More information : A Grade II Listed Building. Officers' mess, circa 1935, possibly designed by S Bullock FRIBA who designed several Air Ministry buildings, including a smaller but comparable mess dated 1934. Neo-Baroque style. Built of red brick with stone dressings and hipped slate roof with brick chimneystacks. Comprises a three-storey centre block with two-storey end blocks. Central block has projecting central three bays with sash windows, band below second floor and stone semi-circular entrance porch with Tuscan columns and stone balustrading. Flanking parts of 5 bays each with mainly glazing bar sashes and pedimented projection with oculus through ground and first floor attached to ground floor flat-roofed portion attached to projecting two-storey wings. Rear elevation has projecting three-storey, nine-bay central section with band below second floor, 12-pane sashes and central first floor round-headed staircase window over pilastered doorcase.
Two storey 5 bay wings on either side. Large flat-roofed later C20 extension on right hand side. Interior has central well staircase with turned balusters, some round-headed alcoves, oak
panelling and 6-panelled doors. One of the largest and most elaborate RAF officers' messes, and the building with most architectural merit at RAF Biggin Hill, the most famous of the Battle of Britain airfields. (1)
An Article in Airfield review (1994) by Denis J. Corley contains a photograph of the officers mess and quarters at Biggin Hill. The caption infers that it was built to a 1931 design, (but see source 3 below). (2)
An English Heritage report produced in May 2003 notes the influence of the Royal Fine Arts Commission recommendations of 1932 in the building of the eleborate Officer's Mess. (3)
On plan TQ 4060 and TQ 4061, a building conforming to descriptions of the plan of the Officers mess is shown centered at TQ 4123 6091. (4) |