Officers' Mess at former RAF Scampton

Officers' Mess with accommodation wings at RAF Scampton built about 1936 to designs by Archibald Bulloch, extended 1939 and again in 1955 by Orman & Partners.

MATERIALS: the building is built of brick under tile roofs.

PLAN: the Mess building is roughly H-plan, with a large central block running east-west, and flanking wings running north-south.

EXTERIOR: the Mess is designed in the neo-Georgian style typical of such buildings during the period; its main block faces south and is of 17 bays. The central three bays break forward and contain the main entrance with three doors set in deeply arched surrounds. Windows either side (currently boarded) contain tall timber sashes. The steep roof rises behind the parapet and has three central chimneys.

The flanking accommodation blocks project forward of the line of the central block. Their end elevations have central arched ground floor doors with windows either side and three above. The long elevations are of 29 bays with rows of continuous windows at ground and first floor.

The elevations facing the rear courtyard are similar, though the rear of the central block is irregular with a large block denoting the Officers' dining room, a two storey block with a flat at its upper level, and some single storey extensions.

INTERIOR: the main entrance opens into a central hall which has moulded detailing to the walls dividing them into compartments with arched mouldings above cornice level, which repeat the arches from the three main entrance doors. The hall gives access to a spine corridor which runs the full length of the central block. On the south side of the corridor are large function rooms. That to the east of the central hall has a shallow barrel-vaulted ceiling with a simple moulded cornice and deep skirtings. There is a large fireplace with tiled inset and a bolection moulded surround within a larger timber surround and arched niches flanking to either side.

To the rear of the central corridor is the bar area and Officers' dining room. The original 1930s portion has a sprung timber floor and suspended ceiling. The 1950s extension is larger and has projecting pilasters around the edge of the room, with low wainscotting and simple cornice detail. Beyond the dining room and bar areas are kitchen and service rooms.

The accommodation wings each have a main stair for Officers' use with timber banisters and simply moulded posts. There are also secondary service stairs. Each floor of each wing has a cenral corridor with rows of accommodation rooms down each side. Most rooms retain built-in wardrobes; those in the 1930s portions have loosely Art Deco handles while those in the 1950s extension have mid-century style disc handles. Some rooms retain service bells.