Historic England research records

Historic England Research Records

Mousehold Heath Airfield
Hob Uid: 1492579
Location : Norfolk Broadland, Norwich Sprowston Non Civil Parish
Grid Ref : TG2550310364
Summary : The site of Mousehold Heath, a First World War Royal Flying Corps (RFC) airfield (1914 ' 1919) and an important repair and maintenance depot which later became an Acceptance park. The site was originally a cavalry training-ground until it was taken over by the RFC. After the First World War the airfield continued to be used as an aircraft factory site until 1930. A civilian flying club flew from Mousehold in the 1920s and the airfield operated as Norwich Municipal Airport between 1933 and 1939. The airfield was used by the military as a Motor Transport Storage site and as an Elementary (and Refresher) Flying Training School (Number 40 E & RFTS) between 1937 and 1939. During the Second World War the airfield was used as a bombing decoy and an anti-aircraft battery (see record) and radio beaken were established there. It may also have been used as a Prisoner of War camp. Flying from the airfield finished in the early 1950s and the hangars were subsequently converted into light industrial use as part of Roundtree industrial estate. The airfield covered 263 acres and contained a domestic and technical site. The technical site was equipped with a number of hangars including a coupled General Service shed. The first unit based at Mousehold Heath was Number 9 Training Squadron which stayed there until January 1918. A number of other squadrons stayed at the airfield inluding 18, 37, 85 and 117 Squadrons. From 1916 Mousehold Heath was the headquarters of the RFC Number 7 Wing. The airfield also became an important repair and maintenance depot in 1917 which subsequently became the Number 3 Acceptance park. After the war the the buildings were taken over by the Norfolk company of Boulton and Paul which continued the development and construction of aircraft until 1930.
More information : The site of Mousehold Heath, a First World War Royal Flying Corps (RFC) airfield (1914 ¿ 1919) and an important repair and maintenance depot which later became an Acceptance park. The site was originally a cavalry training-ground until it was taken over by the RFC. After the First World War the airfield continued to be used as an aircraft factory site until 1930. A civilian flying club flew from Mousehold in the 1920s and the airfield operated as Norwich Municipal Airport between 1933 and 1939. The airfield was used by the military as a Motor Transport Storage site and as an Elementary (and Refresher) Flying Training School (Number 40 E & RFTS) between 1937 and 1939. During the Second World War the airfield was used as a bombing decoy and an anti-aircraft battery (see record) and radio beaken were established there. It may also have been used as a Prisoner of War camp. The airfield covered 263 acres and contained a number of buildings. From the photograph on page 262 of the source the technical and domestic sites can be recognised. The technical site contained a number of hangars including a coupled General Service shed, and various Motor Transport Sheds. The domestic site contained a barracks and a tented camp. The first unit based at Mousehold Heath was Number 9 Training Squadron which stayed there until January 1918. A number of other squadrons stayed at the airfield inluding 18, 37, 85 and 117 Squadrons. From 1916 Mousehold Heath was the headquarters of the RFC Number 7 Wing. The airfield also became an important repair and maintenance depot in 1917 which subsequently became the Number 3 Acceptance park. After the war the the buildings were taken over by the Norfolk company of Boulton and Paul which continued the development and construction of aircraft until 1930. For a detailed description of the site please refer to the source. (1) Royal Flying Corps took over the site of the old cavalry drill ground as an airfield in October 1914. HQ buildings, hangars and other buildings were established. In the 1920s the Norfolk and Norwich Aero Club took over the site and in the Second World War a dummy airfield with mock Hudsons was built on the airfield site The airfield stopoped being used around 1950. Aerial photography indicates an anti-Aircraft battery and a radio beacon on the airfield during the Second World War. The site is now covered by the Heartease Estate and Roundtree industrial estate. For more detailed details please refer to the source. (2)

Sources :

Source Number : 1
Source : The Military Airfields of Britain: East Anglia Norfolk and Suffolk
Source details :
Page(s) : 261-262
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Source Number : 2
Source : World Wide Web page
Source details : Norfolk Heritage Explorer, 2009. NHER Number. 12415, [Accessed 17-MAR-2009]
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Monument Types:

Monument Period Name : Early 20th Century
Display Date : Pre 1914
Monument End Date : 1914
Monument Start Date :
Monument Type : Military Training Site, Riding School
Evidence : Documentary Evidence

Monument Period Name : Early 20th Century
Display Date : Operational 1914-1919
Monument End Date : 1919
Monument Start Date : 1914
Monument Type : Military Airfield, Aircraft Hangar, General Service Shed, Barracks, Aircraft Factory, Aircraft Maintenance Unit
Evidence : Documentary Evidence, Extant Building

Monument Period Name : Early 20th Century
Display Date : Used 1919-1930
Monument End Date : 1930
Monument Start Date : 1919
Monument Type : Aircraft Factory
Evidence : Documentary Evidence, Extant Building

Monument Period Name : Early 20th Century
Display Date : Early 20th Century
Monument End Date : 1929
Monument Start Date : 1920
Monument Type : Flying Club
Evidence : Documentary Evidence

Monument Period Name : First World War
Display Date : Operational 1914-19
Monument End Date : 1919
Monument Start Date : 1914
Monument Type : Military Airfield, Aircraft Hangar, General Service Shed, Barracks, Aircraft Maintenance Unit
Evidence : Documentary Evidence, Extant Building

Monument Period Name : Mid 20th Century
Display Date : Used 1933-39
Monument End Date : 1939
Monument Start Date : 1933
Monument Type : Airport
Evidence : Documentary Evidence

Monument Period Name : Mid 20th Century
Display Date : Used 1937-39
Monument End Date : 1939
Monument Start Date : 1937
Monument Type : Military Training Site, Military Airfield, Motor Transport Park
Evidence : Documentary Evidence

Monument Period Name : Mid 20th Century
Display Date : Change in function 1950s
Monument End Date : 1959
Monument Start Date : 1950
Monument Type : Industrial Estate, Housing Estate
Evidence : Extant Building

Monument Period Name : Second World War
Display Date : Used WW2
Monument End Date : 1945
Monument Start Date : 1939
Monument Type : Bombing Decoy, Anti Aircraft Battery, Radar Beacon, Prisoner Of War Camp
Evidence : Documentary Evidence, Conjectural Evidence

Components and Objects:

Related Records from other datasets:

External Cross Reference Source : National Monuments Record Number
External Cross Reference Number : TG 21 SE 32
External Cross Reference Notes :

Related Warden Records :

Associated Monuments : 1473072
Relationship type : General association

Related Activities :

Historic England Research Records

Mousehold Heath Airfield