Record Details
| NHER Number: | 13626 |
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| Type of record: | Monument |
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| Name: | Possible site of World War One airfield (Sporle Landing Ground) |
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Summary
This is believed to be the location of Sporle Landing Ground, a Home Defense airfield that was in operation during the latter part of World War One (1916-18). It is now commemorated by a memorial that was erected at the edge of the field in 2014.
Images - none
Location
| Grid Reference: | TF 8684 1186 |
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| Map Sheet: | TF81SE |
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| Parish: | NECTON, BRECKLAND, NORFOLK |
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Full description
Airfield. Late 1916-1918. Site unknown; officially "one mile from Dunham railway station".
Details from Norfolk and Suffolk Aviation Museum.
Information from record card (S1).
Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 17 January 2022.
Although the site of this landing ground was previously thought to be unknown the Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust website (S2) places it at this location, just inside the parish of Necton. There is clearly a degree of confidence about this location as the airfield is now commemorated by a memorial at the north-east corner of this field (TF 8694 1207). This was erected in 2014 by Little Dunham Parish Council to mark the 100th anniversary of the airfield. The plaque reads "This memorial is dedicated to the men and women who served in The Royal Flying Corps, The Royal Air Force and The Royal Air Service from the landing ground located in this field during the Great War 1914-1918 - Lest We Forget." The page dedicated to this memorial (S3) records that the airfield was used by 51 Squadron and part of the 47th Wing of the 6th Brigade, Royal Flying Corp between 1916 and November 1918 as a satellite station to RAF Marham for home defence duties. It covered an area of 43 acres and as a Class 3 night landing ground facilities would have been very basic - likely limited to a pilot's hut and paraffin lighting for the landing strip itself.
P. Watkins (HES), 17 January 2022.
Monument Types
- MILITARY AIRFIELD (World War One - 1914 AD to 1918 AD)
Associated Finds - none
Protected Status - none
Sources and further reading
| <S1> | Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card. |
| <S2> | Website: 2023-. Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. https://www.abct.org.uk/. 17 January 2023. Sporle [accessed 17 January 2023]. |
| <S3> | Web Article: Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. 2014. Sporle Memorial. https://www.abct.org.uk/stories/sporle-memorial/. 17 January 2023. |
Related records - none
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