Bradwell Lodge played its part in the war effort

Later on I would pore over my copy of his posthumous book ‘Reconstructing the past’ (BCA 1981).

His vibrant sketches and paintings really do bring excavated remains to life, making them much more understandable to the general public.

Around the same time I also started researching the story of the wartime aerodrome at Bradwell.

Little did I know that, some 40 years later, those two things – Sorrell’s much admired art works and RAF Bradwell Bay’s history – would come together in such a tangible way.

During the war years, more or less all of Bradwell village became part of the busy RAF night fighter station.

We think of its heart as the dispersal area, the runways, hangers and control tower, but the many personnel based there also needed somewhere to eat and sleep.

One of the local houses commandeered for that purpose was beautiful Bradwell Lodge.

Located in the centre of the village, just to the south of the parish church but barely visible from the road, it has been described as “one of the most delightful smaller country houses of Essex”.

Bradwell Lodge's Georgian Neoclassical pavilion

It is, in reality, two houses. The oldest part (the north wing) dates from the 16th Century and is a typical timber-framed Tudor house.

In contrast, the south wing is a Georgian Neoclassical pavilion, completed in 1786.

It was built under the direction of the architect John Johnson for the Reverend (later Sir) Henry Bate Dudley (1724-1824).

As well as being a journalist, dramatist, magistrate, sportsman and duellist, he also served as Bradwell’s curate.

It has been said that “he lived at the Lodge more as a squire than a parson” and clearly spared no expense on the building.

It displays more than a touch of Robert Adam, with a ceiling decorated by Robert Smirke Snr and a beautiful mantle-piece by Angelica Kauffman.

Within these palatial surroundings, Bate Dudley entertained the likes of the artists Thomas Gainsborough and William Hogarth and the actors David Garrick and Sarah Siddons.

Moving on to the Second World War and Bradwell Lodge was owned by an equally colourful character – another journalist, politician, churchman and suspected double agent, Tom Driberg, also known (later) as Lord Bradwell.

He had purchased it in 1939, but just two years later it was taken over as the Officers’ Mess.

The MT Yard next to the Lodge (by permission M Ennew)

Night after night, young men, having enjoyed a hearty meal, went out through its door to combat, and all too many did not return.

As the number of squadrons grew, the Mess overflowed the confines of the Lodge and Nissen huts appeared on the lawn, serving as extra dining rooms and kitchens.

Not only that but WAAF quarters and air-raid shelters were built elsewhere in the grounds.

Having only just begun to restore the house and garden, Driberg had to watch the place become, in his words, “an eyesore”.

He nevertheless described that time as “the most glorious period in the history of the old house”.

He even carefully preserved graffiti “expressive of the simple loyalty of the WAAF orderlies and kitchen staff”.

Today, with its manicured lawns and established flower beds, it is difficult to imagine what it must have looked like. But then that’s where the artist comes in.

Alan Sorrell also served in the RAF, but transferred to the Air Ministry to help camouflage aerodromes.

In addition, he created art works, completing several commissions for the War Artists Advisory Committee.

Alan Sorrell's war-time sketch of the lodge

His approach to the 26 paintings that he produced for them followed the same technique as his archaeological reconstructions – loose preparatory sketches, more detailed drawings with measured grids and then completed final paintings.

One of the problems with his work from that time, however, is that the titles are either quite nondescript (presumably for security reasons) or have subsequently been miss-titled.

Fast forward to 2021 and, whilst searching for something else on the internet, I came across an art dealer offering some of Sorrell’s wartime sketches.

One of them particularly caught my eye.

Un-mounted, squared and numbered, it is in pencil and pen and ink, measures 24.5 x 37.5 cms and was rather curiously listed as “Bradfield Lodge with Nissen hut accommodation”.

More tellingly, however, it says that it was “near RAF Bradwell Bay, circa 1942”.

I couldn’t believe my eyes – it is without doubt the very distinctive Bradwell Lodge, complete with its overflow accommodation.

I made an offer for the drawing which, I am pleased to say, was accepted. Further research has indicated that the associated completed painting is in the Imperial War Museum. I contacted Alan Sorrell’s daughter who said that one of her brothers had indeed sold the drawing to the art dealer – confirming, without question, the provenance of this remarkable image of our (almost but not quite) lost local wartime heritage.