RAF Scampton

Reference Name MLI53104

Name:
RAF Scampton

Summary:
RAF Scampton was opened in 1916. It underwent various reconstructions but was due to close in 1996.

Location:
AISTHORPE, WEST LINDSEY, LINCOLNSHIRE
BRATTLEBY, WEST LINDSEY, LINCOLNSHIRE
SCAMPTON, WEST LINDSEY, LINCOLNSHIRE
WELTON, WEST LINDSEY, LINCOLNSHIRE
HACKTHORN, WEST LINDSEY, LINCOLNSHIRE

Description:
The airfield at Scampton was opened in 1916. It was established as a training airfield in 1917. At this time, it was intended that the aerodrome would be a temporary facility, for the duration of the First World War. Thus the majority of the buildings were temporary wooden huts, although the six hangars were of a more substantial nature. After the war the training was run down; by early 1920 the station was closed, all the buildings removed and the land was returned to agriculture. It was rebuilt in 1935 to 1936, and was used in the Second World War; bombers and fighters were stationed there. It was reconstructed in 1954 to 1956 with stronger dispersals and trailways, specialised buildings and one long runway which replaced the second world war triangular pattern. This is the cause of the kink in modern Ermine Street. It reopened in 1958, and was due to close in 1996. {1}{2}{3}

During the Cold War period Scampton housed V-Bombers and in 1963 it became one of only two UK bases equipped to deliver the 'Blue Steel' stand-off bomb. Major alterations, including the building of the new longer runway that caused the Ermine Street diversion, were necessary to accommodate the larger nuclear capable aircraft. In 2004 English Heritage carried out a detailed building survey of all surviving buildings at the site, including many which retained original features (though some had been unsympathetically altered during the course of their working life). An illustrated gazetteer was produced as well as a detailed history of the site from documentary sources. {4}

The four hangars were listed on 1st December 2005. See the Listed Building description for more information. {5}

Re-deposited layers and a single modern fence post-hole were recorded during a watching brief in 2013, conducted to monitor the improvements made to the runway at RAF Scampton (PRN 53104a - SK 9558 7869). It is thought that the deopsits were very likely produced during works relating to the levelling and construction of the runway. {6}{7}

Sources:
1 Bibliographic reference: HANCOCK, T.N.. 1978. BOMBER COUNTY. PP9,11,13,31-3,125 ETC
2 Bibliographic reference: START, D.. 1993. LINCOLNSHIRE FROM THE AIR. P 27
3 Unpublished document: MIDDLETON C. 1996. PARISH FILE. SCAMPTON. DRAFT PLANNING BRIEF
4 Unpublished document: English Heritage. 2004. RAF Scampton - an Operational History and Gazetteer of Surviving Structures. -
5 Index: Department of the Environment. 1985. List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest. 6th amendment
6 Intervention Report: Pre-Construct Archaeological Services Ltd. 2013. Runway Improvements, RAF Scampton. PCAS site code: RAFM 13
7 Excavation archive: Pre-Construct Archaeological Services Ltd. 2013. Runway Improvements, RAF Scampton. LCNCC 2013.20

Links:
Lincolnshire County Council is not responsible for the content of external weblinks.
The following reports are available from the ADS digital library.
6 Intervention Report: Pre-Construct Archaeological Services Ltd. 2013. Runway Improvements, RAF Scampton. PCAS site code: RAFM 13