History:
In 1935 Bawdsey Manor Estate in Suffolk was selected as the site for a new research station for the development of radio direction finding and the Manor House, close to Bawdsey Quay was taken over for this purpose. Following this research, the first Chain Home radar station was developed on the site being handed over to the RAF in May 1937, two years later 15 Chain Home stations were available for use around the coast.
Bawdsey continued in the forefront of the expansion of the radar network with an AMES Type 2 Chain Home Low on a 200 foot platform on the southern (No 4 of 4) transmitter mast. (each mast was 350' high). Towards the end of 1941 Coastal Defence Radar was established making Bawdsey the only site in the UK with three types of radar (CH, CHL and CD) in operation. By August 1943 Coastal Defence was changed to an AMES Type 55 Chain Home Extra Low (CHEL), again this was mounted on a 200 foot platform on the northern (No 1) transmitter mast.
Bawdsey is listed as being operational with both CH and CHEL in 1948. In 1950, the station was chosen to participate in the ROTOR programme which should have been operational by January 1952. Work on the R3 two level underground control centre at the northern end of the site began late in 1950. Bawdsey was designated a GCI/E site utilising 1 Type 7 Mk3 on an R7 building remotely sited on Alderton Marshes, 2km north east of the site.
The Explore:
I’d managed to find this place on google earth and the further enforced it on 28. We made our way down the road that heads to Bawdsey Manour. On the left we located a small car park and stopped there. We checked out the building we had parked next to and then headed through the field towards the woodland.
This woodland is directly behind the ventilation shaft and is home to the other bunker. The woodland bunker (also known as Bawdsey Bunker) blended into the surrounding but it was soon found. Closer to the wire fence that surrounded the ventilation shaft was a ladder down into a big room. This was the main attraction of this bunker.
We then attempted to find a way into the ventilation shaft. Luckily the wire fence (as mentioned earlier) was littered with multiple gaps and ways inside.
Once through the fence the out buildings were far more interesting than I had anticipated and ment that we spent most of our time productively exploring those.
The rumour was that the escape entrance to the underground bunker was the only way in. Having said this, when we reached it we were ment with 10 inches of concrete.
As much as I would’ve loved to go into the lower section, I would imagine that it’s very disgusting and rather dangerous.
The section above ground is more than worthy of a visit, with the addition of the woodland bunker.
As we were driving past the main entrance however we did notice a group of people with heavy diving gear on. Walking out of the premises (I assume they were allowed access). My guess is that the lower section was flooded and it had something to do with that. If anyone has any idea about this please let me know for my own curiosity.
In 1935 Bawdsey Manor Estate in Suffolk was selected as the site for a new research station for the development of radio direction finding and the Manor House, close to Bawdsey Quay was taken over for this purpose. Following this research, the first Chain Home radar station was developed on the site being handed over to the RAF in May 1937, two years later 15 Chain Home stations were available for use around the coast.
Bawdsey continued in the forefront of the expansion of the radar network with an AMES Type 2 Chain Home Low on a 200 foot platform on the southern (No 4 of 4) transmitter mast. (each mast was 350' high). Towards the end of 1941 Coastal Defence Radar was established making Bawdsey the only site in the UK with three types of radar (CH, CHL and CD) in operation. By August 1943 Coastal Defence was changed to an AMES Type 55 Chain Home Extra Low (CHEL), again this was mounted on a 200 foot platform on the northern (No 1) transmitter mast.
Bawdsey is listed as being operational with both CH and CHEL in 1948. In 1950, the station was chosen to participate in the ROTOR programme which should have been operational by January 1952. Work on the R3 two level underground control centre at the northern end of the site began late in 1950. Bawdsey was designated a GCI/E site utilising 1 Type 7 Mk3 on an R7 building remotely sited on Alderton Marshes, 2km north east of the site.
The Explore:
I’d managed to find this place on google earth and the further enforced it on 28. We made our way down the road that heads to Bawdsey Manour. On the left we located a small car park and stopped there. We checked out the building we had parked next to and then headed through the field towards the woodland.
This woodland is directly behind the ventilation shaft and is home to the other bunker. The woodland bunker (also known as Bawdsey Bunker) blended into the surrounding but it was soon found. Closer to the wire fence that surrounded the ventilation shaft was a ladder down into a big room. This was the main attraction of this bunker.
We then attempted to find a way into the ventilation shaft. Luckily the wire fence (as mentioned earlier) was littered with multiple gaps and ways inside.
Once through the fence the out buildings were far more interesting than I had anticipated and ment that we spent most of our time productively exploring those.
The rumour was that the escape entrance to the underground bunker was the only way in. Having said this, when we reached it we were ment with 10 inches of concrete.
As much as I would’ve loved to go into the lower section, I would imagine that it’s very disgusting and rather dangerous.
The section above ground is more than worthy of a visit, with the addition of the woodland bunker.
As we were driving past the main entrance however we did notice a group of people with heavy diving gear on. Walking out of the premises (I assume they were allowed access). My guess is that the lower section was flooded and it had something to do with that. If anyone has any idea about this please let me know for my own curiosity.
