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Summary

Former World War II military aircraft hangar to the north-west of Milton Farm, shown on 20th century aerial photographs. Part of (Britannia Royal Naval College helicopter station in the later 20th century. Demolished prior to redevelopment.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX85SE/334

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• MILITARY BUILDING (XX - 1901 AD to 2000 AD (Between))

Full description

Royal Air Force, 1946, CPE/UK 1890, 2069; HER No 59/80 (Aerial Photograph). SDV140289.

The hangar and associated huts are recorded on an aerial photograph of 1946. It is hard to tell exactly but the building does appear to have already been in use for some time.

Ordnance Survey, 1963 - 1996, National Grid OS metric (Cartographic). SDV342278.

'Helicopter Station (Britannia Royal Naval College)' shown.

Clarke, N. J., 1995, Adolf Hitler's Holiday Snaps, 28 (Monograph). SDV24161.

Horner, W., 1996, Dartmouth Heliport (Worksheet). SDV341501.

A single World War II aircraft hangar is the principal building at the now disused Dartmouth Naval Heliport. It appears to be an air ministry "A1" hangar. There are also two small curved roof huts. These buildings are not recorded on a Luftwaffe aerial photograph of October 1940 (GB 45158). The pre-war provisional Ordnance Survey map records a small building at SX86155094, possibly a barn. It is thought locally that a field here was in use before the war as a grass airstrip for officers at the Britannia Royal Naval College. It is also said that the hangar was associated with the US Naval Advanced Amphibious Base at Dartmouth in 1943-44. This latter link is probable as it is known from other sites that the US navy made extensive use of ex-Air Ministry structures (such as several "A1" hangars at the base at Exeter). Robin hangars were in use at the US naval repair yard at Coronation Park in Dartmouth. The structure may not be in situ as such hangars were designed to be portable. However if it is in situ it may have been connected with the movement of US naval personnel and equipment into Dartmouth during the build up to the Normandy campaign. The hangar appears to be in good condition but inspection of the interior was not possible.

Thomas, R. (RCHME), 1996, Untitled Source (Site Visit). SDV338025.

Hangar probably an "A1", or possibly a "Hennaidi".

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

Collings, A. G., 2001, Archaeological Assessment of Proposed Dartmouth Sewage Treatment Scheme, 10 (Report - Assessment). SDV336229.

Kenyon, B., 2003, Untitled Source (Personal Comment). SDV338027.

Site visited in November 2002 when the hangar had been demolished and only the concrete base slab remained.

McConnell, R., 2006, Part of former Heliport site, Townstal Road, Dartmouth: an archaeological desk-based assessment, 5; figure 6 (Report - Assessment). SDV337976.

The hangar was demolished and the site divided into two plots. The western plot was occupied by a leisure centre in 2006 when there was a proposal to redevelop the eastern plot.

Ordnance Survey, 2013, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV350786.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV4194 - Heliport Site, Townstal Road, Dartmouth

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