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Monument Types

• MILITARY AIRFIELD (World War I, World War I - 1916 AD to 1918 AD)
• BLAST SHELTER (World War II, World War II - 1939 AD? to 1945 AD?)
• FIRING RANGE (World War II, World War II - 1939 AD? to 1945 AD?)
• SEAGULL TRENCH (World War II, World War II - 1939 AD? to 1945 AD?)
• STANTON SHELTER (World War II, World War II - 1939 AD? to 1945 AD?)
• MILITARY AIRFIELD (World War II, World War II to Mid 20th Century - 1942 AD to 1946 AD)
• AIRFIELD (Mid 20th Century - 1946 AD to 1964 AD)
• AIRPORT (Mid 20th Century to 21st Century - 1965 AD to 2050 AD)

Summary

The first airfield here only lasted between 1916-18. In 1942 a Bomber Station was set up with the usual three runway design. The airfield closed in September 1946. The site was chosen to be the East Midlands Airport in 1964; the main runway is on top of the original.

Additional Information

<1> 1995-2002, Defence of Britain Project, S0003949 (Website). SLE5006.

RAF Castle Donington. Condition stated as 'unknown'.
Seagull trench. Stepped to follow the contours of the ground. Castle Donington airfield.

<2> M Chorlton, 2003, Leicestershire & Rutland Airfields in the Second World War, p81-89 (Bibliographic reference). SLE197.

The airfield was home to 28 OTU. More information is in 'Leicestershire & Rutland Airfields'. Few features of the earlier airfields survive, though there are some dispersals.

<3> Cartwright, T C, 2002, Birds Eye Wartime: Leicestershire 1939-1945, p42 (Bibliographic reference). SLE383.

There is an aerial photograph of the airfield in 'Birds Eye Wartime'.

<4> Bonser, Roy, 2001, Aviation in Leicestershire and Rutland, p16, p127-138 (Bibliographic reference). SLE1484.

"This was the smallest of 38 Squadron's landing grounds in Leicestershire. Covering approximately 20 acres it was situated to the south-east corner of the area which is now the East Midlands Airport. Little is known about the field or its activity there. The only information available indicates that it was established late in 1916, downgraded for day use only in mid-1917 and by 1918 it was not in use."

<5> Barrymore Halpenny, Bruce, 1981, Action Stations Vol 2 - Military airfields of Lincolnshire and the East Midlands, p59-61 (Bibliographic reference). SLE4079.

The airfield opened in 1943. It was a standard Training airfield with three paved runways. It was used by part of 28 OTU, equipped with Wellington Ics, IIIs and Xs. Martinets, Masters and Hurricanes were used for towing. In 1944 the airfield converted to transport aircraft and the bomber OTU disbanded, being replaced by 108 OTU, a transport unit equipped with 40 Dakota III aircraft. Castle Donington closed to flying in September 1946 and was abandoned as an RAF airfield. However, work started on the new airport here in 1964. Little use was made of the wartime facilities. The East Midlands Airport opened on April 1st 1965.

<6> Lefort, Ross, 2014, East Midlands Gateway, Detailed Gradiometer Survey Report, p9, fig 46 (Unpublished document). SLE4533.

An area of possible bomb stores was recorded during geophysical survey in 2013/14 at SK 459 269.
(Field A10 F10, features 4085-4091.)
Report is in ADS Library: doi:10.5284/1100247 - https://doi.org/10.5284/1100247

<7> Breeden, Chris, 2016, LiDAR assessment and woodland survey report, East Midlands Gateway (Unpublished document). SLE5256.

LiDAR analysis in 2016 noted a depression within which there were several 'L'-shaped features, likely representing elements of a WW2 bomb store.
Report is in ADS Library: doi:10.5284/1119313 - https://doi.org/10.5284/1119313

<8> Laverick, J, 2017, Woodland Survey Report and Archaeological Fieldwalking Report, Phase 2, East Midlands Gateway, Leicestershire (Unpublished document). SLE5720.

Topographic survey in 2017 recorded a few features that could be related to the airfield: a concrete track, a section of wall, possible concrete foundations, a curving earthwork bank and a 'teardrop shaped feature defined by an approximately 1.5m steep bank either side of a concrete track'. There was some evidence that structures once existed either on or adjacent to the bank.
Report is in ADS Library: 10.5284/1049169 - http://dx.doi.org/10.5284/1049169

<9> Fisher, Pamela J & Lee, JM, 2016, The Victoria History of Leicestershire: Castle Donington, p13-14 (Bibliographic reference). SLE5779.

