Bawdsey Manor

Bawdsey Manor is a country house built around 1895 with additions dating to around 1908. The house was built for, and possibly designed by, Cuthbert Quilter with advice from Percy MacQuoid. It is constructed of red English bond brick with ashlar dressings and Portland stone ashlar. The building consists of two three-storey towers with corner turrets rising to a fourth storey, joined by a two-storey range with attics. The architectural style is Jacobethan with French Renaissance (François I) influences.

Entrance Front

The entrance front features two projecting towers loosely based on the keep at Bolsover, joined by an ashlar range showing French influence.

The Red Tower

To the right stands the Red Tower, built of brick with two octagonal turrets at its corners. The tower has a semi-basement with sweeping side walls leading to a staircase of five steps. The entrance features a richly moulded door surround of rubbed brick, with two square lights with moulded ashlar surrounds to the left. The plinth of the corner polygonal turrets is slightly battered and dies back via an offset of moulded brick to the ground floor, which has single lights to each face of the turrets, as do the first and second floors. A cross window to the left has a moulded ashlar surround.

Ashlar string-courses run between the ground and first floors, and a further string-course sits at the level of the sill of the central oriel window. This oriel is of ashlar with moulding to its underside and is canted, featuring a two-light cross window to the centre and single lights to the angles with trefoil heads and brattished enrichment to the transom. A battlemented parapet sits above.

A further ashlar string-course divides the first and second floors. The second floor has two two-light casements with ashlar surrounds and Tudor heads to the lights, the left-hand light of each window being a dummy. Above this is a further string-course with dentils and a parapet of terracotta with a lattice-patterned balustrade to either side of a central brick stack. This stack features a terracotta cartouche in a recessed panel with moulded surround, above which are three richly decorated circular flues with octagonal shafts.

The turrets have circular windows to their tops on each face and terracotta panels showing Mannerist masks surrounded by foliage. Ashlar enrichment adorns the eaves, with ogee domed caps above of copper topped with weather vanes in the form of halberds.

The left-hand face of the Red Tower has an ashlar door surround to the right of centre, featuring panelled pilasters at each side standing on panelled plinths with debased Ionic capitals. Above is a convex moulding to the frieze and moulded cornice. Further moulded panels sit above the pilasters, at either side of a lattice arrangement with a stylised floral arrangement and dentilled cornice above. This is crowned by a strapwork cartouche surrounding an oval plaque with a decorated keystone to its top, flanked by obelisks on stylised balls with a further similar ornament to the apex.

The first floor on this front has a blind window of two lights at right and a similar window immediately above the doorway, each with ashlar surrounds and Tudor-arched lights as seen on the other front. The second floor has two cross-windows with ashlar surrounds. The left-hand side of this front is masked by the ashlar additions of around 1908 to the ground and first floors. A similar terracotta parapet with lattice strapwork and a central pier with a decorated mask with cartouche surround completes this elevation.

The Two-Storey Range (circa 1908)

To the left of the Red Tower extends the two-storey range of around 1908. To far right, in the re-entrant angle between the tower and the main range, is a bay window of four sides, each with a cross window at ground floor level. Colonettes of three-quarter-circular section with moulded bases separate the windows and rise to the level of the sills of the first floor windows. Between the ground and first floor windows are blank panels with projecting central blocks apparently intended to be carved. Similar cross-windows appear at first floor level with further angle shafts. An ashlar parapet above features lattice patterns and polygonal piers with moulded caps.

To the left is a ground floor window of four lights with moulded mullions and transoms, and above this a similar range of four blank panels as at right. The first floor has a further four-light window.

To the left is a porch-doorway with a four-centred archway, richly moulded with ogee and cavetto mouldings and square bosses to the outer hollow chamfer. Panelled pilasters stand to either side on panelled bases with Ionic capitals, with shields and scrolls to the spandrels. A convex frieze sits above. The first floor features a recessed panel to the lower body with moulded surround holding a coat of arms with foliage and the motto "Plutot Mourir Que Changer". Recessed panels with foliage flank this, and above are obelisks with ball supports in half profile. The first floor window has three lights with moulded mullions and a transom. The gable above has slightly projecting corner posts with Jacobean drops supporting obelisks on balls, with a similar obelisk to the summit of the gable. One single-light casement appears in this gable with a four-centred head and strapwork to either side and above.

