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Summary

Second World War structures and earthworks adjacent to Ermin Street, probably air raid shelters for personnel working at airfield dispersed sites

Monument Type(s):

• MILITARY CAMP (Second World War to Mid 20th century - 1941 AD to 1946 AD?)
• STANTON SHELTER (Second World War - 1941 AD to 1945 AD?)

Full Description

This area of land adjacent to the B4000 in Lambourn Woodlands was used as part of the Second World War airfield at Membury. It is marked as Site No 4 on the 1944 plan of the airfield's buildings <2><7>. A later 20th century map <3> shows a track into a field with a building at the end of it and an oval earthwork. Early 21st century aerial photography <4><5> however indicate that many further tracks and platforms survived which were not mapped, in two fields between the B4000 and Hill Drop Lane.

In 2011, a photographic survey <6> was undertaken of structures in the western field of the site, due to concerns about land use changes and possible removal of the military features. The survey noted the remains of 18 buildings, although only one was still upstanding above ground. This was probably a pump house for sewage. Four buildings were the demolished remains of latrine blocks, and nine identical structures were probably accommodation blocks. One building which survived as a concrete platform could possibly be the site of the mess hall. Three air raid shelters of identical design did survive well, and were constructed of pre-fabricated cast concrete arches fitted together, reinforced with iron. Each shelter had a doorway at right angles to the blast tunnel, and a square ventilation/ escape hatch. The internal dimensions were 8.5m x 1.5m, and the shelters were covered with earth.

Information from the Pillbox Study Group identified the below ground tunnels as Stanton shelters. It appeared from aerial photographic evidence that there had been 4 further Stanton shelters within Membury Site 4.

Sources and further reading

Related Monuments

Associated Excavations and Fieldwork

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