Monument record MDO28580 - Chain Home Radar Station CH12B (RAF Ringstead), Owermoigne
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Summary
A radar station comprising transmission and receiver blocks, transmitter and receiver towers, and ancillary buildings such as accommodation.
Map
Type and Period (4)
- (Former Type) RADAR STATION (Second World War to Mid 20th Century - 1940 AD to 1956 AD)
- CHAIN HOME STATION (Second World War to Mid 20th Century - 1940 AD to 1956 AD)
- CHAIN HOME STATION (Second World War to Mid 20th Century - 1941 AD to 1956 AD)
- RADAR STATION (Second World War to Mid 20th Century - 1941 AD to 1956 AD)
Full Description
RADAR STATION. From site list with letter. RAF Ringstead. Recorder- R. Perry. <1-3>
A Chain Home radar station located at Ringstead (SY 751 817), known as CH12B. Chain Home stations comprised transmission and receiver blocks, four 240ft timber receiver aerial towers, four 350ft steel transmitter aerial towers that stood on concrete pads, and other buildings such as dispersed accommodation huts, guard huts and standby set houses. From 1940 defensive measures were installed at radar stations, including Light Anti-Aircraft gun emplacements, pill boxes, road blocks and air raid shelters. The receiver towers was located at SY 745 813. <4>
A Chain Home station at Ringstead. Aerial photography from 1978 shows three earth-covered buildings, two of which being transmission and receiver blocks. The remains of two aerial base sets survive, as well as 2-3 ancillary buildings. <5>
The Rotor programme was developed to advance the wartime radar technology in detecting and locating fast-flying jets. It was approved by the Air Council in June 1950. The first phase of the programme, Rotor 1, was to technically restore existing Chain Home, centrimetric early warning, Chain Home Extra Low and Ground Controlled Interception stations and put them under the control of RAF Fighter Command. There were three main components to the Rotor stations: the technical site, including the radars, operation blocks and other installations; the domestic site, where personnel were accommodated; and the stand-by set house, a reserve power supply. The technical site at Ringstead radar station was located at SY 751 817. The domestic site was situated at SY 742 830 and the stand-by set house was co-located at the technical site. <6-8>
As source 5. <9>
RAF Ringstead became operational in 1940 and was in use up until 1956. <10>
Sources/Archives (11)
- <1> SWX5 Digital archive: Council for British Archaeology. 1995. Defence of Britain Project. 2599.
- <2> SDO128 Machine readable data file: Council for British Archaeology. 2003. Defence of Britain Project Database. 2599.
- <3> SDO17227 Excavation archive: Council for British Archaeology. 2006. Defence of Britain Project Archive DEB01. 2599.
- <4> SDO12579 Monograph: Dobinson, C S. 1996. Twentieth century fortifications in England, volume 7. Acoustics and Radar: England's early warning systems 1915-45. 45, 54, 161.
- <5> SDO18992 Unpublished document: Anderton, Michael J. 2000. Twentieth century military recording project: World War Two radar stations. 64.
- <6> SDO18653 Monograph: Dobinson, C S. 2000. Twentieth century fortifications in England. Volume XI.1. The Cold War.
- <7> SDO18654 Monograph: Dobinson, C S. 2000. Twentieth century fortifications in England. Volume XI.2. The Cold War. 153.
- <8> SDO18652 Monograph: Cocroft, Wayne D, and Thomas, Roger J C. 2003. Cold War: Building for Nuclear Confrontation 1946-1989. 86-110.
- <9> SDO18655 Unpublished document: Anderton, Michael J. 2000. Twentieth Century Military Recording Project: Cold War Rotor Stations. 46.
- <10> SWX8707 Digital archive: Le Pard, G. 1995-2003. Dorset Coast Forum Maritime Archaeological Database.
- <11> SDO14739 Digital archive: National Record of the Historic Environment. 1413269.
Finds (0)
Related Monuments/Buildings (0)
Related Events/Activities (2)
Location
| Grid reference | Centred SY 7580 8168 (27m by 26m) |
|---|---|
| Map sheet | SY78SE |
| Civil Parish | Owermoigne; Dorset |
| Unitary Authority | Dorset |
Protected Status/Designation
- None recorded
Other Statuses/References
- Defence of Britain database: 2599
- Legacy UID: Dorset Sites and Monuments Record: 1 085 050
- Legacy UID: National Monuments Record: SY 78 SW 128
- Legacy UID: National Record of the Historic Environment: 1413269
Record last edited
Mar 14 2024 1:43PM
