The West Berkshire Historic Environment Record (HER) is the primary index of the physical remains of past human activity in the unitary authority of West Berkshire Council. Limited elements of the West Berkshire HER are available online via the Heritage Gateway, therefore it is not suitable for use in desk-based studies associated with development, planning and land-use changes, and does not meet the requirements of paragraph 194 of the National Planning Policy Framework (2021: 56). Please read the important guidance on the use of the West Berkshire HER data. For these purposes and all other commercial enquiries, please contact the Archaeology team and complete our online HER enquiry form.

This site is designated as being of national importance and is afforded additional protection. Consult West Berkshire Council's Archaeology team if more information or advice is needed.

Summary

Airfield built during the Second World War and used subsequently; disused in the 21st century but with many remaining dispersed buildings

Associated Legal Designations or Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1003818: MEMBURY CAMP

Other Statuses and Cross-References

• National Monuments Record No.: SU 37 NW 75
  SU 3079 7570 (Baydon)
• National Monuments Record No.: SU 37 SW 84
  SU 3105 7486 (Lambourn) NB this record does not exist on Pastscape

Monument Type(s):

• AIRFIELD (Second World War to Late 20th century - 1941 AD to 1976 AD?)
• MILITARY AIRFIELD (Second World War to Mid 20th century - 1941 AD to 1946 AD?)

Full Description

Membury Airfield began as a bomber operational training unit, being authorised as an airfield in May 1941 <1>. It was used by the USAAF from 21 August 1942, and was handed back to the RAF from 1945-46, being passed over as Strategic Air Command airfield (Greenham Common chosen instead). Membury was reused in 1966 by the Campbell Aircraft Company of Hungerford for flight testing gyrocopters; testing and production continued until the company closed down in 1976. The site was bisected by the construction of the M4.

In 2000, many airfield buildings remained, used for light industry, storage and offices. Although little is recorded on post-war Ordnance Survey maps, a record site plan <2> exists as a general map of the airfield site in 1944, and the equivalent dispersed site plan <19> shows more detail away from the runway.

The GIS polygon represents the main airfield and surrounding buildings, described as Site No 1 on the plan <2>. The Lambourn Downs National Mapping Programme transcriptions <3> also indicate the extent of the runway and dispersed buildings from aerial photographs <4><5><6>. Two further HER monument records map the approximate distribution of airfield buildings and the location of the dispersed sites. The NMR record for the airfield states that the military airfield 'was equipped with three concrete runways and four aircraft hangars (Type T2)' and 'was used during World War Two by the 9th United States Army Air Force 436th Troop Carrier Group as an operational base. In December 1944, 2368 men were stationed there.'

Several aerial photographs are in the West Berkshire HER, giving a good idea of the extent of the airfield shortly after its construction and during the 1950s <4><9-14>.

A model of the airfield as it looked during World War Two is held within a collection at RAF Welford <20>.

Sources and further reading

Related Monuments

Associated Excavations and Fieldwork

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