Norfolk Heritage Explorer

Location

Full description

1939 to 1945, now Norwich Airport and trading estate.
E. Rose (NAU), 18 May 1977.

Begun 1939, changed to RAF control on outbreak of war; abandoned 1967; opened as Norwich airport 1970 (S38).
E. Rose (NLA).

World War Two anti aircraft artillery.
See file.
D. Gurney (NLA), 28 January 1997.

The officers' mess survived almost intact until September 1998 when it was burnt out.
Information from [1].
However Norwich City Council say (April 2000) that this is incorrect; the mess still intact, a fine example of late 1930s design; they are attempting to have it listed.
E. Rose (NLA), 16 September 1998 and 7 April 2000.

March 2006.
Hangars, technical and domestic buildings and grass runways constructed just before outbreak of World War Two.
First unit to use base was detachment of RAF 21 Squadron from Watton during November/December 1939. They flew Blenheim bombers.
1939 to 1940. RAF fighter squadrons were based at the station. 19 Squadron and 66 Squadron - both flew Spitfires.
June 1940. Opened as a base for RAF bombers. Blenheims, Oxfords and Mosquitos were flown from it by various squadrons.
September 1942. RAF moved out and United States Army Air Force moved in. Used by bomber and fighter squadrons.
June 1945. Station returned to RAF. Used by fighter squadrons, including Polish units.
1963. RAF left; site purchased by local authority in March 1967.
Information from (S42).
D. Robertson (NLA), 28 March 2006.

April 2010. Norfolk NMP.
Aerial photographs from 1941-1961 (S1-S38) show the extent of the World War Two airfield, and the many structures associated with it.
A good overview of the airfield during World War Two is visible on (S5) and (S6). Structures to south and east show up well on (S13) and (S18), many of which are still visible on (S20). The five C type hangars are visible centred on TG 2213 1291, with the control buildings and accommodation situated to the south. Three main areas of accommodation appear to be visible in this southern area, at TG 2219 1262 TG 2236 1240 and TG 2267 1229, the latter of which does not appear until 1945 (S11) and (S12). Further accommodation is visible as a separate area, over 400m to the east (NHER 53505), and the sewage works for the airfield is situated to the south (NHER 53506).
Two large underground shelters are visible (S12), centred on TG2268 1287, within an area of permanent brick-built accommodation, perhaps officers’ housing.
Spigot mortar and other earthwork defences are visible on (S35), together with a large open earthwork defence. The west side of the airfield is clearly visible on (S8-9), (S28) and (S31), with earthwork defences also clearly visible on (S16) and (S22). To the north of the western runway, earthwork defences are visible centred around TG 2095 1440 (S24). To the east, further earthwork defences are visible at TG 2270 1383 (S30).
Two further possible defence posts are visible as earthworks, centred on TG 2174 1255, just to the south of the airfield (S10), but these have not been mapped, due to their scale and temporary nature, although at least one of the earthworks is still visible in 1947 (S17). Further possible earthwork defences are visible at TG 2199 1241 (S31).
Zig zag trenches are visible to the south of the airfield, at TG 2164 1267 and TG 2237 1231 on (S2), these may relate to the defence of the airfield, or may be simply practice trenches, as they appear to have been filled in by 1944 (S7).
The Rifle butts for the airfield is clearly visible at TG 2284 1420 on (S26, 27, 33 and 36) and is still intact as late as 1961 (S38).
Several pillboxes are visible within the airfield, including one at TG 2151 1400 (S24, S31), one at TG2283 1350 (S15, S17 and S22) and one at TG 2278 1295 (S17), as well as a fourth at TG 2250 1293 (S15, S17), which may represent the mis-located NMR record TG 21 SW 65, a child of the airport record TG 21 SW 63.
The Pillbox recorded as NHER 16796 was also visible at TG 2131 1296 (S31).
Two smaller pillboxes are also visible at TG 2244 1247 and TG 2247 1231.
The location of Pickett Hamilton Forts NHER 32544-6 could not be confirmed from the aerial photographs.
Also of note are some possible dispersed storage areas on the East-West road to north of Manor Farm – also on the North-South road to east, on the western edge of the airfield, which are visible on (S43 and S44).
E. Bales (NMP), April 2010.

May 2014-January 2015. Geophysical Survey.
Magnetometer surveys of several areas on proposed line of Norwich Northern Distributor Road (Areas HF12a, HF12b, HF12c and HF4).
Little of potential archaeological significance was identified.
A fragmentary, curvilinear anomaly at approximately TG 2196 1415 was however parallel to an extant runway and therefore potentially caused by the remains of former airfield intrastructure.
See report (S45) and NHERs 63379 and 53712 for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 13 May 2019.

Monument Types

• ANTI AIRCRAFT BATTERY (World War Two - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
• HANGAR (World War Two to Mid 20th Century - 1939 AD to 1963 AD?)
• HEAVY ANTI AIRCRAFT BATTERY (World War Two - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
• MESS (World War Two to Late 20th Century - 1939 AD to 1998 AD?)
• MILITARY AIRFIELD (World War Two to Mid 20th Century - 1939 AD to 1963 AD)
• MILITARY BUILDING (World War Two to Late 20th Century - 1939 AD to 1967 AD?)
• PILLBOX (World War Two - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
• RIFLE BUTTS (World War Two - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
• RUNWAY (World War Two to Mid 20th Century - 1939 AD to 1963 AD?)
• AIRPORT (Late 20th Century to 21st Century - 1967 AD to 2100 AD)
• HANGAR (Late 20th Century to 21st Century - 1967 AD? to 2100 AD)
• RUNWAY (Late 20th Century to 21st Century - 1967 AD to 2100 AD)

Associated Finds - none

Protected Status - none

Sources and further reading

Related records

Find out more...

• Military Airfields in Norfolk (Article)
• Parish Summary: Horsham St Faith and Newton St Faith (Parish Summary)
• Parish Summary: Norwich (Modern Period) (Parish Summary)
• Parish Summary: Norwich (Parish Summary)
• The Archaeology of World War Two (Article)