Monument record 7457/1/0 - World War II Military Airfield, Tatton Park

Tatton Park was preserved intact until the outbreak of World War II, when some parts were turned over to arable agriculture for the first time in a century and a half and the remainder was used for military parachute training. When war came in 1939 troops used Tatton for training, including, most importantly, for parachute drops. Large areas, at least 300 acres of the township's 2000, were ploughed up for food production and planes were parked in the Beech Avenue. The Cheshire War Agricultural Committee visited Tatton in 1941, and they asked Egerton to plough up and fence about 200 acres of the estate; one area on the east side of the park, and another in the north-eastern part. Two additional areas which were suggested did not get ploughed, but were used instead for the parachute training. Egerton complained that the moving of planes on the site had lead to considerable destruction of trees and turf. In May 1942 35 Wellingtons were parked at Tatton, many along the Beech Avenue. (1)

Just before you reach the road to Old Hall you cross the wartime airstrip. Some levelling was carried out between August 1941 and March of 1942, and "somerfelt" track was laid down (a kind of chicken wire reinforced with rods). For a year or so Tatton was a satellite landing ground for RAF Hawarden near Chester and Lichfield in Staffordshire. Aerial photograph showing location of air strip. (2)

<1> Higham N.J, Cane T., 1997, The Tatton Park Project, Part 1: Prehistoric to Sub-Roman Settlement and Land Use. JCAS, p.1 (Article in Journal). SCH4939.

<2> Cheshire County Council, 1985, Wartime Tatton 1939-45: Full Story and Trail Guide. (Book). SCH4949.