Lawford Place (EHER 34618)

Lawford Place was built around 1790 for a local banker, George Bridges. It was altered in the 19th century, and during the Second World War it had several institutional uses, first as a tuberculosis hospital, then as a maternity hospital and finally as an army base. In the late 1940s it became a research station, which closed in the late 1970s. In 2000 it suffered a devastating fire which destroyed the interior and the south façade. It has since been redeveloped and the remaining fabric incorporated into a new building.

A late 18th century brick house, destroyed by fire in 1999. <1> <2>. Prior to the outbreak of the Second World War arrangements were made by the Ministry of Health for the large scale evacuation of pregnant mothers into Essex and it was therefore necessary to establish several improvised maternity homes or utilise existing accommodation. The home opened on the 2nd Sept 1939 and closed on the 3rd Feb 1940. The number of patients admitted were 99. Subsequently transferred to Stagenhoe Park, St Paul's Walden, near Hitchin (Hertfordshire) on 5th June 1940 <3> <4>. Information from NRHE: House, built around 1790 for a local banker, George Bridges. It was of plastered brick with a hipped slate roof. The ground floor had a full width Greek Doric Pro-style loggia and there was a single storey extension to the right. <5> Lawford Place is not present on the Chapman and Andre map of 1777. By 1796 a survey of Lawford Place by La Neve shows a house amid well-established grounds, the property of Mr George Bridges Jr., a merchant/banker originally from Mistley. The boundaries of the estate at this time were the Colchester to Harwich road (now the A137), Wignall Brook, and a boundary lying to the west of an extended line north of Bromley Road. The estate included the farm to its north. La Neve's survey shows a layout of parl and ornamental waters, with individual trees and extensive woodland. A view of the house shows it to be typical in style and layout for a 'gentleman's residence' of the period. To the west was a wing of outbuildings. By the time of the Lawford tithe map in 1839, Lawford Place was owned and occupied by Richard Wait Cox (a gentleman and general benefactor of the parish). In the 19th century the south front was altered by the construction of a loggia supported by Doric columns. The area of parkland had extended to the west. Lawford Place appears to have remained in private ownership until 1939. During the Second World War it had several institutional uses, first as a tuberculosis hospital, then a maternity home, and in the latter years of the war it became an army base. In the late 1940s it was purchased by BX Plastics (formerly the British Xylonite Company) for use as a research station. The main period of expansion including laboratory construction took place in the late 1950s and early 1960s. The research station closed in 1975 and an application to demolish the outbuildings and laboratories was approved in 1988. In 1997 planning consent was granted for the development of the property. A revised submission was made to Tendring District Council I December 1998, which was refused consent in May 2000. In June 2000 the house was severely damaged by fire, and in early 2001 work was undertaken to stabilise the structure to prevent further deterioration. Information from <6>.