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Summary

Former Second World War dispersed accommodation site for RAF Blyton.

Full description

The remains of 4 air raid shelters and the concrete bases of at least 10 Nissen huts are located within Laughton Woods. The shelters are of the Stanton prefabricated brick and concrete ring section type. There are exterior brick blast walls to several of the shelters. The number of shelters and Nissen huts would suggest that this functioned as some form of work camp associated with the nearby RAF Blyton (see PRN 54074). {1}

This area of woodland is the location of Site No.8, a dispersed accommodation site for the former RAF Blyton. It is the only surviving example of 6 accommodation sites for the base, and was used to house officers, sergeants, and airmen who were stationed at RAF Blyton during the Second World War. 4 extant Stanton air raid shelters and the bases for 28 Nissen huts survive in their original locations on the site. 3 further Nissen huts were based just to the east of the site, on the other side of the trackway, but these have been completely demolished. The site was examined in March 2019 prior to the proposed conversion of the site into holiday accommodation. The assessment deemed the grouping of buildings to be historically significant, as they represent a rare example of a surviving group of these types of military structures, which were usually only erected for temporary use during the war. {2}

<1> Angela Simmonds, 2017, Information from Angela Simmonds, 29/09/2017 (Electronic Communication). SLI16101.

<2> Austin Heritage Consultants, 2019, 'Site No.8' - Former RAF Blyton, The Woodlands, Laughton, - (Report). SLI16389.

Monument Types

• MILITARY CAMP (Second World War - 1940 AD to 1945 AD)
• NISSEN HUT (Second World War to 21st Century - 1940 AD to 2050 AD)
• STANTON SHELTER (Second World War to 21st Century - 1940 AD to 2050 AD)

Associated Events

• Site Visit to Air Raid Shelters and Nissen Huts, Laughton Wood
• 'Site No.8' - Former RAF Blyton, The Woodlands, Laughton

Sources and further reading

Related records

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