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Summary

A military camp (Dispersed Site 11) of Second World War date is visible as a number of structures and earthwork banked features on aerial photographs of 1944 onwards, to the southeast of Dunkeswell airfield. By 2006, all remaining evidence of the former camp has been demolished.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Earthworks and cropmarks of pits, part of extensive Roman and post-Roman open cast ironstone mines, 18th-19th century Laurel Walk and sites of structures associated with former WWII Dunkeswell airfield at Highwood

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: ST10NW/42/9
• SHINE Candidate (Yes)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• DISPERSED SITE (Built, 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 33 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 6004 09-AUG-1943 (Aerial Photograph). SDV359565.

The camp has been constructed.

United States Airforce, 1944, US/7PH/GP/LOC314, US/7PH/GP/LOC314 V 5026 22-APR-1944 (Aerial Photograph). SDV359865.

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 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 range of structures and earthwork banked features are visible.

Ordnance Survey, 1982, OS/82219 V, OS/82219 V 1649 03-SEP-1982 (Aerial Photograph). SDV357675.

The site has been largely cleared, with only hut bases visible, although the ablutions block and water tank are extant.

Horner, B., 1994, Visit to Owl House, Dunkeswell (Un-published). SDV359143.

Site visit 14th November 1994. Site viewed from Site 10. The nissen hut bases appear to have been removed but a single brick ancillary block still stands. Buildings marked on Ordnance Survey 1:2500 (1963) map.

Francis, P., 1995, Blackdown Hills Airfield Survey. Dunkeswell and Upottery, 20, 75, Figs 3, 19, 25, Appendix 2 (Report - Survey). SDV312951.

Dunkeswell Airfield Dispersed Site 11 (communal). 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. On dispersed site 11, demolished structures included stores, institute, produce shop, latrines, officers' and sergeants' bath house, mess huts etc. Full list in Appendix 2. Surviving structures include an ablutions hut, water tank and air raid shelter. There are also many concrete bases still in-situ on this site but they are completely overgrown.

GetMapping, 1999 - 2000, Millennium Map 1999-2000 Getmapping (Aerial Photograph). SDV321648.

Only the ablutions block is visible.

Bluesky, 2006 - 2007, Bluesky aerial photographs 2006 - 2007 (Aerial Photograph). SDV341189.

The ablutions block has been demolished and a house constructed here.

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 11) of Second World War date is visible as a number of structures and earthwork banked features on aerial photographs of 1944 onwards, to the southeast of Dunkeswell airfield. The camp occupies the northeast corner of a former agricultural field and covers an area of approximately 2.38 hectares of land. The site comprises a number of structures largely consisting of nissen huts, most likely utilised for accommodation, storage and administration, including an ablutions block, as well as a water tank and elongated earthwork banked features of 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 between 11th Jul 1942 to 9th August 1943, remains largely unaltered on aerial photographs of 1947. By 1982, however, the structures have been almost completely demolished, with only hut bases visible, although the ablutions block and water tank remain extant. By 1999, only the ablutions block is upstanding, although by 2006, this has been completely demolished and a house constructed in its place.

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, 75, Figs 3, 19, 25, Appendix 2.
SDV321648	Aerial Photograph: GetMapping. 1999 - 2000. Millennium Map 1999-2000 Getmapping. Millennium Map. Photograph (Digital).
SDV341189	Aerial Photograph: Bluesky. 2006 - 2007. Bluesky aerial photographs 2006 - 2007. Bluesky. Photograph (Digital).
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: #92390 ]
SDV357675	Aerial Photograph: Ordnance Survey. 1982. OS/82219 V. Ordnance Survey. Photograph (Paper). OS/82219 V 1649 03-SEP-1982.
SDV359143	Un-published: Horner, B.. 1994. Visit to Owl House, Dunkeswell. A4 Stapled + Digital.
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
SDV359565	Aerial Photograph: United States Airforce. 1943. US/7PH/GP/LOC14. United States Airforce. Photograph (Paper). US/7PH/GP/LOC14 RV 6004 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.
SDV359865	Aerial Photograph: United States Airforce. 1944. US/7PH/GP/LOC314. United States Airforce. Photograph (Paper). US/7PH/GP/LOC314 V 5026 22-APR-1944.
SDV359929	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1942. RAF/16B/BR425/3. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/16B/BR425/3 V 33 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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