The airfield opened in 1943 as a satellite to the RAF's Operational Training Unit at Wymeswold. East Midlands Airport opened in 1965. A runway expansion was approved by the Board of Trade in 1970, and two large package tour operators began to offer holidays flying from the airport in 1970 and 1971. A cargo terminal opened in 1973. In 2001 the airport was handling nearly 200,000 tonnes of freight and mail each year and serving 2.8 million passengers, increasing to over 4 million in the early 2000s. In 2015 there were flights to 26 different countries and it was the second busiest cargo airport in the UK, handling 300,000 tonnes annually.

<10> 2020, Pillbox Study Group (Digital archive). SLE6354.

SK44482583 - "Blast Shelter. Shown on the 1963 1:2500 OS map."
SK44572583 - "Blast Shelter. Shown on the 1963 1:2500 OS map."
SK44502578 - "Blast Shelter. Shown on the 1963 1:2500 OS map."
SK44532577 - "Blast Shelter. Shown on the 1963 1:2500 OS map."
SK44492571 - "Blast Shelter. Shown on the 1963 1:2500 OS map."
SK44672543 - "Small Arms Range. Shown on the 1963 1:2500 OS map."
SK44472592 - "Stanton Shelter. Shown on the 1963 1:2500 OS map."
SK44502536 - "Stanton Shelter. Shown on the 1963 1:2500 OS map."
SK44492541 - "Stanton Shelter. Shown on the 1963 1:2500 OS map."
SK45082531 - "Stanton Shelter. Shown on the 1963 1:2500 OS map."
SK45862574 - "Stanton Shelter. Shown on the 1963 1:2500 OS map."
SK45982583 - "Stanton Shelter. Shown on the 1963 1:2500 OS map."
SK46172648 - "Stanton Shelter. Shown on the 1963 1:2500 OS map."
SK44972644 - "Stanton Shelter. Shown on the 1963 1:2500 OS map."

<11> 2016, National Record of the Historic Environment (NRHE) accessioning (Website). SLE4981.

SUMMARY: "A former military airfield, opened in 1943, once known as RAF Castle Donington, now East Midlands Airport. The Wartime airfield was equipped with three concrete runways, a type T2 and a type B1 hangar. It was an satellite bomber training station. The airfield was used by 28 Operational Training Unit and 108 Operational Training Unit (renamed 1382 Transport Conversion Unit after war in Europe was over). In 1946 it was closed as a military airfield. It re-opened in 1965 as East Midlands Airport, after extensive redevelopment including relaying of runways, taxiways and internal roads."
URL: 'https://nrhe-to-her.esdm.co.uk/NRHE/RecordDetail.aspx?pageid=45&he_uid=1390986', accessioned 06/10/2023.

<12> Virtual catalogue entry to support NAR migration (Unpublished document). SLE7248.

A former military airfield, opened in 1943, once known as RAF Castle Donington, now East Midlands Airport. It was an satellite bomber training station. The airfield was used by 28 Operational Training Unit and 108 Operational Training Unit (renamed 1382 Transport Conversion Unit after war in Europe was over). In 1946 it was closed as a military airfield. It re-opened in 1965 as East Midlands Airport, after extensive redevelopment including relaying of runways, taxiways and internal roads.
(Information from East Midlands Airport website, 'http://www.east-midlands-airport-parking-uk.co/east-midlands-history/', accessed 14/01/2004.)

<13> Willis, Steve & Hollis, Barry R, 1987, Military Airfields in the British Isles, 1939-45, p42 (Bibliographic reference). SLE7241.

Castle Donington airfield, SK 454 262. The wartime airfield was equipped with three concrete runways , one B1 and obe T2 type aircraft hangar. The source includes a small basic sketch plan of the wartime airfield.

<14> Ordnance Survey 1:10,560 (6") and 10K historic mapping, 1982, 1967 (Map). SLE7243.

East Midlands Airport, centered at SK 456 260, (NAT). See OS sheets SK 42 NE and SK 42 NW.

<15> 2016, National Record of the Historic Environment (NRHE) accessioning (Website). SLE4981.

SUMMARY: "Second World War seagull trench, stepped to follow the contours of the ground. Castle Donington airfield."
URL: 'https://nrhe-to-her.esdm.co.uk/NRHE/RecordDetail.aspx?pageid=45&he_uid=1419443', accessioned 06/10/2023.

<16> Lockington-Hemington Parish Council, 2024, Lockington-Hemington Neighbourhood Plan, p34, Fig8 & Appendix 4 (Neighbourhood Plan). SLE7912.

Identified as a site of Historic Environment Significance (Policy ENV6)

Sources

Associated Finds

None recorded

Designations

None recorded

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