Monument record 4090/0/0 - RAF Poulton

<1> Royal Air Force, 1944-1947, 1940s RAF Aerial Photographs from Operation Review (Aerial Photograph). SCH8041.

<1> The GeoInformation Group, 2005, 1940s RAF Aerial Photographs from Operation Review (Aerial Photograph). SCH4608.

Second World War airfield visible on aerial photographs dating from the 1940s. These photographs show three intersecting concrete runways in the classic A shape of the period. The main runway, aligned north-north-east by south-south-west was c.1842m long and the two subsidiary runways were 1315m and 1290m long. There is a perimeter track running round the circumference of the field leading to dispersal bays for the storage of aircraft. The main building complex was located on the western side of the airfield in woodland associated with the Pulford Approach of Easton Park (CHER 1969/3/0). There are few obvious hanger structures, but two possible hangers are located on or adjacent to dispersal bays in the south-western corner of the site (1 & 6).

<2> John Woodside, Various, Bones Aviation Page, X4PL Poulton 30/06/2003 (Web Site). SCH4445.

Most of the runway and peri (perimeter?) track still exist although part of the south-western peri track was dug up by the farmer recently. The southern third of the main north-south runway is used for farming storage but the northern two thirds is still in use as a private airfield. It is owned by Grosvenor Estates and there are a few aircraft kept there. There are no buildings left standing. It was officially opened in 1943 and was manned by RAF 12 group Operational Training Unit

<3> Cheshire County Council, 1995, Wartime Cheshire 1939-1945, p.22 (Book). SCH4444.

Poulton acted as a satellite airfield for Hawarden airfield and was mainly used for fighter training

<4> Council for British Archaeology, 2001, 20th Century Defences in Britain : An Introductory Guide, p.144 (Book). SCH4453.

The length of the runways indicate that it was probably constructed after 1942 and had the potential to accommodate bombers

<5> The GeoInformation Group, 1999-2001, Millennium Survey (Aerial Photograph). SCH4609.

The majority of the western subsidiary runway has been dug up and planted up with trees. The eastern end of the northern runway has been dug up. Parts of the perimeter road in the north-east and north of Poulton Hall Farm may have been removed. Large agricultural buildings occupy the area where the main runway and western subsidiary runways meet. The majority of the dispersal bays survive. All of area where the main building complex was located is now woodland

<6> Various, Aerial photographs, 1940s RAF CPE UK 1935 1213-5 (Aerial Photograph). SCH128.

<7> 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. Site visits were also undertaken to identify any surviving remains using decommissioned MOD site record plans as a primary source of information.

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 airfield and associated structures were designated on military maps as 'Site No.1', No.2 was the communal buildings, No.3 sleeping, No.4 also sleeping, No.5 WAAF, No.6 sick quarters, and No.7 sewage works. 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 (but incomplete) record of the surviving military landscape.
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.