Bawdsey Manor

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Bawdsey Manor stands at a prominent position at the mouth of the River Deben close to the village of Bawdsey in Suffolk, England.

It was built in 1886 and enlarged in 1895 as the principal residence for Sir William Cuthbert Quilter. It was requisitioned by the Devonshire Regiment during WW1 and having been returned to the Quilter family after the war was purchased by the Air Ministry for £24,000^[1] in 1936 to establish a new research station for the development of radio direction finding^[2]. Bawdsey was used as an RAF base through the Cold War until the 1990s. The Manor is now used for weddings and courses^[3] with a small museum in the Radar Transmitter Block^[4].

1 History
2 See also
3 External Links
4 References

[edit] History

[edit] Quilter period: 1886 to 1936

Bawdsey Manor was built in 1886 and enlarged in 1895^[2] by Sir William Cuthbert Quilter who was an art collector, one of the founders of the National Telephone Company and was Liberal Unionist Member of Parliament for Sudbury^[5]. He established a steam-powered chain ferry across the River Deben in 1894 to access the nearest railway station at Felixstowe. It was known as the Bawdsey Ferry and ran until 1931^[6]. The ferry now operates using a motor-launch at weekends during the summer.

Maude Marion Quilter (born about 1868) of Bawdsey Manor, daughter of Sir William Cuthbert Quilter, 1st Bt., married Frederick Denny in 1888 and later had Horwood House as her country residence. It was at Bawdsey Manor that she knew of Harry Thrower, the father of Percy Thrower, as he was a gardener there, it being his first gardening position. When Maude wanted a head gardener at Horwood House, she recruited Harry and he remained there the rest of his life.

[edit] RAF Base: 1936 to 1990

In February 1936 research scientists moved into the Manor and it became known as RAF Bawdsey. The stables and outbuildings were converted into workshops and 240ft wooden receiver towers and 360ft steel transmitter towers were built. Bawdsey was the first Chain Home Radar Station. By the outbreak of World War 2 a chain of radar stations was in place around the coast of Britain^[1]. Bawdsey Manor continued as an RAF base through the Cold War and Bloodhound Missiles were sited on the cliffs until the Bloodhound force ceased operations in 1990, when all the missiles were withdrawn to RAF West Raynham. RAF Bawdsey was closed in 1991^[1].

For more information on the activities during this period refer to the article on RAF Bawdsey.

[edit] Since 1990

The Manor is now used for weddings and courses. The Transmitter Block is a museum, with limited opening hours, and was featured in the BBC Restoration program^[4].