with Hullavington in Wiltshire - another Scheme A station - as the most complete and architecturally unified of the post-1934 stations of the so-called Expansion Period of the RAF. For further details see description for Tedder Hall (qv).