Bawdsey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bawdsey |
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 Saint Mary's Church, Bawdsey |
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 Bawdsey
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| Population | 276 (2011) |
| OS grid reference | TM348400 |
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| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Woodbridge |
| Postcode district | IP12 |
| EU Parliament | East of England |
Bawdsey is a small village and civil parish (which is like a local community area) located in Suffolk, a county in eastern England. It sits right at the mouth of the River Deben, across from the town of Felixstowe. In 2011, about 276 people lived there.
Contents
Bawdsey's Secret Role in World War II
Bawdsey played a very important part in World War II history. It was here that a super-secret project began!
The Birthplace of Radar
In 1936, before the war even started, Bawdsey Manor became the home of RAF Bawdsey. This was where the United Kingdom's Air Ministry began to research and develop radar. Radar is a system that uses radio waves to detect objects like airplanes or ships. It was a brand new technology at the time.
This research was super important for defending Britain during the war. When World War II began in September 1939, the radar research had to move to safer locations. First, it went to Worth Matravers in May 1940, and then to Malvern in 1942. Even after the main research moved, Bawdsey still had important early warning radar stations during the war. These were called Chain Home and Chain Home Low.
Protecting the Coastline
During World War II, many defences were built around Bawdsey Point to protect the coast from invasion. These included small concrete shelters called pillboxes. There were also landmines and special flame throwers called flame fougasse installations. The beaches themselves were protected with huge barriers made of scaffolding.
Nature and Wildlife at Bawdsey
Bawdsey is a special place for nature because of where it is located. It's on the northern side of the Deben Estuary, which is where the River Deben meets the North Sea.
Important Nature Sites
Bawdsey is next to two areas that are called Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs). This means they are protected because they have rare wildlife, plants, or important geology.
- Bawdsey Cliff is an SSSI that stretches along the coastline to the east of the village. It's famous for its amazing geology. It covers about 23.3 hectares (that's about 57 acres) and shows more than 2 kilometers (about 1.2 miles) of exposed rock called the Red Crag. This Red Crag is from a very early period called the Gelasian, and Bawdsey has the most important example of it in all of England!
- Deben Estuary SSSI is another important natural area nearby. Estuaries like this are often home to many different kinds of birds and marine life.
