The site of a possible accommodation site for an RAF radar station is visible on aerial photographs of the 1946 in Weston, Portland. The site consists of building platforms either side of a central road.
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ROYAL AIR FORCE CAMP. From site list with letter. Isle of Portland. Recorder- R. Perry. <1-3>
The Rotor programme was developed to upgrade the wartime radar technology to detect and locate fast-flying jets. It was approved by the Air Council in June 1950. 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 domestic site for Portland Rotor station was located at SY 682 714. The technical site was situated at SY 696 735 and the stand-by set house co-located at the domestic site. <4-5>
Aerial photography from 1968 shows the post-1950 domestic buildings in good condition. They were substantially built buildings and are likely to be used as civillian accommodation. <7>
The site of a possible military accommodation site, possibly connected with Blacknor Battery (see MWX435) or for an RAF radar station (see MDO29694) is visible on aerial photographs <8> of the 1946 in Weston, Portland. The site consists of building platforms either side of a central road. The buildings on the site appear to have been demolished by 1946. The site appears to have been redeveloped in 1948, with triple line of buildings to the south of the road and a double line of buildings to the north. This may be the site referred to in NRHE record 1413234, which is described as an accommodation for the post war RAF Portland radar station. <9> This site was digitally plotted during the South West Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey (Dorset).
Sources/Archives (10)
<1> SWX5
Digital archive: Council for British Archaeology. 1995. Defence of Britain Project. 2564.
<2> SDO128
Machine readable data file: Council for British Archaeology. 2003. Defence of Britain Project Database. 2564.
<3> SDO17227
Excavation archive: Council for British Archaeology. 2006. Defence of Britain Project Archive DEB01. 2564.
<4> SDO18652
Monograph: Cocroft, Wayne D, and Thomas, Roger J C. 2003. Cold War: Building for Nuclear Confrontation 1946-1989.
<5> SDO18653
Monograph: Dobinson, C S. 2000. Twentieth century fortifications in England. Volume XI.1. The Cold War.
<6> SDO18654
Monograph: Dobinson, C S. 2000. Twentieth century fortifications in England. Volume XI.2. The Cold War.
<7> SDO18655
Unpublished document: Anderton, Michael J. 2000. Twentieth Century Military Recording Project: Cold War Rotor Stations.
<8> SDO13037
Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 13-APR-1946. RAF 106G/UK/1411 4044-5.
<9> SDO13040
Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 07-MAY-1948. SY 6871/3 RAF 30099/0132.
<10> SDO14739
Digital archive: National Record of the Historic Environment. 1413234.
Centred SY 6845 7145 (246m by 100m) (14 map features)
Map sheet
SY67SE
Unitary Authority
Dorset
Protected Status/Designation
None recorded
Other Statuses/References
Legacy UID: National Monuments Record: SY 67 SE 234
Legacy UID: National Record of the Historic Environment: 1413234
Record last edited
Jun 1 2023 12:59PM
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