Monument record 7420 - World War II Army Training Centre, Saighton Camp

<1> Northern Archaeological Associates, 2005, Saighton camp, Chester. Archaeological Desk based Assessment, R3382 (Client Report). SCH6929.

Saighton dates to the late 1930s and began life as a military training camp in response to the growing threat of a new war. Documentary sources indicate the camp was originally built to provide basic training to volunteer and conscripted soldiers training light anti-aircraft battery crews. The camp was used by a number of regiments including the 233 Light Anti-Aircraft Training Regiment of the Royal Artillery until 1949. After which it became Training Centre No 12 of the Royal Pioneer Corps with around 1800 recruits for a short time. In the 1950s and 1960s the camp was used by the Royal Signals Corps. At some point in the mid 1950s the site was also occupied by the 21 Heavy Anti-Aircraft Battery of the Royal Artillery. In the 1970s and 80s the camp was used by the Green Howards from Aberdeen and then the Gordon Highlanders until 1983. After that the camp was converted to a medical training centre by the Royal Medical Corps and subsequently the Army Medical Service’s Territorial Army training camp. The camp began to be de-commissioned from 1983 onwards and by 1997 much of the camp had been demolished.

The original camp comprised four groups of buildings arranged around two parade and training grounds. Group 1, closest to the road comprised a series of barrack blocks, the armoury and magazine, gymnasium and the kitchen around a parade ground; group 2 in the centre of the site included the hospital, the officers quarters, married quarters and more barrack blocks; group 3 was arranged around the second parade ground and mainly comprised barrack blocks while the 4th group lay to the northeast and comprised a series of gymnasium and other functional offices and stores buildings.

<2> Northern Archaeological Associates, 2008, Standing Building Survey, Saighton Camp, Chester, R3387 (Client Report). SCH6937.

A building survey of the site in 2008 identified 32 surviving buildings including several store buildings, former offices and guardhouse, a temporary headquarters building, a former kitchen and canteen, the former armoury and magazine, a toilet block and washroom, the mortuary, operating theatre, hospital, former vehicle maintenance, a sentry box and several accommodation blocks. The final building identified was a Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Warfare Chamber used during the Gulf War.

<3> Northern Archaeological Associates, 2013, Saighton Camp, Chester the 20th century remains, R3570 (Client Report). SCH7336.

Archaeological recording across the site between 2011 and 2012 identified the below ground remains of a number of buildings across the site. Although for the most part, this recording confirmed the location of previously known buildings it also identified several previously unrecorded structures including two complete air-raid shelters. A large quantity of finds dating from the mid twentieth century onwards. It was also possible to preserve several of these below ground. Those preserved below ground include the armoury and magazine buildings, and the hospital foundations.