Information for record number MWA8100:
RAF Snitterfield

Summary The site of RAF Snitterfield, a Second World War airfield. It was used to train Belgian air crews and closed in 1946. The airfield site is located east of Bearley.
What Is It?  
Type: Airfield
Period: Unknown
Where Is It?  
Parish: Bearley
District: Stratford on Avon, Warwickshire
Grid Reference: SP 19 60
(Data represented on this map shows the current selected record as a single point, this is for illustrative purposes only and does not represent an accurate or complete representation of archaeological sites or features)
Level of Protection National - Old SMR PrefRef (Grade: )
Sites & Monuments Record
Description

  
Source Number  

1 Opened as a satellite airfield to Church Lawford in 1943. Although having 40 dispersal pads, this airfield never reached its intended capacity. For a time was used to train Belgian air crews. Closed in 1946. Was used as a radio station in the 1960s. The masts were removed in the 1980s.
2 Contrary to
1, many radio masts can be seen in 1997.
3 The land was requisitioned in 1940. It is rumored that the rubble from the bombing of Coventry was used as hardcore for the construction of the airfield. The road at the top of Bearley was widended and diverted to allow access to the airfield for large vehicles. The main runway had a large dip where there had once been a pond then a hill. This made one runway unsuitable for American Bombers, the other two runways were too steep. There was a camp near St Mary's Church which housed 430 WAAF (Women's Auxillary Air Force) and nursing personnel. The site of the airmen's and officers' is now the Bearley Green Development. Italian and German Prisoners of War lived in huts where the council houses are now. In July 1947 all remaining WAAF personnel were sent to the RAF base at Church Lawford. The last of the aircraft was ferried away in 1947. The buildings were taken over by people who had been made homeless by the war.
4 Snitterfield was completed and ready for occupation in early 1943. It was constructed as a standard bomber station yet during its brief 3 years as an RAF airfield was only used by a variety of small training aircraft. It had three concrete runways covered with tarmac; the main one, running north to south measured 2000 yards, with the other two at 1350 and 1250 yards respectively. It was used by Flying Training Command and later by the RAF (Belgian) Initial Training School. With its concrete runways, Snitterfield was used frequently for emergency landings. The airfield closed in 1946 and is now partly used by the Stratford-upon-Avon gliding club. Detailed information.
5 Snitterfield airfield, Warwickshire, SP 193 598. A former World War Two military airfield, opened in 1943 and closed in 1946 The wartime airfield consisted of three runways covered with tarmac, four aircraft hangars (Type T2) and temporary accommodation for 1422 male and 430 female personnel. It was part of 23 Group Flying Training Command, the function of both airfields was as an Advanced Flying Unit (Pilots). In 1985 the site was used for industrial purposes. (1) After the War Snitterfield was used for a number of purposes including radio masts. These have been removed and the airfield is used for gliding, part of the former wartime airfield is also a lesure centre with a golf course. Unusually additional blister aircraft hangars were placed on dispersal pan hard standings. Although Snitterfield was actually built as a bomber base it functioned as an (Pilots) Advanced Flying Unit 18 (P)AFU, and briefly acted as a base for training Belgian airmen The wartime airfield consisted of three runways covered with tarmac, four aircraft hangars (Type T2), some blister aircraft hangars and temporary accommodation for 1422 male and 430 female personnel. There were two technical sites, site A on the western side, and site B on the eastern side. The latter was a maintenance area.
6 Area expanded to reflect plane dispersal areas visible on OS 1:2,500 maps dating to 1968
7 Plan dispersal areas and other features are visible on modern aerial photos
 
