More information : A WWII military site including over 40 rectangular buildings, four sports pitches, and a possible firing range is visible on aerial photographs of 1945. The structures are visible within the grounds of Moreton Hall and gardens (Warwickshire HER 7595 and 8578). This may have been a dispersed site associated with the former WWII airfield RAF Wellsbourne Mountford, to the south-west (Monument Number 1431276). These features were mapped from aerial photographs as part of the SE Warwickshire and Cotswolds HLS NMP project.
The WWII features are centred at SP 3053 5533, on the eastern side of the main buildings and formal gardens of Moreton Hall. They extend across a total area measuring approximately 345m SSW to NNE and 165m WNW to ESE. The buildings, which may have been for accommodation or administration associated with RAF Wellsbourne Mountford, are arranged with the majority in a row aligned SSW to NNE between SP 3051 5546 and SP 3044 5518.
To the east of these buildings, which are visible on vertical aerial photographs of 1945, lie two large football pitches which can be seen as cropmarks. The goal posts are also visible on the aerial photographs. The football pitches are centred at SP 3054 5538 and SP 3064 5544 and measure approximately 109m by 68m and 83m by 51m respectively. To the south lie two much smaller football pitches, centred at SP 3052 5529 and SP 3056 5528. These pitches measure approximately 42m by 25m and 31m by 17m respectively.
To the east of the small football pitches; a series of small structures can also be seen on the vertical aerial photographs. These small structures are centred at SP 3057 5526 and are aligned south-west to north-east. They may have formed a firing range. To the north of the largest football pitch; 37 circular cropmarks can be seen centred at SP 3059 5545 on the 1945 aerial photographs, arranged in five rows aligned SSW to NNE. This is likely to have been the site of rows of tents used as temporary accommodation. To the north of the remains of this possible campsite, a further row of seven rectangular buildings can also be seen centred at SP 3060 5549 on the 1945 vertical aerial photographs. This row of buildings is aligned WNW to ESE.
Subsequent aerial photographs of the 1960s and 1970s show the gradual removal of all of these structures, with the possible exception of the south-eastern most rectangular building. This may be the same structure which is visible at this spot on the most recent available aerial photographs of 1999 and 2007 (1-2). |