My mum and I took a little outing the other day to the beautiful Bentley Priory – formerly the headquarters of RAF Flight Control and where the Battle of Britain was directed from. It was only decommissioned as an RAF facility in 2006.
Growing up in Stanmore opposite the housing for RAF families, where the roads are named for former commanders, I always knew that Bentley Priory was there, while not accessible to the public, and it has a rich history.
Queen Adelaide, Victoria’s aunt, lived there at the end of her life, visited by the Royal couple who were close to her.
The man who established the command at Bentley Priory, Air Chief Marshal Hugh Dowding, who seems to be one of history’s forgotten heroes, was due to retire when he was given the role, he adopted new technology like radar and developments in telephones to improve and design the way the RAF worked. The museum celebrates his role and that of the many men and women (WAAF members worked there) who served and the incredible work they did.
The house itself is beautiful and set in beautiful grounds, including the Italianate Gardens, designed for a previous occupant. Unfortunately, it was raining when we went, so we couldn’t look around the grounds or visit the bunker.
Being slightly off the beaten path as it is, the museum is easy to overlook, but actually easy to get to, it’s on the 142 bus route, the stop is named for the museum, and then you walk down the long drive. There is a little car park, and accessible parking spaces too.
Although the lift was out of order when we visited, the museum is very accessible and the cafe serves a selection of food. It might be worth contacting them if you are concerned about access to see if it’s been repaired.
The volunteers are all very friendly and knowledgeable about the museum’s history. It was quite quiet when we went and at times it felt like we were getting a private tour, which was very nice.
The museum is very child-friendly with activities and even a cosy reading nook for if your little historians need a break. Tucked between Stanmore and Bushey, there’s plenty of places locally to get something to eat to break up your day out. The RAF Museum at Colindale isn’t too far away if you wanted to see the planes the RAF have flown too.
It’s truly a little gem of a museum and well worth the entry fee to explore a slice of fascinating history. Check out the website for opening times etc.
*all images taken from the Bentley Priory Museum website*
ramblingmads 