More information : A Mobile Radio Unit at Barnhorne (TQ 692 077) established by 02-SEP-1940. This was reserve equipment for the Chain Home radar station at Pevensey (CH07) in event of it being damaged by enemy action. It comprised an aerial mounted in a trailer and other receiver and transmission equipment stored in vehicles. (1)
The Rotor programme was developed to upgrade the wartime radar technology to detect and locate fast-flying jets. It was approved by the Air Council in June 1950. There were three main components to the Rotor stations: the technical site, including the radars, operation blocks and other installations; the domestic site, where personnel were accommodated; and the stand-by set house, a reserve power supply. The domestic site of Wartling Rotor station was located at TQ 697 080. The technical site was situated at TQ 662 088 and the stand-by set house was co-located at the domestic site.
The rural location of many radar stations meant accommodation had to be constructed to house members of staff. A typical GCI station could have up to 400 personnel, including officers, non-commissioned officers, corporals and aircraftsmen/women. Often new housing estates were built and accommodation could vary from temporary huts to permanent brick-built buildings. (2-4)
Aerial photography from 1979 shows some buildings remaining. However, a large portion of the site was damaged by rioting in 1986. (5)
The domestic site for RAF Wartling was built at Barnhorne, close to the A259 Bexhill Road. Following the closure of the radar station in 1964 the site became HMP Northeye. The prison was damaged by fire in 1986 and remained empty until 1992. The camp has now been refurbished and functions as the United Arab Emirates Training Project Campus. The only original building surviving from the Rotor programme is the combined stand-by set house and boiler house. Outside the prison perimeter the Married Quarters estate still survives as private houses. (6)
Northeye re-opened for a small number of inmates after the riots in 1986 (7) |