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Summary

A military camp (Dispersed Site 4) 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 1999, the former camp has been completely cleared and developed into a housing estate.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: ST10NW/42/11

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.

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, 1947, CPE/UK 1974, 4298 (Aerial Photograph). SDV101169.

A distinct group of military buildings is visible on the 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, 1968, ST10NW (Cartographic). SDV129545.

Site later used as poultry houses.

Ordnance Survey, 1982, OS/82219 V, OS/82219 V 1648-49 03-SEP-1982 (Aerial Photograph). SDV357675.

The site has been partly cleared, with hut bases and several extant structures visible. The site appears to have been partly developed into residential housing.

Francis, P., 1995, Blackdown Hills Airfield Survey. Dunkeswell and Upottery, 20, 71, Figs 3, 19, 25, Appendix 2 (Report - Survey). SDV312951.

Dunkeswell Airfield Dispersed Site 4 (WAAF 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 4, only the guard house survives. Many buildings have been removed, including dining room and mess, bath house and latrines, etc. Full list in Appendix 2.

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

The former camp has been completely cleared and the site developed into a housing estate.

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 4) 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 a single, former agricultural, field and covers an area of approximately 2.32 hectares of land. The site comprises a number of structures largely consisting of nissen huts, but also pitched roof structures, 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, the site has been partly cleared, with only hut bases and several extant huts visible. By 1999, the former camp has been completely cleared and developed into a housing estate.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV101169	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1947. 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, 71, Figs 3, 19, 25, Appendix 2.
SDV321648	Aerial Photograph: GetMapping. 1999 - 2000. Millennium Map 1999-2000 Getmapping. Millennium Map. 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: #92392 ]
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
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 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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