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Summary

A military camp (Dispersed Site 5) of Second World War date is visible as a number of structures and an earthwork banked feature on aerial photographs of 1943 onwards, to the southeast of Dunkeswell airfield. No traces of the camp are visible by 2014.

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/42/10
• SHINE Candidate (Yes)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

1947, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV117886.

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

Untitled Source (Aerial Photograph). SDV117889.

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

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV117890.

Des=os 1:2500 (1963).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV117891.

Des=horner, w. / (14/11/1994)/ as above.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV117892.

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

Horner, B., Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV1669.

Buildings marked on os 1:2500 (1963) map. Possibly site of airfield hospital (horner).

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 yet 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 part 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 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, RAF/CPE/UK/1974 RS 4297-4298 11-APR-1947 (Aerial Photograph). SDV356127.

A range of structures and an earthwork banked feature 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.

The site has been largely cleared, although the sick quarters are extant.

Francis, P., 1995, Blackdown Hills Airfield Survey. Dunkeswell and Upottery., 59 (Report - Survey). SDV312951.

Dunkeswell airfield dispersed site 5 (sick quarters). Many buildings have been demolished, including dental hut, laundry, stores, mess, orderlies' quarters, ambulance garage and mortuary, etc. Full list in appendix 2. For surviving buildings see subsheets (francis).

Next Perspectives, 2010, Aerial Photography for Great Britain, Next Perspectives APGB Imagery ST1306 04-MAY-2010 (Aerial Photograph). SDV359490.

The former sick quarters appear to be partly extant.

Next Perspectives, 2014, Aerial Photography for Great Britain, Next Perspectives APGB Imagery ST1306 08-SEP-2014 (Aerial Photograph). SDV359479.

The site of the former sick quarters is obscured by agricultural buildings and appears to have been demolished.

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 5) of Second World War date is visible as a number of structures and an earthwork banked feature on aerial photographs of 1943 onwards, to the southeast of Dunkeswell airfield. The camp occupies the northwest corner of a former agricultural field and covers an area of approximately 1.68 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 three larger pitched roof structures of the sick quarters. An elongated shaped earthwork bank of uncertain function is also visible. 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 was likely built sometime shortly after 11th July 1942, has been part constructed by 1943 and was enlarged by 1944. It remains largely unaltered on aerial photographs of 1947. By 1982, however, the structures have been almost completely demolished, with the exception of the three larger structures of the sick quarters. Evidence of these structures remain partly visible in 2010, although by 2014 these appear to have been demolished for an agricultural building.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV117886	Migrated Record: 1947.
SDV117889	Aerial Photograph:
SDV117890	Migrated Record:
SDV117891	Migrated Record:
SDV117892	Migrated Record:
SDV1669	Migrated Record: Horner, B..
SDV312951	Report - Survey: Francis, P.. 1995. Blackdown Hills Airfield Survey. Dunkeswell and Upottery.. Blackdown Hills AONB. Digital + A4. 59.
SDV342938	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946 - 1949. Royal Air Force Aerial Photographs. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. 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.
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 ST1306 08-SEP-2014.
SDV359490	Aerial Photograph: Next Perspectives. 2010. Aerial Photography for Great Britain. Aerial Photography for Great Britain Aerial Photographs. Digital. Next Perspectives APGB Imagery ST1306 04-MAY-2010.
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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