Building 106, Chemical Defence Establishment, Porton Down

IDMISTON - SU 23 NW 4/95 Building 106, Chemical Defence Establishment, Porton Down II

Headquarters building, 1916 for Royal Engineers Experimental Station (Gas Corps) now administration offices. Rendered brick with asbestos slate roof. Single storey, symmetrical, in Colonial style. Central entrance and circulation with wings ending in cross wings, forming an extended H-plan. Central pair of panelled doors with floating segmental pediment on consoles and 2-bays of timber paned cross windows either side, terminating in line rusticated raised quoins, the whole capped with elegant simple triangular pediment. Wings of 9 bays, each again symmetrical, the central bay set forward with slight pediment and window within wide architrave and apron. Wings at ends 5 x 3 bays with rusticated quoins to corners and central bay on each face also set forward and pedimented. Various later extensions at rear. Roofs hipped. Central timber clocktower with clock and windvane. Interior: lobby from entrance leads to octagonal domed circulation area with doors to cardinal faces and blind doors on angles, all with architraves. Central corridor to offices in wings, some with 8-panelled doors. North-west wing contains conference room. Important as the first building erected in Britain for the development of chemical warfare, under the command of Lt. Co. A.W. Crossley CMG, CBE, LLD, FRS, RE. The Old Chemistry Building, 1922, and the Old Physics Building, the first laboratories survive as stores, but are utilitarian and not of special interest.

Listing NGR: SU2107137050