Bawdsey Yesterday and Today

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Bawdsey Yesterday and Today
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• In 1883 Sir William Cuthbert Quilter, a
  successful and wealthy businessman and
  stockbroker, bought the title of Lord of the
  Manor at Bawdsey.
• He started building a holiday home in 1886 but
  later decided to make it his principal residence
  and, over the next 18 years, Bawdsey Manor was
  constructed.

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From Felixstowe Ferry there is not a lot of
Bawdsey Manor to be seen yet.
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• Bawdsey Manor was built in at least 5 stages from
  1886 to 1904.
• Sir Cuthbert Quilter evidently had no idea at the
  start as to how the building would evolve.  The
  house is a mixture of architectural styles as
  diverse as Gothic, Flemish, Tudor and Oriental.
• Kelly's 1888 Directory of Suffolk refers to "a
  fine new mansion, situated on an eminence and
  commanding a splendid view of the sea." 

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The Red Tower, shown here was built in 1895.
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The conifers on the edge of the estate are newly
planted.
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This photograph is before 1904 as there is no
White Tower
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Still no sign of the White Tower
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This photograph features the exotic White Tower,
built in 1904. It is said that it was built to
accommodate the Quilter children and to keep them
away from the main body of the House. 
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The White Tower today
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The Terrace
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Bawdsey Manor 2007 the Red Tower, the White
Tower and the Terrace can be clearly seen.
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Before the Second World War more than 30
gardeners were employed to tend the magnificent
grounds of Bawdsey Manor.This sunken garden is
probably the site of Martello Tower V.
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Bawdsey Manor Gardens
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The Pulmonite Cliff Walk seen from the beach
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The Cliff Walk
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The Cliff Walk
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The Gardeners Cottage and Stable Block from the
Walled Garden
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The Lemonry
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The Lemonry
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Inside the Lemonry
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From the Lemonry
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Another view of the Gardens
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In the greenhouses
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The Lily Pond
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Sir Cuthbert Quilter 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.
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Bawdsey Ferry
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Charlie Brinkley Bawdsey ferryman
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• In February 1936 Bawdsey Manor was purchased by
  the Air Ministry for 24,000 and Robert Watson
  Watt and his team of scientists moved from
  Orfordness to continue their research into RDF
  (radar).
• The stables and outbuildings were converted into
  workshops.
• Bawdsey Manor became known as Bawdsey Research
  Station.

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A ferry ran throughout WW2
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The first tower at Bawdsey, 1936, was a
telescopic construction
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The Transmitter Tower built in 1936.This
photograph was taken from the top of a Receiver
Tower.
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The Research Block and Towers built in 1936/7
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Three 247ft wooden towers built 1936/7 seen from
Felixstowe Ferry
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Another view of the Receiver Towers from
Felixstowe Ferry
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In 1937 the Bawdsey Manor Estate was handed over
to the RAF.The dog on the RAF Bawdsey Badge is a
copy of the mosaic in the floor of the main
entrance to Bawdsey Manor.
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In 1937 women were recruited as RDF operators and
Bawdsey became a radar-training school
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Research Block with wooden Receiver Tower.The
Transmitter Towers can just be seen in the
background.
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The four 360ft steel Transmitter Towers built in
1939. Here the wooden Receiver Towers are in
the background.
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A steel Transmitter Tower 360ft high. RAF
mechanics and WAAFs climbed these towers to
service the aerials.
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Another view from Felixstowe Ferry
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After WW2 Radar is no longer a secret
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After the war Bawdsey continued as an RAF base.
In 1951 the Transmitter Towers and Receiver
Towers are still in place.
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Post WW2 - not a lot of comfort
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In 1958 an AMES Type 80 Mk 3 (Green Garlic) was
installed at Bawdsey
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Albert, a well-loved local character, drove his
bus between Felixstowe Ferry and the town centre
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• In 1963 and for the duration of the the Cold War
  Bloodhound Mk2 Missiles were sited on the cliffs
  at Bawdsey.
• In 1990 the missiles were withdrawn to RAF West
  Raynham and in 1991
• RAF Bawdsey was closed.

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The last of the Transmitter Towers was demolished
in 2000
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Felixstowe Ferry and Bawdsey Manor Estate 2007.
The Coastguard Tower replaced the last
Transmitter Tower.
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Aerial view of Bawdsey Manor estate (2007),
showing the Walled Garden and Stable Block
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The Transmitter Block and Coastguard Tower 2007
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Visitors at the Stable Block on the Bawdsey Manor
Open Day September 2007
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The Transmitter Block today
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