| Summary : The site of a Royal Air Force Chain Home radar station at High Street, known as site CH28. It was established by 1940 to provide early warning of enemy aircraft approaching East Anglia and the southern North Sea. It was thus an important part of the country's early warning system during the Battle of Britain, when it fell within the crucial RAF FighterCommand's 11 group sector.Chain Home stations commonly comprised transmission and receiver blocks, four 240ft timber receiver aerial towers, four 350ft steel transmitter aerial towers that stood on concrete pads, and other buildings such as dispersed accommodation huts, guard huts and stand-by set houses for reserve power. From 1940 defensive measures were installed at radar stations, including Light Anti-Aircraft gun emplacements, pill boxes, road blocks and air raid shelters. The High Street site was divided into two parts- the transmitter site (located at TM 410 720) and receiver site (located at TM 407 715). In the early 1950s the station was remodelled and technically restored as part of the Rotor programme. The station was disused by the 1960s, when the transmitter pylons were demolished. Aerial photography from 1973 shows that the receiver block and a full set of four aerial bases survive, plus four separate ancillary buildings. The transmission block with four sets of aerial bases and four ancillary buildings also survive. A further, single set of aerial bases is visible at TM 410 716. The western and southern edges of the transmission site have since been built over. |
More information : A Chain Home Station located at High Street (TM 407 715), called CH28. It was established by 23-FEB-1940. Chain Home stations commonly comprised transmission and receiver blocks, four 240ft timber receiver aerial towers, four 350ft steel transmitter aerial towers that stood on concrete pads, and other buildings such as dispersed accommodation huts, guard huts and standby set houses. From 1940 defensive measures were installed at radar stations, including Light Anti-Aircraft gun emplacements, pill boxes, road blocks and air raid shelters. NGR given is for the receiver block. (1)
A Chain Home Station at High Street. The site was divided into two parts- the transmitter (located at TM 410 720) and receiver sites (located at TM 407 715). The receiver block and a full set of four aerial bases survive, plus four separate ancillary buildings. The transmission block with four sets of aerial bases, and four ancillary buildings also survive. A further, single set of aerial bases is visible at TM 410 716. The western and southern edges of the transmission site have now been built over. (2)
Radar station site is on 2007 edition OS map and has been polygonised, which is why this record NGR may be different to NGRs given above. (3)
The Rotor programme was developed to advance the wartime radar technology in detecting and locating fast-flying jets. It was approved by the Air Council in June 1950. The first phase of the programme, Rotor 1, was to technically restore existing Chain Home, centrimetric early warning, Chain Home Extra Low and Ground Controlled Interception stations and put them under the control of RAF Fighter Command. There were three main components to the Rotor stations: the technical site, including the radars, operation blocks and other installations; the domestic site, where personnel were accommodated; and the stand-by set house, a reserve power supply. The techinical site of High Street Rotor station is located at TM 411 720. The domestic site and the stand-by set house were co-located at the technical site. (4-6)
As source 2. (7)
The transmitter pylons were demolished in the 1960s. (8)
RAF High Street was a chain home station which provided long range early warning for the southern North Sea and the approaches to East Anglia for 11 Group RAF Fighter Command during the Battle of Britain. (9) |