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Summary

Standard Second World War RAF watch office/control tower built of brick and concrete. Part of a group of air traffic control buildings once characteristic of Second World War airfields. The survival of such groups is rare, and unique in conjunction with such a well-conserved airfield landscape of this period.

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II) 1067842: BUILDINGS 25 (WATCH OFFICE), 22 (FIRE TENDER SHELTER) AND 24 (FLOODLIGHT TRAILER AND TRACTOR)

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: ST10NW/41/14
• Old Listed Building Ref (II)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• CONTROL TOWER (Built, World War II - 1939 AD (Between) to 1945 AD (Between))

Full description

Francis, P., 1995, Blackdown Hills Airfield Survey. Dunkeswell and Upottery, No. 7 (Report - Survey). SDV312951.

Control tower. Construction: 13.5 inch and 9 inch rendered brick walls, reinforced concrete floors and roof.
Function: this building type was the standard RAF watch office/control tower design for temporary airfields in World War II. The control tower was the office of the permanent flying control staff whose function was to ensure that certain regulations were enforced to minimise accidents occurring on or in the vicinity of the airfield. This included the local control of aircraft on the approach, taking off, taxi-ing and obstructions such as vehicles and aircraft. There were 162 built to the Air Ministry Directorate General of Works design 12779/41 and 343/43 between April 1941 and 1944. Only three - Aston Down, Dunkeswell and Pocklington were built on the opposite side of the aerodrome to the technical site and there are now only 84 buildings extant.
The building here appears to be in excellent condition, (plate 5). Some original window frames have been replaced and there is evidence of small structural problems inside the galley.
Currently [1995] in use as a clubhouse.

Lake, J., 2000, Survey of Military Aviation Sites and Structures. Summary Report: Thematic Listing Programme: English Heritage (Report - Survey). SDV352756.

The Control Tower is one of 162 examples built to this Air Ministry design (Watch Office for All Commands, of which 82 now survive including Duxford) and groups with Building 22 (Fire Tender Shelter), 24 (Floodlight Trailer and Tractor Shed), the Signals Square and Airfield Code letters: the survival of such a complete grouping characteristic of Second World War airfield layouts is rare,
and unique in conjunction with such a well-conserved airfield landscape of this period.
The group is recommended for Listing at Grade II.

Passmore, M. + Passmore, A., 2010, Royal Air Force Control Towers, 3-4 (Leaflet). SDV345318.

Other details: Photograph.

Ordnance Survey, 2023, Mastermap 2023 (Cartographic). SDV365227.

Building shown.

Historic England, 2023, National Heritage List for England, 1067842 (National Heritage List for England). SDV365228.

Air traffic control group, including control tower (Building 25), fire tender shelter (Building 22) and floodlight trailer and tractor (Building 24). Built in 1943, for the Air Ministry. Constructed from rendered brick or blockwork. Reinforced concrete roof.
The control tower, based on Air Ministry's Directorate of Works and Buildings drawing no. 343/43, is a 2-storey building with watch office, meteorological office, pilots' office, switch room and toilet to ground floor, and first-floor control room and signals office; rest room above, having access to an external balcony and roof deck. Interior retains original doors and joinery, with concrete dog-leg stairs.
The Control Tower is one of 162 examples built to this Air Ministry design.
The survival of such a complete grouping characteristic of Second World War airfield layouts is rare, and unique in conjunction with such a well-conserved airfield landscape of this period - still in use for flying.
See listing description for full details of the control tower and other buildings within the control group and general history of the Dunkeswell World War II airfield.
10th October 2002

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV4928 - Site Visit to the Control Tower at RAF Dunkeswell
• EDV4948 - Blackdown Hills Airfield Survey

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