NHER 8908 (Monument record) - RAF Watton

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Summary

This World War Two military airfield was used both by the United States Army Air Force and the RAF. Rumours suggest that Allied spies were flown from here before being dropped by parachute into Germany. After World War Two the station was used as a Radio Warfare Establishment and since 1965 air traffic management has operated from part of the site. During the Cold War surface to air missiles were based here. The airfield closed in 1989.

Protected Status/Designation

  • None recorded

Location

Map sheet TL99NW
Civil Parish GRISTON, BRECKLAND, NORFOLK
Civil Parish WATTON, BRECKLAND, NORFOLK
Civil Parish CARBROOKE, BRECKLAND, NORFOLK

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Disused. Housing being built over southern area at Griston; to west of this, Wayland Prison being constructed. Some runways survive, land between being cultivated. Postmaster at Griston says all wartime buildings except bomb dumps removed some years ago. Occasional brick sheds in surrounding countryside. Post war housing etc. remains on north side.
E. Rose (NAU) 21 July 1982.

The housing, now being sold off for private use, has air raid shelters set in front of each block of houses.

Built as grass field February 1939 with 'C' type hangars. 1943 rebuilt with concrete runways as United States Army Air Force base (occasionally known as Neaton). 1945 returned to RAF. 1969 squadrons removed to become administrative satellite for Honington except for special exercises.
Information from (S1).
E. Rose (NAU) 3 August 1983.

Press cuttings (S2-S3) in file.

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

2000-2002. Woodland Earthwork Rapid Identification Survey.
Management Unit W:
Survey of several wooded areas within the area of the airfield. No earthworks or other significant sites identified.
See report (S1) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 13 May 2015

  • --- Aerial Photograph: TF9400 A-E.
  • --- Monograph: McKenzie, R.. 2004. Ghost Fields of Norfolk. pp 108-114.
  • --- Monograph: Pevsner, N and Wilson, B. 1999. Norfolk 2: North-West and South. The Buildings of England. 2nd Edition. p 373, 754.
  • --- Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1990. New memorial to war dead. 11 December.
  • --- Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1999. Buyer of old RAF station stays secret. 17 August.
  • --- Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2011. Needed no more: old haunt of the Forgotten Bomber…. 4 January.
  • --- Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card.
  • --- Secondary File: Secondary File.
  • --- Website: 2023-. Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. https://www.abct.org.uk/. 17 January 2023. Watton [accessed 18 January 2023].
  • <S1> Article in Serial: Airfields of Norfolk and Suffolk.. Norfolk and Suffolk Aviation Museum. Vol IV.
  • <S2> Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1989. [Articles on the use of RAF Watton in World War Two].
  • <S3> Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1985. 20 years of air safety. 6 July.
  • <S5> Serial: Dobinson, C.S.. 1996. Twentieth Century Fortifications in England.. Vol I.4, p 573.
  • <S6> Unpublished Contractor Report: Cushion, B. 2002. STANTA ILMP Woodland Earthwork Rapid Identification Survey. Brian Cushion Archaeological & Cartographical Surveyor.

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Record last edited

Jan 18 2023 6:07AM

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