Within the porch is a mosaic floor showing a dog with a collar and chain. The painted ashlar door surround has single lights to either side of a panelled door with richly moulded brass hinges and a panelled ceiling with moulded ribs and square bosses. Set in a blocked doorway on the left-hand wall of the porch is a plaque with the Air Force crest in relief at the top, which reads: "In the year 1936 at Bawdsey Manor Robert Watson-Watt and his team of scientists developed the first Air Defence Warning Station. The results achieved by these pioneers played a vital part in the successful outcome of the Battle of Britain in 1940."

To the left of this porch are two four-light windows with four-centred heads to the lights with moulded surrounds and two transoms; the topmost ranges of lights are subdivided by minor mullions. A similar single-light window sits between these two, divided from them by moulded ashlar colonettes with moulded bases and capitals similar to those on the right-hand polygonal bay. Blank panels appear between the ground and first floor windows, and two four-light windows sit at first floor level with moulded surround and an ashlar parapet above, again with lattice.

To the left is a polygonal bay, being four sides of an octagon, with cross windows to the ground and first floors with blank panels between, and with shafts to the angles of the type seen at right. The bay becomes a circular turret above first floor level, having single-light windows with strapwork ornament at either side and over, and spirelets to the angles supporting balls. A richly moulded dentilled cornice sits below the cap, which reverts to octagonal form and is supported on curled brackets. An ogee ashlar cap above is topped with a ball finial.

To the left are two further four-light windows at second and first floor levels. The right-hand ground floor window is blank. Blank panels sit between floors and a lattice ashlar parapet continues as before. The plain-tile roof behind this range has two two-light dormer windows at centre. One cross-axial ridge stack at centre has three flues with octagonal flues of moulded brick with rosettes in relief. A similar stack at right is now cut down and has one pot. To the left of the octagonal turret is a further brick stack with offsets.

The White Tower

Projecting to the left of this range is the White Tower, of ashlar, which has a projecting plinth that dies back via a moulded offset with slit windows to the turrets. Three-light casements sit at centre of the front with Tudor hood mould and four-centred arches to each light. The first floor features an oriel window exactly similar to that seen on the Red Tower. The polygonal turrets have shafts to their angles at this level.

String courses divide the floors. The second floor has a two-light casement to its centre with single-light casements at either side. The parapet has openwork tracery showing trefoil heads and piers with obelisk knops. The turrets have slit windows to their topmost floor and angle shafts act as springing for a blind arcade of trefoil-headed arches, below the ogee caps which rise to ball finials with metal spikes.

The right-hand flank of this tower has a richly moulded doorway at centre with a hollow chamfer decorated with square floral bosses and strapwork to the spandrels and a Tudor hood mould. To either side are single-light windows with four-centred heads. The first floor has two two-light casement windows with four-centred heads and hood-moulds, and two similar windows sit at the second floor. A tracery parapet sits above.

The main range of the house adjoins the right-hand corner and the polygonal turret here takes the form of a bartizan. A screen wall to the left of the tower masks the service court and features a four-centred gateway at right, above it a square, blank panel. To the left of this is a two-light window with moulded surround and similar window to first floor left. A lattice parapet sits above.

Right-Hand Flank

The right-hand flank of the house features the Red Tower at left with similarly arranged turrets and two three-light windows to the first floor and a terracotta panel at centre showing a cartouche with the date 1895 surrounded by foliage and a mask. Two cross-windows sit at the second floor with a further terracotta panel at centre with mask. A terracotta trellis parapet sits above.

To the right of this is the parapet wall of a raised garden. Recessed at its upper level is a two-storey wing with a central bay featuring two lights and single lights at the angles and a cross window to left of this and a double door at right. Before this is a loggia of three bays, each housing a six-centred arch. The first floor has three cross windows and the shaped gable, which has convex sides and arched top, contains a three-light window with moulded surround and mullions.

