Raf Brampton Number 1 Officers Mess

RAF Brampton Number 1 Officers Mess

This is a substantial residential building constructed principally of red brick laid in Flemish bond, with sections of yellow and pink brick walling visible on the west and south elevations. Occasional stone dressings and tile roof coverings complete the external materials.

The building follows a rectangular plan aligned east to west, with cross wings and advancing gables at each end. It comprises twelve window bays, including three to each cross wing. The main range features a gable roof with multiple brick ridge stacks, some with stone dressings. The cross wings are topped with hipped roofs and advancing gables to both the south and north elevations. Saw-tooth brick cornices run along the eaves, beneath a crenellated parapet punctuated by pediments, each crowned with a central turret finial. Turret finials also appear at the corners of the wings.

The recessed centre of the building displays a notable external chimney stack with two round, elongated pots of moulded brickwork rising from a corbelled plinth. Below this are two traceried panels on the chimney face, which then tapers gradually to ground level. This chimney is flanked by a number of twentieth-century casements in varying styles, with those to the west retaining dripstone moulds. An early twentieth-century entrance is positioned off-centre to the east, featuring a moulded architrave, quoins and a shallow hood. The double timber panelled door incorporates a round-arched fanlight with glazing bars above.

The north elevation is plainer in character. At the west end stands a projecting, early nineteenth-century gabled wing, partially built in yellow brick with angled corner buttresses surmounted by turret finials and crenellated parapets to both the east and west eaves. The two west window bays of the main range are of pinkish-red brick, obscured at ground floor level by a projecting rich red brick entrance porch of late twentieth-century date. At the east end is an early twentieth-century projecting moulded stone entrance, the door of which has been partially blocked to form a window. This porch is flanked by two advanced pediments with moulded stone panels at the apex.

Internally, most historic fixtures and fittings date from the early twentieth century, though later twentieth-century refurbishment has resulted in the loss of features of interest, particularly on the first floor. Rooms on both floors of the main range are accessed from axial corridors with vaulted ceilings. The ground floor main reception area has been remodelled in the late twentieth century. Two principal early twentieth-century dog-leg staircases, located at the centre and east end of the main range, feature carved timber balusters with finials to the newells. The ground floor polite rooms are positioned to the east and retain fireplaces, rich decorative cornices and ornate plasterwork to the ceilings. The recessed east hall fireplace is of particular note, featuring a richly carved timber surround, an ornate plaster overmantle with a regimental coat of arms, and a pair of carved timber settles. The service range to the west contains few features of note, though some pointed-arch door openings and timber panelled doors remain. On the first floor, the Pump Room retains an early nineteenth-century ornate, gilded and domed ceiling, together with timber casement windows fitted with shutters.