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Summary

A military camp (Dispersed Site 6) 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.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: ST10NW/42/5

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• DISPERSED SITE (World War II - 1939 AD (Between) to 1945 AD (Between))
• MILITARY BUILDING (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.

The camp has not been constructed, although construction of associated camps 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, 1947, CPE/UK 1974, 4298 (Aerial Photograph). SDV101169.

Distinct group of military buildings visible on RAF aerial photo.

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.

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

The former camp has been partly cleared, although several extant structures and numerous hut platforms remain visible.

Exeter Museums Archaeological Field Unit, 1992 - 1993, Blackdown Hills Survey Archive (Archive - Survey). SDV324187.

Site visit 1st October 1992. Buildings, possibly of WWII origin, are visible from the road.

Francis, P., 1995, Blackdown Hills Airfield Survey. Dunkeswell and Upottery, 20, 71-2, Figs 19, 24, Appendix 2 (Report - Survey). SDV312951.

Dunkeswell Airfield Dispersed Site 6 (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 have been demolished, including barrack huts, latrines, etc. Full list in Appendix 2. Surviving buildings include a water tank and air raid shelters.
Note: there are many concrete hut bases extant on this site, most of which now have farm related equipment stored on them.

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

Several hut platforms 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 6) 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 and covers an area of approximately 1.70 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 was built sometime between 11th July 1942 to 9th August, remains largely unaltered on aerial photographs of 1947. By 1982, the site has been partly cleared, although several extant structures and numerous hut platforms remain visible. By 2014 there is partial visible evidence of hut platforms, with additional features likely to survive beneath the vegetation cover. 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

SDV101169	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1947. CPE/UK 1974. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). 4298.
SDV312951	Report - Survey: Francis, P.. 1995. Blackdown Hills Airfield Survey. Dunkeswell and Upottery. Blackdown Hills AONB. A4 Comb Bound + Digital. 20, 71-2, Figs 19, 24, Appendix 2.
SDV324187	Archive - Survey: Exeter Museums Archaeological Field Unit. 1992 - 1993. Blackdown Hills Survey Archive. Blackdown Hills Survey Archive. A4 Unbound.
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. [Mapped feature: #92386 ]
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.

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)

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