To either side of this are slightly projecting gabled wings, that at right having a projecting bay window to the ground floor with curved corners and a hipped lead roof. A three-light window sits at the first floor and a single light in the gable. The left-hand gable is similar save that its ground floor is masked by a winter garden which projects to be flush with the terrace wall. This has two six-centred arches with richly moulded ashlar surrounds and a parapet above.

To far right is a polygonal turret having single lights to each face at ground floor level, ashlar pilaster buttresses to both floors at the angles and ashlar panels with strapwork above the first floor windows. A copper convex octagonal cap with weather vane in the form of a curled dragon completes the turret.

Rear Elevation

The rear elevation features the last mentioned turret at left. To right of it at ground floor level are three four-light windows with moulded ashlar surrounds. A dentilled brick cornice divides the ground from the first floor. At the first floor, far left is one three-light casement and to right of this are a three-light and two-light casement above which are timber-framed gables with pebbledash infill, containing four-light timber-framed windows having segment panels above the centre of each with radiating sun motifs and decorated bargeboards.

To right of this and slightly projecting is a doorway having fluted pilasters at either side and a surround of moulded brick. The first floor has a three-light casement. To right again is a further raised terrace garden, the retaining wall of which projects at right angles from the front. An archway in this wall gives onto a serpentine staircase which leads up to the higher level.

The first floor (now, perforce, the ground floor) has here a bay window at left with curved corners, of five lights, before which is a loggia of three bays divided by tapering timber posts carved in the form of Jacobean Ionic columns with flutings. These posts also bear a panel of richly moulded wood brought from elsewhere showing the arms of the United Kingdom and the United States and the mottos "Dieu et Mon Droit" and "E Pluribus Unum" on scrolls.

Above this is a three-light gabled dormer window of rubbed brick with stone surround to the window and rubbed brick pilasters at either side, and a shaped gable above with foliate patterns surrounding the cartouche bearing the date 1890.

To right again is a polygonal turret having cross-windows to each face and terracotta panels above these with rinceau ornament. The copper cap is convex to its lower body and ogee above with fishscales.

Interior

The lobby has a panelled ceiling with moulded ribs and square bosses. Panelled double doors with spiral brass handles lead to the ground floor corridor which has oak panelling below the moulded dado and a panelled ceiling.

The bar has richly panelled doors, as have all the principal rooms in the house. The oak chimneypiece includes some 17th-century panelling to the overmantel.

The dining room has a plaster ceiling with strapwork and oak panelling to the walls, having linen-fold to the lower body, recessed panels above and strapwork panels below the cornice. To either side of the windows and flanking the fireplace, a fitted sideboard and running along the side walls, are projecting colonettes, either plain with a band or having strapwork enrichment. Similar pilaster responds appear throughout. Hermes and Caryatids adorn the overmantel.

The hall is of two storeys, having oak panelling to the lower level and a painted Italianate ashlar fireplace. A landing runs around two sides of the room with richly moulded open balusters of Jacobean form. Heavy moulded beams appear to the ceiling including one pseudo-hammer-beam truss with arched brace and dropped knops.

The drawing room has panelling and plaster ceiling in a loose Louis XVI style.

The study features a panelled oak ceiling with moulded beams, moulded wall panelling below the dado and leather panels above it with lions passant and fleurs-de-lys stamped in gold.

The staircase hall has panelled oak walls. The staircase is of two flights with a quarter-turn and features panelled newels with decorative knops and dropped knops, a moulded handrail and strapwork panels to the balustrade.

The billiard room has raised benches to the side walls of stamped and buttoned leather with quadrant benches to either side of the fireplace. At either side of these three recesses are Corinthian pillars of varnished oak with cabling to their lower bodies and similar clasping pilaster responds. The coved ceiling is divided into panels by caryatids in relief and has masks and Mannerist cartouches to the panels, and a central rectangular skylight.

A smoking room leads off from the billiard room with panelled walling, an ingle-nook with four-centred arch and fire surround of green tiles. Richly moulded plasterwork adorns the octagonal dome above one end.

The stairs to the attic floor are of three flights with quarter-turns and feature a panelled dado, square newels, ball finials and open strapwork to the balustrade.