C O N T E X T 1 3 7 : N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 4 21 associated technical buildings in Britain, in addition to fabric dating from both inter-war phases of expansion and fabric relating to the expansion of the base for American fighter pilots in the second world war. In addition to these sites, important structures remain from some sites that were involved in operations against the enemy.These include the hangars at Calshot on the Solent andMount Batten in Plymouth, and the slipway at Tresco on the Isles of Scilly, fromwhich seaplanes sallied forth to protect shipping and combat the U-boat menace. Catterick in North Yorkshire is the only example of a Home Defence station to have retained its original suite of hangars, externally rebuilt around their steel-framed construction. Another significant survival is Stow Maries in Essex, from which aircraft defended London from Zeppelins and, after June 1917, Gotha bombers. The thematic survey had confirmed its survival as a substantially intact group, albeit without its hangars and in a largely dilapidated condition. At first it seemed that designation as a conservation area would be the best way of protecting the flying field and its 24 workshop and barracks buildings, but the activities of the Friends of Stow Maries and the Grade II* listing of the site have since opened the door to a new and sustainable future (www.stowmaries.com). At its hearts lies the purchase of the site by the Stow Maries Aerodrome Trust, with the help of grants from English Heritage and the National Heritage Memorial Fund, and loans from Maldon District Council and Essex County Council. One important achievement of English Heritage’s thematic survey of first world war airfields was to introduce the all-important issue of international context. Another was to set a baseline for identifying sites of national significance. It also highlighted the challenges of protecting wartime fabric intended to only ‘last for the duration’, an issue shared with fabric of the second world war. Since the completion of the survey, initiatives such as those at Stow Maries have shown the potential of integrated approaches to the long-term conservation of entire sites. At the same time, new techniques of conserving temporary fabric are providing enthusiastic local groups with the practical means to identify and protect these highly significant but challenging sites for the benefit of future generations. Inevitably this represents a list of the most significant survivals. Fabric was generally not built to last, and many of these surviving sites present significant challenges in terms of their repair and long-termmaintenance.There are many other sites which are valued for their historical associations and importance at a local as well as national level. Leighterton in Gloucestershire is one example of a site whose buildings have been removed and its flying field restored to farmland, but its small cemetery for pilots who perished in training has made it a focus of local events and commemoration from relatives and representatives of the Australians and New Zealanders who served there. Important sites Access to Upavon, Netheravon and other key sites dating from the first world war is restricted as they are in military use. Eastchurch is in use as a prison, and many other sites are in commercial use. Some can clearly be viewed from publicly accessible roads, such as the three seaplane sheds built in 1918 for a training depot station which are grouped around the original slipway at Lee-on-Solent. Set out below are some of the most significant and representative sites which are wholly or partly accessible to the public, largely due to the efforts of local groups and enthusiasts. Further reading The Airfield Information Exchange contains the archive and forum for the Airfield Research Group.The archive aims to conserve, as far as possible, documentation in all media formats pertaining to the airfields and associated locations in the UK and, where necessary, overseas: www. airfieldinformationexchange. org/. The Airfields of Britain ConservationTrust has been compiling an inventory of airfields including disused ones: www.abct.org.uk/airfields/ orfordness. The Action Stations series (with various authors and dates) provides short histories of most UK airfields. Dobinson, CS (1998) RAF Netheravon: a short structural history (report for English Heritage) The water tower and the pilots’ ready room at Stow Maries, part of the most complete surviving home defence station in Britain. The flying field and 24 workshop and barracks buildings, all now listed, have survived.The site has now been purchased by the Stow Maries Aerodrome Trust, with the help of grants from English Heritage and the National Heritage Memorial Fund, and loans from Maldon District Council and Essex County Council. (Photo: English Heritage) www.stowmaries.com
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