British Aerospace Gatehouse Immediately South Of Staff Mess

Gatehouse to aeroplane makers, constructed in 1934 by Geoffrey Monro for the de Havilland Aviation Company. The building is of white painted reinforced concrete, featuring a flat roof with cantilevered concrete eaves and parapets. The gatehouse is situated at the north-east end of an asymmetrical, multi-foil plan, with curved window bays. A narrow range extends to the rear (south-west), linking it with a broader, rectangular reception block to the SW, with rounded corners on the south-east front. The architecture is in the International Modern Style.

The single-storey gatehouse faces the entrance and includes two projecting semi-circular bays flanking a recessed central entrance. The left bay is smaller than the right, and a third, larger semi-circular projecting bay is located on the left-hand return. All bays have metal frame windows with glazing bars and curved glass, and are sheltered by a deeply cantilevered eaves canopy. A narrow linking block extends to the rear (south-west) connecting to the larger reception range, which has a concrete coping to its parapet and rounded corners on the south-east front. A later revolving door has been inserted into the right-hand (east) corner of the reception block. The reception range contains horizontal window bands and metal frame windows with glazing bars. The interior has not been inspected.

This gatehouse served the de Havilland Aviation Company, a site where notable aircraft such as the Tiger Moth, Dragonfly, Mosquito, Vampire, and Comet were designed.