More information : Officers' mess (Building 21, Upavon Camp.Officers' Mess. 1917 for the Central Flying School, Royal Flying Corps. Rendered and lined on brickwork. Asbestos slate roof. Single storey, 13 bays with entrance in centre to through hall to parallel rear wing containing main dining room and kitchens, spaced away from front block by a covered court on the south side. Front block extended by further 2 bays to north. Entrance in tetrastyle Tuscan portico over 9 steps. Flat entablature. Timber panelled doors. Mullioned and transomed windows, alternate windows are canted bays rising to parapet well above eaves, and 3 similar bays on rear block. Covered court has part glazed external face with RFC initials. Rear of through hall rises to 2 storeys. Interior: Hall has oak dado panelling and inner revolving doors. Segmental panelled vault and cornice. Strapwork in spandrels. Columns in antis to link section, with 5 marble steps rising to rear block. Panelled ceiling to main dining room. Segmental glazed roof to covered court with laylight under. The principal element in an important group of buildings purpose built for the Royal Flying Corps' Central Flying School, established here in 1912 under the command of Capt. Paine, RN, and Major Trenchard. Now the oldest RAF mess still used as originally designed. Listing NGR: SU 15509 54871. (1)
Officers Mess at Upavon Camp, Trenchard Lines. The building was described by English Heritage in 2003 as an "ingeniously planned and formal composition, with richly decorated interiors and the finest building erected for the RFC...a drawing dated June 1914 is ascribed to E W Ellison ARIBA. Its historical importance as one of the key buildings relating to the development of military aviation in its formative years butresses its recommendation to II*". (2)
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