First World War squadron offices, now museum, Stow Maries Aerodrome, Cold Norton (EHER 81741)

A single-storey brick-built office building with a corrugated-iron covered roof, restored in the 21st century for use as a museum. The building was divided into a series of small rooms, only some of which appear to have been heated. Electricity was laid on to the building and together with its plan and its position within the airfield buildings suggests that it may have been the principal administrative building on the airfield, at least until the reception station (EHER X) was built. It was converted to a museum after the airfield was purchased for restoration in 2009.

1997. RCHME field survey. This is a single-storey brick building with a corrugated-iron covered roof, the plan form of which suggests that it functioned as offices. The building is pebble-dashed, a secondary feature which implies some post-war use and possibly alteration. It is 14.4m long by 6.35m wide. The west elevation is divided into five bays. The first two, from the north end, accommodate window openings holding cast-iron glazing units similar to those already noted - four panes wide and three panes high with the top centre four being a pivoting light. The third bay contains a doorway and what would appear to be an original door. It is made up of tongue and groove planks and has a small brass knob. The door frame is chamfered and the whole is painted green - now faded to a turquoise blue - which seems to have been the station colour at some time. The final two bays of this elevation have windows of the same design as the south window in the wireless testing facility (EHER X) and appear to be of early 20th century date. The north elevation is blind but contains an original doorway and door at the west end, and a brick stack east of centre. The fireplace inside contains a cast-iron range which is now smashed. The east elevation is also of five bays. The three northerly bays have cast-iron windows and the remaining two have the wooden type of a similar date. There is a brick stack approximately central to the building. Internally there has been only a little alteration. A green-painted, wooden axial partition may be secondary dividing a larger room into two. Otherwise the building was divided into a series of small rooms, only some of which appear to have been heated (see plan). The north central room, heated from the central stack, has a cast iron fire surround which has become displaced. Electricity was laid on to the building and together with its plan and its position within the airfield buildings suggests that it may have been the principal administrative building on the airfield, at least until the reception station (EHER 81761) was built. <1> April 2012. Grade II* listed. Materials: The brick walls have been encased as part of the refurbishment. Plan: The single-storey offices, next to the airmen’s mess on the west side of the ‘street’ opposite the parade ground, restored in the 21st century for use as a museum. Exterior: The west elevation has a central door with a brass knob, flanked by six-light, replacement timber casement windows. There are timber casement windows to the south and east elevations and a central stack at the east. The north elevation is blind but has a door to the west and a stack to the east. Interior: The internal layout remains and comprises wooden axial partitions dividing the southernmost rooms into two. There is a further small office at the south end. Each of the rooms was heated and there is a cast-iron fireplace in the northernmost room. Doors, electrical switch gear, some wainscoting and joinery remain. <2> The building is depicted on the 3rd edition OS map. <3>