Monument record 4090/1/0 - RAF Poulton Dispersed Site

<1> Ordnance Survey, 1995-2017, Ordnance Survey 1:10,000 Scale Map, 2004 (Maps and Plans). SCH2427.

There is a small group of 'disused camps' marked on modern (2004) Ordnance Survey 1:10000 maps. Despite the establishment of woodland on parts of the site, a significant number of buildings and structures survive.

<2> Royal Air Force, 1944-1947, 1940s RAF Aerial Photographs from Operation Review (Aerial Photograph). SCH8041.

The camp is clearly visible on the aerial photographs dating from the late 1940s. The camp comprised five small compounds located in the vicinity of Yew Tree and Chapel House farms. They date from the Second World War and were probably associated with RAF Poulton. The three compounds located to the west of the road comprised a large number of Nissan (and other) huts and structures, including possible watch towers. The compound to the immediate west of Chapel House Farm contained a very high density of huts, laid out in a very chaotic manner for a military establishment. The compound to the immediate north of Chapel House Farm, adjacent to Willow Cabin, appears to have been some form of bomb or ammunition store, as there were earthwork bomb stores associated with the huts. The compound located to the south east of Chapel House Farm may have been a sewage or water treatment plant for the base. (See also source 3)

<2> The GeoInformation Group, 2005, 1940s RAF Aerial Photographs from Operation Review (Aerial Photograph). SCH4608.

<3> Various, Aerial photographs, 1940s RAF CPE UK 1935 1213-5 (Aerial Photograph). SCH128.

<4> Huntings Surveys Ltd, 1971-1973, 1971-1973 County Survey (Aerial Photograph). SCH4881.

The camp in a clearly ruinous state is visible on aerial photographs dating from the 1970s.

<5> Poulton Research Project, 2023, RAF Poulton - Recording the Remains of a World War II Airfield and Associated Infrastructure, R4739 (Client Report). SCH9571.

Study looking at the history, use and abandonment of RAF Poulton, its associated landscape and more generally WW2 activity within and around the area. The structures identified on air photographs (sources 1-4) form part of RAF Poulton. There were six dispersed sites to the west of the airfield serving as accommodation for the personnel. Field visits were also undertaken (in 2021-2023) as part of the study to identify any surviving remains; decommissioned MOD site record plans were used as a primary source of information for this. The airfield complex was recorded on the MOD plans as follows:-
Site No.1 - airfield and associated structures (main airfield, located west side of the Eaton estate)
Site No.2 - communal buildings (immediately east of Yew Tree Farm)
Site No.3 - sleeping (located to west of Chapel House Farm)
Site No.4 - sleeping (located to south of Chapel House Farm)
Site No.5 - WAAF (Women's Auxiliary Air Force) (located to immediately west of Yew Tree Farm)
Site No.6 - sick quarters (located in 'The Green' plantation, south of Old Lane)
Site No.7 - sewage works (located to south-east of Chapel House Farm)

The North-West of England, North Wales and West Midlands were a hive of military activity during WW2, largely comprising the production of aircraft and pilot training. The number of airfields in the region increased from 27 in 1939 to 115 by 1945. RAF Poulton was constructed as a temporary satellite airfield to RAF Hawarden, Flintshire. In June 1942, the Air Ministry requisitioned 620 acres of land from the Eaton Estate, in addition to further areas from Chapel House and Yew Tree Farms in Poulton Village. The design of RAF Poulton utilised a standard triangular pattern of three runways arranged at 130 degrees to each other. Most of the technical and training buildings were erected on the west side of the airfield (see CHER 4090/1/0) including a two storey, brick built watch tower. No permanent hangars were constructed as all major maintenance occurred at Hawarden, however, Extra Over Blister hangars were built in pairs on eight frying pan hardstandings around the perimeter. In total, some 253 structures were located around the airfield (the standard number being 500, illustrating the temporary nature of Poulton); these included 40 air raid shelters (blast shelters and Stanton shelters). The majority of the structures were of a temporary nature. The airfield opened as an Operational Training Unit (OUT) on 01/03/1943, manned by 1,077 personnel. As part of the training programme, bombs were dropped on Fenns Moss, Whitchurch.

Towards the end of the war in Europe, the need for new fighter pilots diminished resulting in many OUT's being disbanded. By July 1945, RAF Poulton was no longer required for training purposes, so reverted to a state of care and maintenance, remaining under military control and used for storage. It was decommissioned in 1957 and all lands were returned to their original owners (Duke of Westminster, Eaton Estate, and neighbouring farmers). Site 1, the airfield and associated buildings, were located on the Eaton Estate and, following decommission, the 3rd Duke of Westminster ordered the removal of all temporary structures. The 'watch office' (Site No.26 on military map) survived this initial clearance and was still standing in part ruinous stat in 1975 when it was photographed (Ferguson), it was demolished shortly afterwards. In contrast to the buildings, the three runways remained relatively intact (and used) for decades. During the 1980s portions of the NE/SW and NW/SE runways were removed being replaced by plantations of trees. In contrast, the more limited resources of the other landowners resulted in many of the buildings of the living and service quarters remaining initially intact. Demolition happened on an ad hoc basis, with some of the buildings being adapted and reused.

The survey and field visits have provided an extensive record of the surviving military landscape as follows:-
Site No.1, Airfield and associated buildings: The triangular circuit of the runways are still visible, however the N-S landing strip is the only one that remains completely intact. Significant portions of the other runways have been removed and replaced by woodland, preserving the pattern of the original layout. The service road is largely intact. Some of the 24 frying pan hardstandings survive, best preservation is on the west and N-W side of the airfield. Of the 79 individual structures in Site No.1, the locations of 38 were obscured by dense woodland, therefore their current condition could not be established using aerial images. In contrast, eighteen structures and six frying pans were confirmed as demolished (although three were visible as cropmarks). All surviving remains were preserved at floor level.
Site No.s 2-7 produced more detailed results than that of the airfield. The remains of 125 structures (out of a combined total of 178) were represented in various states of preservation. This number is a minimum, as multiple examples may have been obscured by dense vegetation and/or heaped rubble. Whilst the majority were preserved at floor or lower wall level, eleven were essentially intact, primarily comprising the hardier Blast and Stanton shelters. A further two buildings (Ablutions & Drying Rooms) were partially preserved at full height. Only one example of a Nissen Hut (No.184) has escaped demolition.