See important guidance on the use of this record.

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

Summary

A military camp (Dispersed Site 7) of Second World War date is visible as a number of structures and earthwork banked features on aerial photographs of 1943 onwards, to the southeast of Dunkeswell airfield. Several extant structures remain visible in 2014.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: ST10NW/42/3

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• DISPERSED SITE (Built, World War II - 1939 AD (Between) to 1945 AD (Between))

Full description

Royal Air Force, 1942, RAF/16B/BR425/3, RAF/16B/BR425/3 V 35 02-FEB-1942 (Aerial Photograph). SDV359929.

The camp has not yet been constructed.

Royal Air Force, 1942, RAF/FNO/38, RAF/FNO/38 RV 6021 11-JUL-1942 (Aerial Photograph). SDV359770.

Construction of the camp has commenced.

United States Airforce, 1943, US/7PH/GP/LOC14, US/7PH/GP/LOC14 RV 6005 09-AUG-1943 (Aerial Photograph). SDV359565.

A range of structures and earthwork banked features are visible.

Royal Air Force, 1946 - 1949, Royal Air Force Aerial Photographs (Aerial Photograph). SDV342938.

Map object based on this Source.

Royal Air Force, 1947, RAF/CPE/UK/1974, 4298 (Aerial Photograph). SDV110669.

Distinct group of military buildings visible.

Royal Air Force, 1947, RAF/CPE/UK/1974, RAF/CPE/UK/1974 RS 4297-4298 11-APR-1947 (Aerial Photograph). SDV356127.

A number of structures and earthwork banked features are visible. Map object based on this source.

Ordnance Survey, 1968, ST10NW (Cartographic). SDV129545.

Site marked as Marylea.

Ordnance Survey, 1982, OS/82219 V, OS/82219 V 1630-1631 03-SEP-1982 (Aerial Photograph). SDV357675.

The former camp has been almost completely cleared, although several extant structures remain visible.

Fortress Study Group, 1994, List of Defensive Sites, JH01305 (Un-published). SDV362243.

An unidentified structure, surviving in good condition, is listed at ST14410735.

Francis, P., 1995, Blackdown Hills Airfield Survey. Dunkeswell and Upottery, 20, 72, Figs 3, 19, 24-25, Appendix 2 (Report - Survey). SDV312951.

Dunkeswell Dispersed Site 7 (accommodation). As well as acquiring land for the airfield and its buildings, land was acquired also acquired from a number of farms for the
construction of 13 dispersed living sites. Many structures on dispersed site 7 have been demolished including barrack huts, latrines, ablution blocks. Full list in Appendix 2. Surviving buildings include barrack huts.

Next Perspectives, 2014, Aerial Photography for Great Britain, Next Perspectives APGB Imagery ST1407 08-SEP-2014 (Aerial Photograph). SDV359479.

Several extant structures remain visible.

Hegarty, C. + Knight, S. + Sims, R., 2016-2018, The Blackdown Hills AONB and East Devon River Catchments National Mapping Programme Project (Interpretation). SDV359463.

A military camp (Dispersed Site 7) of Second World War date is visible as a number of structures and earthwork banked features on aerial photographs of 1943 onwards, to the southeast of Dunkeswell airfield. The camp occupies two adjacent, former agricultural, fields of approximately 2.60 hectares. The site comprises a number of structures largely consisting of nissen huts, most likely utilised for accommodation, storage and administration, as well as an embanked water tank, and several elongated earthwork banked features of possible air raid shelters. The camp is located in close proximity to a number of other similarly dispersed camps associated with Dunkeswell airfield, situated approximately 1km to the northwest. The camps are all interconnected by a series of trackways, some of which are still partly extant on modern digital mapping. The camp, which has been partly constructed by 11th July, remains largely unaltered on aerial photographs of 1947. By 1982, however, the site has been partly developed and most of the structures have been demolished, although several extant structures remain visible. These remain visible in 2014. In accordance with standard NMP methodology, any structures and/or earthworks associated with this camp which are depicted on modern digital mapping were not transcribed during this survey.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV110669	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1947. RAF/CPE/UK/1974. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). 4298.
SDV129545	Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 1968. ST10NW. Ordnance Survey 6 inch map. Map (Paper).
SDV312951	Report - Survey: Francis, P.. 1995. Blackdown Hills Airfield Survey. Dunkeswell and Upottery. Blackdown Hills AONB. A4 Comb Bound + Digital. 20, 72, Figs 3, 19, 24-25, Appendix 2.
SDV342938	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946 - 1949. Royal Air Force Aerial Photographs. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Digital). [Mapped feature: #92384 ]
SDV356127	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1947. RAF/CPE/UK/1974. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/CPE/UK/1974 RS 4297-4298 11-APR-1947.
SDV357675	Aerial Photograph: Ordnance Survey. 1982. OS/82219 V. Ordnance Survey. Photograph (Paper). OS/82219 V 1630-1631 03-SEP-1982.
SDV359463	Interpretation: Hegarty, C. + Knight, S. + Sims, R.. 2016-2018. The Blackdown Hills AONB and East Devon River Catchments National Mapping Programme Project. Historic England Research Report. Digital.
	Linked documents:2
SDV359479	Aerial Photograph: Next Perspectives. 2014. Aerial Photography for Great Britain. Digital. Next Perspectives APGB Imagery ST1407 08-SEP-2014.
SDV359565	Aerial Photograph: United States Airforce. 1943. US/7PH/GP/LOC14. United States Airforce. Photograph (Paper). US/7PH/GP/LOC14 RV 6005 09-AUG-1943.
SDV359770	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1942. RAF/FNO/38. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photocopy. RAF/FNO/38 RV 6021 11-JUL-1942.
SDV359929	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1942. RAF/16B/BR425/3. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/16B/BR425/3 V 35 02-FEB-1942.
SDV362243	Un-published: Fortress Study Group. 1994. List of Defensive Sites. JH01305.

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV4948 - Blackdown Hills Airfield Survey
• EDV7508 - The Blackdown Hills AONB and East Devon River Catchments National Mapping Programme (NMP) project (Ref: ACD1228)

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