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Summary

Earthworks, cropmarks and a structure visible within Stover Park and interpreted as evidence of an American Army camp that was situated here during the Second World War are visible on aerial photographs taken from 1946 onwards and on digital images derived from lidar data captured between 1998 and 2017. Some of the earthworks of this former camp to the northeast are extant.

Location

Protected Status

• Registered Park or Garden (II) 1001268: STOVER PARK
• Registered Park or Garden (II) 1001268: STOVER PARK

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• TRAINING BASE (World War II - 1939 AD to 1945 AD (Between))

Full description

Harris, R., 12/04/2015, World War II Tank Inspection Pit and an American Base, Stover (Correspondence). SDV358103.

This area was part of an American camp leased to the Americans by the Ayliffe family and was covered in Nissen Huts at the end of the war. Even today the concrete roads left by the Americans are only a few inches below the soil and their presence is most noticeable in dry summers. When the field is left for hay, the grass growth in the concreted areas is noticeably poor.

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1824, RAF/CPE/UK/1824 RS 4153-54 04-NOV-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV352344.

Earthworks, cropmarks and a structure are visible.

Fairy Surveys Ltd, 1964, FSL/6412 V, FSL/6412 V 2051-52 07-FEB-1964 (Aerial Photograph). SDV357115.

Earthworks of narrow ditches and a pit are visible.

Environment Agency, 1998-2017, LiDAR DTM data (1m resolution) EA: South Devon Coast to Dartmoor, LIDAR SX8473; SX8474 Environment Agency DTM 01-JAN-1998 to 31-MAY-2017 (Cartographic). SDV361470.

Earthworks of rectilinear shaped banked enclosures and an oval shaped ditched feature are visible.

Google, 2017, Google Earth Pro, EARTH.GOOGLE.COM XX-XXX-1999 ACCESSED 01-OCT-2018 (Aerial Photograph). SDV360456.

Some of the earthworks to the south have been destroyed by quarrying.

Hegarty, C., Knight, S. and Sims, R., 2018-2019, The South Devon Coast to Dartmoor Aerial Investigation and Mapping Survey. Area 1, Haldon Ridge to Dart Valley (AI&M) (Interpretation). SDV361305.

A number of earthworks, cropmarks and a structure visible within Stover Park and interpreted as evidence of an American Army camp that was located here during the Second World War are visible on aerial photographs taken from 1946 onwards and on digital images derived from lidar data captured between 1998 and 2017. The visible earthworks occupy an area of circa 13.4 hectares and are located to the northeast of Stover Park Farm. To the north and accessed via a trackway which extends from Templer Way within New Orchard Copse, are earthworks of two rectilinear shaped banked platforms either side of a banked enclosure. These measure between 70m to 90m long and may have in part served as possible parade grounds for the troops, or exercised some such similar function. To the immediate south, are earthworks of a shallow, oval shaped depression, circa 135m long by 60m wide and interpreted as a possible running or sports track, with rectangular shaped cropmarks of former huts to both the north and south and an extant hut to the southeast. Both the possible sport’s track and three adjacent enclosures remain visible as earthworks on lidar imagery. Further to the south are earthworks of two broadly L-shaped ditches, circa 1.5m wide and spaced circa 60m apart, with a small rectilinear shaped pit, circa 4m long by 1m wide located 80m to the northeast. Aerial imagery taken between 1946 and 1949 show this area to be covered in woodland, although this has been cleared and the earthworks exposed by 1964. They are interpreted as possible practice slit trenches and a fox hole which were destroyed by quarrying by 1999. To the west are a number of rectangular shaped cropmarks of former huts and a circular earthwork pit and banked feature, circa 7.5m diameter, interpreted as a possible gun pit. No evidence of these features is visible on recent aerial imagery. An associated record for a tank inspection pit (MDV111618) has also been recorded to the north within New Orchard Copse, although there is no visible evidence for this on the available aerial imagery. The camp had evidently been largely cleared shortly after the war.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV352344	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946. RAF/CPE/UK/1824. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/CPE/UK/1824 RS 4153-54 04-NOV-1946. [Mapped feature: #114075 ]
SDV357115	Aerial Photograph: Fairy Surveys Ltd. 1964. FSL/6412 V. Fairy Surveys Ltd aerial photograph. Photograph (Paper). FSL/6412 V 2051-52 07-FEB-1964.
SDV358103	Correspondence: Harris, R.. 12/04/2015. World War II Tank Inspection Pit and an American Base, Stover. Addition of HER record. Digital.
SDV360456	Aerial Photograph: Google. 2017. Google Earth Pro. Various. Digital. EARTH.GOOGLE.COM XX-XXX-1999 ACCESSED 01-OCT-2018.
SDV361305	Interpretation: Hegarty, C., Knight, S. and Sims, R.. 2018-2019. The South Devon Coast to Dartmoor Aerial Investigation and Mapping Survey. Area 1, Haldon Ridge to Dart Valley (AI&M). Historic England Research Report. Digital.
	Linked documents:1
SDV361470	Cartographic: Environment Agency. 1998-2017. LiDAR DTM data (1m resolution) EA: South Devon Coast to Dartmoor. Environment Agency LiDAR data. Digital. LIDAR SX8473; SX8474 Environment Agency DTM 01-JAN-1998 to 31-MAY-2017.

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7515 - The South Devon Coast to Dartmoor Aerial Investigation and Mapping (formerly NMP) Survey (Ref: ACD1748)

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