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Summary

A Second World War military camp, Dispersed Site 3, is visible as a number of structures on aerial photographs of 1944 and 1948, at Smeatharpe. The site is located in close proximity to a number of other similarly dispersed camps associated with Upottery airfield, situated approximately 1km to the southwest.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: ST21SW/22/2

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

APH, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV100999.

Group of several large span nissen huts recorded on raf 1947 ap coverage (aph).

Untitled Source (Aerial Photograph). SDV101001.

Aph=raf/cpe/uk/1974/1303-4/(11/04/1947)/smr 22/79-80. Map object based on this Source.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV101002.

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

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV148.

Some of the buildings are recorded on os 6" (1969) as cherryhayes farm (os).

United States Airforce, 1944, US/7PH/GP/LOC314, US/7PH/GP/LOC314 V 5019 22-APR-1944 (Aerial Photograph). SDV359865.

The camp is visible as a number of structures.

Royal Air Force, 1948, RAF/CPE/UK/2491, RAF/CPE/UK/2491 RP 3190-91 11-MAR-1948 (Aerial Photograph). SDV359578.

RAF/CPE/UK/2491 RP 3190-91 11-MAR-1948

Royal Air Force, 1971, RAF/39/3800, RAF/39/3800 V 067 06-OCT-1971 (Aerial Photograph). SDV359525.

The former camp remains little changed, although several structures have been completely demolished.

Ordnance Survey, 1989, OS/89276, OS/89276 V 270 14-JUN-1989 (Aerial Photograph). SDV357047.

The former camp has been partly developed to the northwest. A number of structures remain extant across the remainder of the camp.

Francis, P., 1995, Blackdown Hills Airfield Survey. Dunkeswell and Upottery., 111 (Report - Survey). SDV312951.

Upottery airfield dispersed site 3 (mess). A number of buildings still survive here (see subsheets). Demolished structures are listed in appendix 4 (francis). Map object based on this Source.

Next Perspectives, 2014, Aerial Photography for Great Britain, Next Perspectives APGB Imagery ST2010 08-SEP-2014 (Aerial Photograph). SDV359479.

The former camp has been further developed, although several structures to the southeast remain extant. The main access tracks and hut bases of former structures are also visible.

Hegarty, C. + Knight, S. + Sims, R., 2016-2018, The Blackdown Hills AONB and East Devon River Catchments National Mapping Programme Project (Interpretation). SDV359463.

A Second World War military camp, Dispersed Site 3, is visible as a number of structures on aerial photographs of 1944 and 1948, at Smeatharpe. The camp occupies two adjacent agricultural fields, at the intersection of Slough Lane and the main Smeatharpe road, and covers an area of approximately 3.59 hectares of land. The site comprises a number of structures largely consisting of nissen huts, but also pitched-roof structures. A rectangular shaped embanked feature or possible structure of uncertain function is visible to the far northwest of the site. The site is located in close proximity to a number of other similarly dispersed camps associated with Upottery airfield, situated approximately 1km to the southwest. These camps are interconnected by a series of trackways, some of which are still partly extant on modern digital mapping, and via Slough Lane and the main Smeatharpe road. The camp appears fully constructed in 1944 and remains largely unaltered on aerial photographs of 1948. The former camp is little changed by 1971, although several structures have been completely demolished. By 1989, the northwest extent of the camp has been partly developed for housing, although a number of structures still remain extant across the remainder of the site. Digital images of 2014 likewise show that several structures remain visible to the southeast, as well as the main access tracks and building platforms, although the site has been further developed for housing, with some of the wartime huts being given over to Cherryhayes Farm.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV100999	Migrated Record: APH.
SDV101001	Aerial Photograph:
SDV101002	Migrated Record:
SDV148	Migrated Record:
SDV312951	Report - Survey: Francis, P.. 1995. Blackdown Hills Airfield Survey. Dunkeswell and Upottery.. Blackdown Hills AONB. Digital + A4. 111.
SDV357047	Aerial Photograph: Ordnance Survey. 1989. OS/89276. Ordnance Survey. Photograph (Paper). OS/89276 V 270 14-JUN-1989.
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 ST2010 08-SEP-2014.
SDV359525	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1971. RAF/39/3800. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/39/3800 V 067 06-OCT-1971.
SDV359578	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1948. RAF/CPE/UK/2491. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/CPE/UK/2491 RP 3190-91 11-MAR-1948.
SDV359865	Aerial Photograph: United States Airforce. 1944. US/7PH/GP/LOC314. United States Airforce. Photograph (Paper). US/7PH/GP/LOC314 V 5019 22-APR-1944.

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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