Site Event/Activity record ECH4200 - Historical Building Recording at the Chesire Salt Cavity Gas Storage Project; Archaeological Standing Building Survey.

The Byley Airfield site represents an important World War historic building resource. The history of hte site is well-documented. However, due to successive demolition regimes following the end of the Cold War, the building layout is difficult to assess. THe building platforms, along with buried foundations, suggest that this area of the airfield was complex. The Level 1-2 building survey recorded 12 structures which are described as munitions storage bunkers. The other eight structures consisted of a variety of building types, all were subjec to demolition. The munitions storage bunkers were considered to be in a good state of preservation despite acute water penetration to the internal space of all but one of these structures. Another group of structures which were identified via Lowry (1995, 38) were the aerial halyard balance weights. These large, trapezoidal shaped concrete blocks were used to tie down wire supports. Given its military history and direct relationship with the nearby Wellington bomber factory, this site is of significant archaeological importance and as such a building recording survey using Level 2 criteria has been justified.