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 10) 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. By 2014, the former camp appears to have been almost completely cleared, although hut bases are partly visible and other structures survive.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: ST10NW/42/8

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

1947, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV117969.

Distinct group of military buildings visible on raf (1947) aps (aph).

Untitled Source (Aerial Photograph). SDV117973.

Aph=raf/cpe/uk 1974/(11-04-1947)4298.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV117974.

Des=os 6"(1968)st10nw.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV117975.

Des=os 1:2500 (1963).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV117976.

Des=horner, b. /(14/11/1994)/filenote in pf.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV117977.

Francis, p. /blackdown hills airfield survey/(1995).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV148.

Site later "heatherlea", "ballknapp" and "casa mia" (?) domestic re-use or smallholdings (os).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV2244.

Vis=14/11/1994 (horner) one of dunkeswell airfield accommodation blocks. Built by wimpys in 1943. A number of concrete bases for nissen huts survive. These are raised about 0.5m above the surrounding level. The access steps have boot scrapers beside. A number of the ancillary "temporary brick" ablution and wc blocks survive. One of these now a temporary residence named "owl house" was visited. This was a shower room and wc block at st14230651. Nearby at st14240652 there is a small urinal block and to the south there is a 100 man air raid shelter currently used as a museum store by a local group. The site generator house was sited in the ne area (horner).

Royal Air Force, 1942, RAF/16B/BR425/3, RAF/16B/BR425/3 V 34 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 appears to have 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, 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, 1982, OS/82219 V, OS/82219 V 1648-49 03-SEP-1982 (Aerial Photograph). SDV357675.

Most of the structures have been demolished, although a number are extant.

Francis, P., 1995, Blackdown Hills Airfield Survey. Dunkeswell and Upottery., 63 (Report - Survey). SDV312951.

Dunkeswell airfield dispersed site 10 (accommodation). Many structures have been demolished, including barrack huts, officers' quarters, etc. Listed in appendix 2. For surviving buildings at spring 195 see subsheets. There are a few concrete bases still in situ, many with brick steps leading to the former entrance. Many cast-iron boot scrapers are also extant, close to entrance steps (francis). Map object based on this Source.

Next Perspectives, 2014, Aerial Photography for Great Britain, Next Perspectives APGB Imagery ST1406 08-SEP-2014 (Aerial Photograph). SDV359479.

The former camp appears to have been almost completely cleared, although hut bases are partly visible. Part of the site is obscured by tree cover.

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 10) 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 the southern extent of a single field and covers an area of approximately 2.28 hectares of land. 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 an elongated earthwork banked feature of a possible air raid shelter. 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 around 11th July 1942 remains largely unaltered on aerial photographs of 1947. By 1982, however, most of the structures have been demolished, although a number still remain extant. By 2014, the former camp appears to have been almost completely cleared, although hut bases are partly visible and other structures are likely to partly survive. 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

SDV117969	Migrated Record: 1947.
SDV117973	Aerial Photograph:
SDV117974	Migrated Record:
SDV117975	Migrated Record:
SDV117976	Migrated Record:
SDV117977	Migrated Record:
SDV148	Migrated Record:
SDV2244	Migrated Record:
SDV312951	Report - Survey: Francis, P.. 1995. Blackdown Hills Airfield Survey. Dunkeswell and Upottery.. Blackdown Hills AONB. Digital + A4. 63.
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 1648-49 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 ST1406 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 34 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)

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