Record Details
| NHER Number: | 21992 |
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| Type of record: | Monument |
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| Name: | Hardwick World War Two USAAF airfield and possible medieval deer park |
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Summary
This area was part of a World War Two airfield for the USAAF. It is also suggested that this area may have been a deer park during the medieval period, possibly dating to before the 14th century, although only there is only circumstantial evidence to support this.
Images - none
Location
| Grid Reference: | TM 248 909 |
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| Map Sheet: | TM29SW |
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| Parish: | SHELTON, SOUTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK |
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Full description
Airfield. USAAF, World War II.
Boundaries from map in source, who suggests airfield occupies area of medieval deer park dating pre-14th century, but produces no evidence for this beyond field boundaries, the name Park Farm, and a reference by (S1) under Norwich bridges to 'Hemenall Park' though this area is in Shelton (Hardwick) parish.
E. Rose (NAU), 29 November 1985.
Photocopy of air photograph taken from (S1) in file, also letter from informant suggesting the boundary of the deer park and cropmarks which they consider earlier. [2]
E. Rose (NLA), 1 October 1991.
Hardwick airfield was built specifically for the use of the USAAF in 1942, opening in September of that year as station 104. The final mission from this site took place in April 1945 and the site then passed to the RAF. It was sold off in 1962.
For further information on the operational history of the airfield and photographs, see (S3).
A. Cattermole (NLA), 13 January 2010.
Monument Types
- RECTANGULAR ENCLOSURE (Unknown date)
- DEER PARK (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
- RECTANGULAR ENCLOSURE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
- MILITARY AIRFIELD (World War Two - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
Associated Finds - none
Protected Status
Sources and further reading
| --- | Aerial Photograph: TM2590 M-U; TM2591 A-L,V-AD. |
| --- | Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card. |
| --- | Secondary File: Secondary File. |
| --- | Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1992. [Articles on the proposed conversion of Hardwick World War Two USAAF airfield into a rubbish dump]. |
| <S1> | Serial: Blomefield, F.. 1806. An Essay Towards a Topographical History of the County of Norfolk.. Vol V. |
| <S2> | Publication: Freeman, R.. 1978. Airfields of the Eighth. |
| <S3> | Monograph: McKenzie, R.. 2004. Ghost Fields of Norfolk. pp 49-51. |
Related records - none
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