Bradwell Lodge (EHER 38605)

A 15th or 16th century timber framed and parget plastered manor house and rectory with an 18th century South wing designed by John Johnson for Rev. Sir Henry Bate-Dudley. The 15th/16th century building may have replaced an earlier rectory on the site, and the manor house may have been originally associated with a moat. The 18th century wing was constructed between 1781 and 1786 and is of painted white brick. A North entrance hall with semi-circular portico was added in 2005, designed by Quinlan Terry. When the Rectory sold the building in 1937 it became the home of Tom Driberg, M.P., later Lord Bradwell, until 1965. During the Second World War, it was used as an RAF officers' mess.

January 1953. Grade II* listed. A manor house and 15th or 16th century rectory. The North wing dates to the 15th or 16th century and is part of the original moated manor house. It is timber framed and parget plastered. The South wing is from around 1785, designed by John Johnson for Rev. Sir Henry Bate-Dudley. It is made of white painted brick with stucco bands, plinths and parapets. Rev. Sir Henry Bate-Dudley was a journalist and friend of Gainsborough and Garrick. He was an advocate of agricultural improvement, reclaimed 250 acres of marshland and used hollow drainage on heavy land. The building has a red plain tiled roof with two red brick chimney stacks. The original wing is of two storeys and attics and the 18th century building is of two storeys, with belvedere (raised viewing platform) and cellars. The cellars are thought to be the servants quarters, and retain their servants bells. Internally is a library which features Adamesque decoration to the bookcases, which are possibly from Langford Grove, Langford. There is 17th century panelling to the stairs and some rooms. One bedroom has four off-cuts of carved wood, one with a man's head, now attached to the walls. The 18th century wing retains many period details including iron balusters, moulded cast iron fireplaces and a white marble fireplace with coloured insets. A frieze in the SW drawing room has paintings believed to be by Angelica Kaufmann. The ceiling is plastered with seven painted panels by Robert Smirke (the elder). The marble fireplaces and mouldings are believed to be by Robert Adam, most with moulded cast iron surrounds. <1> See photos <2>. Part of the lodge possibly dates from as early as the 15th century and may have replaced an earlier rectory on the same site. The North wing of the lodge is 15th or early 16th century and is a typical timber framed Tudor house of two stories. Internally, some of the original moulded ceiling, beams and joists survive. Remains of a 16th century chimneystack and some early 17th century panelling also survive. In 1780 Sir Henry Bate Dudley bought the property for use as his home. He restored some of the original house and soon after added the South wing. The architect John Johnson designed the extension and the linking entrance lobby that joins the early rectory to the new building. It is built in the late classical design with a large drawing room, the octagon room and a large observatory or ‘belvedere’ at the top of the house. Bate Dudley also created a landscape park at the lodge (EHER 2065), evidence for this survives in field names. He separated the Lodge garden from the park with a 'Ha-Ha' (a type of sunken fence) to preserve his views but keep the livestock from his garden. A coach house and stables were added in the 18th century (EHER 38606). There is a walled garden to the NE of the Lodge that dates to the 18th century or earlier (EHER 38607). There are also the remains of an ice house to the West of the house. A record of 1902 reveals that the rector, Rev. E. Owen was offering the Lodge for sale. However Bradwell Lodge continued to belong to the Rectory until 1937 when it was sold. The Lodge then became the home of Tom Driberg, M.P., later Lord Bradwell, until 1965. During the Second World War the Lodge was used as an RAF officers mess. <3> [January 2009. World War Two Defences in Maldon survey: site visit and desktop assessment. An Air Ministry plan of Bradwell Bay Airfield and its Dispersed Sites, dated April 1945, lists the requisitioned properties around the local area. It includes Bradwell Lodge, shown as ‘Officers Mess and Qtrs (100) and M.T. Yard’. Six or seven huts are shown graphically, around the main house. Interpretation of an August 1945 aerial photograph is uncertain as for the most part the huts are hidden beneath dense trees. Other requisitioned properties in the area are listed on the 1945 record site plan as 'Down Hall' (EHER 45957), 'Peverills' (EHER X), 'The Holt' (EHER X), 'Tudor Hall' (EHER 38618), 'Highfields' (EHER X), 'East Wick', 'Weymarks House', 'St Cedd's' and 'Yacht Club'. <4> <5> A wartime drawing by Alan Sorrell entitled ‘The Officers' Mess at an RAF Station', 1943, is thought to be of Bradwell Lodge and its adjoining huts. The drawing is one of a series held by the Imperial War Museum. None are identified but they are probably all of Bradwell Bay and its dispersed sites. <6> It was noted during a site visit that the huts are no longer extant. <7>] - TO EDIT, AND CREATE (UNREVOKE) RECORD FOR DISPERSED SITE Bradwell Lodge is near the centre of the village of Bradwell-on Sea. It is bounded to the West by the Maldon Road South/High Street, to the North by East End Road and the primary school, to the South by Bacons Chase, and to the East by fields. The site is level and occupies about 10 hectares. The Northern part of the two storey house is 16th or 17th century. The South end is an extension raised on a shallow semi-basement, built in 1781-86 and designed by John Johnson. On the roof between the four main chimney stacks is a glazed belvedere to provide an outlook over the nearby estuary and the surrounding countryside (said to have been used by the painter, Thomas Gainsborough). On the West side of the house is a semicircular Dome portico designed by Quinlan Terry in 2005. North of the house is a weather boarded timber framed two storey coach house and stable (EHER 38606). The house is listed Grade II*, the coach house Grade II. <8> NRHE data transfer: See also <9> <10>. NRHE summary description: A Tudor country house with South side of 1781-1786 in Metropolitan style by John Johnson. North entrance hall with semi-circular portico of 2005 by Quinlan Terry. Original wing timber framed and parget plastered. Red plain tiled roof half hipped to right. Two storeys. Two red brick chimney stacks. An 18th century building of white painted brick, stucco bands, plinths and parapets. The original wing is two storeys and attics. No source is provided by NRHE for this information.