If you have any comments or new information about this record, please email us.

Summary

Belton Park First World War Camp.

Full description

Belton Park was used as the site of a military camp during the First World War. A plan, dating to the summer of 1915, shows the layout of the camp, including narrow gauge railways and a hospital. The camp was used by the British Army and was used in April 1915 to house the 30th Division whilst it was being formed. The plan of the site is annotated with the names of the battalions that formed the division and shows where the different battalions were quartered. The 30th Division was made up almost entirely of battalions from Manchester and Liverpool and comprised volunteers who had enlisted soon after the start of the war in August 1914. The division moved on to Salisbury Plain in late September 1915 before embarking for France in November that year. {1}{2}

A series of geophysical surveys were undertaken in April 2012, as part of a wider investigation of the archaeological remains at Belton Park. Although the camp was a relatively temporary construction, remains of several of the former camp buildings and their associated services were identified. An initial magnetometry survey confirmed the location of several of the structures recorded on the 1915 plan of the training camp, and indicate that the plan was highly accurate. Although most of the structures appeared to be quite ephemeral, a number of strong magnetic anomalies were recorded, and are thought to indicate the position of former stoves within the barrack blocks. The majority of the recorded magnetic anomalies, however, were thought to indicate the position of services, such as drains and water pipes. A subsequent ground penetrating radar survey identified the remains of a former kitchen block, and indicated that it was a more substantial structure, containing larger ovens, and possibly areas of hard standing. The radar survey also confirmed the position of the likely barrack block stoves and the large number of drain and water pipe features around the former buildings. {3}

A subsequent programme of trial trenching was undertaken in May 2012, principally targetting the remains of the First World War training camp. Eight trial trenches were excavated, and whilst few structural remains of the camp were identified, a substantial artefactual assemblage was recovered, illustrating many aspects of everyday camp life. Photographs of the site under construction show that the camp was largely comprised of timber-framed buildings, raised above the ground, and built to a standardised design. It is believed that these buildings were dismantled and removed from the site, almost immediately after the camp closed in 1920. The vast majority of the archaeological features that were recorded by the evaluation were therefore related to the provision of services for the camp buildings, and included the remains of a number of drains and water pipes, pathways and road surfaces. A number of construction cuts and post-holes were also identified, giving the location of several of the former buildings. A considerable quantity of material relating to the use of the camp was recovered during the evaluation, and included a large assemblage of pottery and glass, mostly comprising various kinds of serving wares and vessels used on a daily basis by the camp inhabitants. In many cases, maker's marks or stamps could be seen on the items, allowing an identification of the manufacturer to be made. It appears that much of the material was not made locally, but rather that the camp was supplied in bulk from centralised, Government-appointed suppliers. Other artefacts recovered included a range of military related material, including ammunition rounds, badges, buckles and buttons, fragments of army boot soles, and tent pegs and fittings. A small assemblage of animal bone was recovered, including fragments of cattle, sheep and domestic fowl. These almost certainly reflect prepared joints of meat, brought to the camp as provisions for the soldiers. A small assemblage of structural material was also recovered, attesting to the range of material that was used in the construction of the camp, and included a number of bricks, fragments of ceramic pipe and window glass, and an assortment of nails and screws. {4}{5}

<1> Ministry of War, 1915, Belton Park Camp in 1915, - (Map). SLI13125.

<2> Baker, Chris, 1996-2014, The Long, Long Trail. The British Army in the First World War., Accessed 05/08/2010 (Website). SLI13126.

<3> GSB Prospection Ltd, 2013, Belton Park, Lincolnshire, - (Report). SLI14620.

<4> Wessex Archaeology, 2013, Belton House, Belton, - (Report). SLI14621.

<5> Wessex Archaeology, 2013, Belton House, Belton, - (Archive). SLI14622.

Monument Types

• BARRACK BLOCK (First World War to Early 20th Century - 1915 AD to 1920 AD)
• MILITARY HOSPITAL (First World War to Early 20th Century - 1915 AD to 1920 AD)
• RAILWAY (First World War to Early 20th Century - 1915 AD to 1920 AD)
• TRAINING CAMP (First World War to Early 20th Century - 1915 AD to 1920 AD)

Associated Finds

• AMMUNITION (First World War to Early 20th Century - 1915 AD to 1920 AD)
• ANIMAL REMAINS (First World War to Early 20th Century - 1915 AD to 1920 AD)
• BADGE (First World War to Early 20th Century - 1915 AD to 1920 AD)
• BRICK (First World War to Early 20th Century - 1915 AD to 1920 AD)
• BUTTON (First World War to Early 20th Century - 1915 AD to 1920 AD)
• NAIL (First World War to Early 20th Century - 1915 AD to 1920 AD)
• PIN (First World War to Early 20th Century - 1915 AD to 1920 AD)
• SHERD (First World War to Early 20th Century - 1915 AD to 1920 AD)
• SHERD (First World War to Early 20th Century - 1915 AD to 1920 AD)
• SOLE (First World War to Early 20th Century - 1915 AD to 1920 AD)
• TENT (First World War to Early 20th Century - 1915 AD to 1920 AD)
• WATER PIPE (ARCHITECTURAL) (First World War to Early 20th Century - 1915 AD to 1920 AD)
• WINDOW GLASS (First World War to Early 20th Century - 1915 AD to 1920 AD)
• WRENCH (First World War to Early 20th Century - 1915 AD to 1920 AD)

Associated Events

• Magnetometry Survey at Belton Park, Lincolnshire
• Ground Penetrating Radar Survey at Belton Park, Lincolnshire
• Belton House, Belton

Protected Status

• SHINE

Sources and further reading

Related records

Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.