A sad controversy is developing around the fate of RAF Bentley Priory near Stanmore in northern London. The grandiose and historically significant estate, owned by the RAF since 1926 and most remembered as Air Chief Marshal Dowding’s Command Headquarters during the Battle of Britain, has been sold. The buyer is the development company VSM Estates which has the intention of converting the mansion to luxury apartments. Further residential buildings are planned in its gardens.

RAF Bentley Priory Officers’ Mess [Photo Gme7]

This sale is a part of restructuring programme conducted by the Ministry of Defence whereupon six RAF sites will be disposed of and the new headquarters established in RAF Northolt. Stations to be closed and sold include Uxbridge, Bentley Priory, Eastcote and West Ruislip.

The three remaining RAF lodgers at Bentley Priory – the Defence Aviation Safety Centre (DASC), the Air Historical Branch and RAF Ceremonial are scheduled to move to Northolt in February 2008 and the possession vacated by the end of April.

Formal closing ceremony of RAF Bentley Priory, 19 July 2007 [Photo David Whiting]

The problem is that the historic significance of Bentley Priory exceeds that of any other RAF property on the sales list. Built in 1766 and extended in 1788 by Sir John Soane, Bentley Priory is most widely recognized as the headquarters of Fighter Command during World War II. The offices of Air Chief Marshal Dowding are still there, with his leather-topped desk, many of his papers and other effects. The Operations and Filter Rooms (now the Ante-room and the Ladies room) were the ones from which Dowding lead the defence of Britain. Later during the war, Bentley Priory continued to act as the headquarters of Fighter Command and assumed additional importance as the planning headquarters for D-Day.

Many of the Battle of Britain veterans and aviation enthusiasts, including the family of ACM Dowding, expressed their grave disappointment by the fact that what they consider to be the spiritual home of the RAF will be lost to future generations. In their opinion, the historic significance of the place justifies its continued use as a national heritage museum. Sadly, this possibility seems to have evaded MoD’s attention prior to the sale. Consequently, the issue is being processed as an afterthought between the MoD, the new owner of the premises and the local planning authority.

A group of pilot veterans have set up the Bentley Priory Battle of Britain Trust (BPBBT) under the chairmanship of Air Chief Marshal Brian Burridgewith, with the target of at least saving the ground floor of the mansion as a museum and retaining Dowding’s wartime office. Of course, these plans contradict with financial interests of VSM Estates and may not go down too well with those who wish to buy the proposed luxury apartments. For example, VSM has already expressed their requirement for “completely soundproofing” the museum premises.

Regardless of the conflict of interests, the museum initiative would require considerable funding. Just basic maintenance of the mansion was costing the MoD an estimated £200,000 annually, not including a serious repair work which is needed. Setting up a museum requires additional modifications to allow public access, insurance cover, security and fire equipment and salaries of staff – a dauting financial task without a government commitment.

As of today, discussions continue between local planning authority (Harrow Borough Council), the Trust, the RAF Museum and VSM Estates in order to identify a comprehensive solution. There are still no binding decisions for “what form any future development might take, or the level of public access that might be possible.”

Interest of the media for the matter has been rather small, with the exception of the recent article in Daily Telegraph.

I would like you to have your say in this matter. How imporant is it to preserve Bentley Priory as a museum? Is the Trust’s battle meaningful? I promise to forward all responses to this post to the interested parties should you wish to support their stand. You can use the Leave your comment link below to post your voice directly at this page.