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Summary

RAF Harlaxton was a First World War airfield, that opened in 1916.

Full description

RAF Harlaxton was a First World War airfield, that opened in 1916 and closed in 1920. It re-opened as a relief landing ground for RAF Grantham in the late 1930s and remained open during the Second World War. The airfield was sold off by the government in the 1950s and returned to agriculture. {1}{2}{3}

Sub-circular and penannular cropmarks are visible (at SK 9069 3247), on aerial photographs of this area. The South Lincolnshire Archaeology Unit interpreted these as the possible remains of ring ditches and horse-shoe shaped enclosures of an unknown date. It has subsequently been thought that these cropmarks much more likely represent former military activity, associated with the airfield. Archival material from the 1940s show that this part of the airfield was probably used for the dispersed storage of munitions. A munitions dispersal structure, consisting of four discreet blast-protected storage areas within a defined enclosure, can clearly be seen in this area on earlier aerial photographs. The structure can be seen to lie alongside an area of possible Nissen huts, vehicle tracks, small buildings and various craters and areas of bare soil. {4}{5}{6}

<1> T.N. Hancock, 1978, Bomber County, p.118 (Bibliographic Reference). SLI1060.

<2> Otter, P, 1996, Lincolnshire Airfields in the Second World War, p.81 (Bibliographic Reference). SLI7228.

<3> Ron N.E. Blake, Mike Hodgson and Bill J. Taylor, 1984, The Airfields of Lincolnshire Since 1912, pp.95-6 (Bibliographic Reference). SLI10563.

<4> Parish card index of the former South Lincolnshire Archaeology Unit, SK35/303 (Index). SLI2156.

<5> SOUTH KESTEVEN RECORDS, A756JP (Aerial Photograph). SLI120.

<6> Professional Independent Services for Archaeology, 1997, AIR PHOTOGRAPHIC ASSESSMENT, GORSE LANE, SK9033 APS LTD/967/24 (Report). SLI3406.

Monument Types

• AIRFIELD (First World War to Mid 20th Century - 1916 AD to 1950 AD)

Sources and further reading

Related records

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