The Blackburn Wing

... is a rather futuristic building so called because it resembles an aircraft wing in cross section. It won two RIBA awards in 2015.

This morning I attended a meeting at Bowcliffe Hall near Bramham. In the grounds the current owner of the estate has built this rather unusual building amongst the trees, so I ventured out for a look.
The aircraft theme is in recognition of a former owner of the Hall who was Robert Blackburn, an English aviation pioneer and founder of the Blackburn aircraft.
Blackburn who was born in Leeds built his first aircraft (a monoplane) in 1909. In 1919 he set up the North Sea Aerial Navigation Company, using surplus World War I aeroplanes, which operated a regular passenger service between Leeds and Hounslow. 

The current owner, Jonathan Turner, refurbished the hall and grounds from 2010 onwards and nowadays it is a business and functions venue. In the extra is another aviation oddity - a model monoplane which doesn't fly, but does have an engine in and can be driven around the grounds! I'm told the idea for this came from the current owner.

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