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Summary

A Second World War military site (Dispersed Site 5) for accommodation for RAF Exeter is visible as a range of structures and banked features on aerial photographs of 1944 onwards, at Higher Southwood Farm. The site has been completely cleared by 1989.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Military structures; earthworks and archaeological remains of World War II, RAF Exeter and post medieval catchmeadows and orchard banks on footprint of modern Exeter Airport and to the east

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SY09SW/93
• SHINE Candidate (Yes)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

APH, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV126398.

Probable dispersed accommodation site of raf exeter. Group of at least 25 curved roof huts in camp on sw side higher southwood farm. Recorded on raf 1947 ap (aph).

Untitled Source (Aerial Photograph). SDV126399.

Aph=raf/cpe/uk/1974/2463/(11/04/1947)/smr 37/52.

United States Airforce, 1944, US/7PH/GP/LOC252, US/7PH/GP/LOC252 RP 3021 20-MAR-1944 (Aerial Photograph). SDV358580.

The site is visible as a series of structures.

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/106G/UK/1412, RAF/106G/UK/1412 RS 4435-36 13-APR-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV352504.

The site is visible as a series of structures and earthwork banked features.

Royal Air Force, 1947, RAF/CPE/UK/1974, RAF/CPE/UK/1974 FS 2463-64 11-APR-1947 (Aerial Photograph). SDV356127.

The site is visible as a series of structures and earthwork banked features.

Ordnance Survey, 1966, OS/66185 V, OS/66185 V 380-81 22-JUL-1966 (Aerial Photograph). SDV357577.

The military site has been almost completely dismantled and cleared, although a single structure is upstanding.

Ordnance Survey, 1989, OS/89277, OS/89277 V 096-97 14-JUN-1989 (Aerial Photograph). SDV356291.

The remaining structure of the former site has been demolished.

Francis, P., 1999, Exeter Airport. Historic Airport Survey for Devon County Council & East Devon District Council, 110 (Report - non-specific). SDV323390.

Dispersed site 5. Nothing survives. Other details: Map 12, Site 5, Buildings 307-342.

Hegarty, C. + Knight, S. + Sims, R., 2014-2015, East and Mid Devon River Catchments National Mapping Programme Project (Interpretation). SDV356883.

A Second World War military site (Dispersed Site 5) for accommodation for RAF Exeter is visible as a range of structures and banked features on aerial photographs of 1944 onwards, at Higher Southwood Farm. The former site occupies an area of approximately 1.88 hectares of fairly level land within two adjacent agricultural fields bisected by Silver Lane. The site, which lies approximately 1.8km to the east of the main airfield site, is characterised by a number of nissen huts and pitched-roof structures, as well as a number of elongated embanked features of possible air-raid trench shelters to the east of the site. The site is interconnected by a series of trackways. There are also a number of other such dispersed sites within the immediate vicinity, for example Dispersed Site 8 to the south and Site 6 to the east. By 1966, the site has been largely dismantled and cleared, although a single structure is upstanding. This has been removed by 1989.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV126398	Migrated Record: APH.
SDV126399	Aerial Photograph:
SDV323390	Report - non-specific: Francis, P.. 1999. Exeter Airport. Historic Airport Survey for Devon County Council & East Devon District Council. Airfield Research Publishing Report. Digital + A4. 110.
SDV352504	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946. RAF/106G/UK/1412. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/106G/UK/1412 RS 4435-36 13-APR-1946.
SDV356127	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1947. RAF/CPE/UK/1974. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/CPE/UK/1974 FS 2463-64 11-APR-1947.
SDV356291	Aerial Photograph: Ordnance Survey. 1989. OS/89277. Ordnance Survey. Photograph (Paper). OS/89277 V 096-97 14-JUN-1989.
SDV356883	Interpretation: Hegarty, C. + Knight, S. + Sims, R.. 2014-2015. East and Mid Devon River Catchments National Mapping Programme Project. AC Archaeology Report. Digital.
	Linked documents:1
SDV357577	Aerial Photograph: Ordnance Survey. 1966. OS/66185 V. Ordnance Survey. Photograph (Paper). OS/66185 V 380-81 22-JUL-1966.
SDV358580	Aerial Photograph: United States Airforce. 1944. US/7PH/GP/LOC252. United States Airforce. Photograph (Paper). US/7PH/GP/LOC252 RP 3021 20-MAR-1944.

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV4774 - Historic Airport Survey, Exeter Airport
• EDV6530 - The East and Mid-Devon Rivers Catchment NMP project (Ref: ACD613)

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