Sources
Source No: 7
Source Type: Aerial Photograph
Title: Modern Aerial Photography (High Resolution)
Author/originator: Warwickshire County Council
Date: 2000
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 1
Source Type: Bibliographic reference
Title: Fifty years of changing land use
Author/originator: Freeman, H
Date: 1989
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 3
Source Type: Bibliographic reference
Title: Bearley: Appraisal, History and Action Plan, Present, Past and Future
Author/originator: Bearley Parish Council - Various Authors
Date: 2001
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 4
Source Type: Bibliographic reference
Title: Warwickshire Airfields in the Second World War
Author/originator: Smith G
Date: 2004
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 5
Source Type: Digital Data
Title: National Record for the Historic Environment (NRHE) also known as AMIE, formerly known as NMR
Author/originator: Historic England
Date: 2014-2016
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 6
Source Type: Map
Title: 1:2500 National Grid map series
Author/originator: Ordnance Survey
Date: 1952-1984
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 2
Source Type: Unpublished document
Title: SMR Form
Author/originator: Brace, J
Date: 1997
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Images:  
There are no images associated with this record.  
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Glossary

 
Word or Phrase
Description  
technique Aerial Photograph Aerial photographs are taken during an aerial survey, which involves looking at the ground from above. It is usually easier to see cropmarks and earthworks when they are viewed from above. Aerial photographs help archaeologists to record what they see and to identify new sites. There are two kinds of aerial photographs; oblique and vertical. back
period Modern The Modern Period, about 1915 AD to the present (the 20th and 21st centuries AD)

In recent years archaeologists have realised the importance of recording modern sites. They do this so that in the future people will be able to look at the remains to help them understand the events to which they are related.
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period modern About 1915 AD to the present (the 20th and 21st centuries AD)

In recent years archaeologists have realised the importance of recording modern sites. They do this so that in the future people will be able to look at the remains to help them understand the events to which they are related.
more -> 		back
monument YARD * A paved area, generally found at the back of a house. back
monument GOLF COURSE * A prepared area of ground used to play the game of golf on. back
monument SITE * Unclassifiable site with minimal information. Specify site type wherever possible. back
monument CLUB * A building used by an association of persons for social and recreational purposes or for the promotion of some common object. back
monument BUILDING * A structure with a roof to provide shelter from the weather for occupants or contents. Use specific type where known. back
monument RUNWAY * A hard level roadway or other surface from which aircraft take off and land. back
monument MILITARY AIRFIELD * A landing and taking-off area for military aircraft. Often includes ancilliary structures and buildings for the maintenance and storage of aircraft, etc. back
monument FEATURE * Areas of indeterminate function. back
monument POND * A body of still water often artificially formed for a specific purpose. Use specifc type where known. back
monument DISPERSAL * An area of hardstanding for parking aircraft, in a state of readiness, usually around the perimeter of an airfield. back
monument CHURCH * A building used for public Christian worship. Use more specific type where known. back
monument ROAD * A way between different places, used by horses, travellers on foot and vehicles. back
monument INDUSTRIAL * This is the top term for the class. See INDUSTRIAL Class List for narrow terms. back
TECHNICAL SITE * The area of a military base where engineering and maintenance functions are grouped. back
monument HUT * A building of basic construction, usually smaller in size than a house and constructed from a variety of materials such as mud, turf, branches, wood, brick, concrete or metal. Use more specific type where known. back
monument COUNCIL HOUSE * A house built by a local authority. back
monument BLISTER AIRCRAFT HANGAR * A type of transportable aircraft hangar patented by Miskins and Sons in 1939. The arched hangar was constructed of steel or wooden ribs and generally clad in steel sheets. The hangar did not require any foundations and could be anchored by iron stakes. back
monument AIRCRAFT * An aircraft, either whole or in part. Aircraft often survive as commemorative monuments, gate guardians or crash sites. back
monument HARD STANDING * A purpose-built area of hard material of indeterminate use. back
monument AIRCRAFT HANGAR * A structure used for the housing and servicing of aircraft. back
monument AIRFIELD * An area or site used for the landing and take-off of aircraft, often including associated buildings, equipment and other installations. back
monument TRAINING SCHOOL * A school where specialist skills, relating to a particular subject, are taught. Use specific type where known. back
monument RADIO STATION * A building or group of buildings containing equipment capable of transmitting and receiving radio signals. Use BROADCASTING RADIO STATION for broadcasting establishments e.g. BBC Radio stations. back

* Copyright of English Heritage (1999)

English Heritage National Monuments Record