Information for record number MWA9592:
Ettington Park Prisoner of War Camp

Summary The site of Ettington Park Prisoner of War Camp from the Second World War, identified from aerial photographs and from documentary evidence. It was located 500m northeast of Ettington Park.
What Is It?  
Type: Prisoner Of War Camp
Period: Unknown
Where Is It?  
Parish: Ettington
District: Stratford on Avon, Warwickshire
Grid Reference: SP 25 47
(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 The site of Prisoner of War Camp identified from an aerial photograph from 1946 reproduced in an English Heritage Conservation Bulletin. The enclosed Camp can be seen in the northern part of the site, with unenclosed associated buildings, possibly administrative, in the southern part.
2 The camp is listed as number 31 in 'Location of POW camps in Great Britain'.
3 aerial photographs from 2000 suggest that the road system and two buildings may survive.
4 A Second World War Prisoner of War Camp at Ettington Park (SP 249 476). This was a purpose-built, standard type camp. Common buildings and facilities at standard type camps included water towers, offices, officer's mess, a canteen, guard rooms, barrack huts, ablution blocks, cell blocks, a camp reception station (medical facility/hospital), a cookhouse, dining rooms, recreation rooms and living huts or tents. This camp was classified as a German working camp. An International Red Cross inspection of the camp on 30-DEC-1943 reports that the camp holds up to 800 Italian prisoners. An aerial photograph showing rows of huts in the prisoner's compound at the camp. The Second World War POW camp was visible on historical aerial photographs and mapped as part of the South East Warwickshire and Cotswold Hills HLS NMP Target Areas project. The camp was located in the north-east of Ettington Park and the enclosed compound was centred at SP 25045 47645. The rectangular compound comprised the prisoner of war barrack accommodation, sick quarters or medical block, ablutions blocks and other associated ancillary buildings. The aerial photographs taken in 1946 also show the parchmarks made by two rows of bell tents along the northern perimeter of the camp, providing temporary accommodation. The administrative buildings (SP25035 47524) were located south of the compound, and comprised accommodation blocks, ancillary buildings and an officer’s quarter. The outline of a probable football pitch is also visible to the west of the camp at SP 24890 47579. The water tower or at least the source of water may have been located at SP 24877 47619. The sewage works for the camp was located south of the camp at SP 24999 4729, and was still visible on aerial photos taken in 2007. The camp is now overgrown with trees, and all except three buildings (SP 24971 47656, SP 24965 47561 and, SP 24877 47619) were demolished by 1993.
5 EA lidar imagery shows that many concrete hut bases survive beneath the trees (1m resolution DTM).
6 The Ettington Park Camp, at Newbold-on-Stour, is recorded as number 31 in the overall listing of Prisoner of War Camps. The site is recorded as a German working camp of standard type. It is thought that little now remains of the site.
7 Apparently established as an Italian POW Camp by Novemebr 1945 was, apparently, holding only German POW's and continued to do so until at least February 1948. Distant from the main camp were a number of working hostels all aparently provided with hutted accomaodation. Prisoner establishments with dates:- November 1945 - Main Camp 954. Over Norton 265. Chipping Campden 70. Shipston 65. June 1946 - Main Camp 702 Over Norton 256. Chipping Campden 68. Shipston 66. Bodicote 7. Horley 1. Billeted elswhere 149. February 1948 - Main Camp 543. Long Marston 316. Bridge End 97. Banner Hill 68.
 
Sources
Source No: 3
Source Type: Aerial Photograph
Title: Digital vertical coverage
Author/originator: GIS
Date: 2000
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 6
Source Type: Archaeological Report
Title: Prisoner of War Camps (1939-1948): Project Report
Author/originator: Roger JC Thomas
Date: 2003
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 1
Source Type: Bibliographic reference
Title: Conservation Bulletin
Author/originator: English Heritage
Date: June 2003
Page Number: page 21
Volume/Sheet: issue 44
   
Source No: 7
Source Type: Bibliographic reference
Title: Foreign Office Files FO939/273 and FO939/115.
Author/originator: John Brace
Date: 1945 - 1948
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 4
Source Type: Desk Top Study
Title: SE Warwickshire and Cotswolds NMP Project
Author/originator: Amanda Dickson
Date: 2010-2012
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 2
Source Type: Internet Data
Title: Location of POW Camps in Great Britain
Author/originator:
Date: 2003
Page Number: page 4
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 5
Source Type: Verbal communication
Title: Pers. Comm.
Author/originator: B Gethin
Date: 2013 onwards
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Images:  
There are no images associated with this record.  
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Glossary

 
Word or Phrase
Description  
technique Documentary Evidence Documentary evidence is another name for written records. The first written records in Britain date back to the Roman period. Documentary evidence can take many different forms, including maps, charters, letters and written accounts. When archaeologists are researching a site, they often start by looking at documentary evidence to see if there are clues that will help them understand what they might find. Documentary evidence can help archaeologists understand sites that are discovered during an excavation, field survey or aerial survey. back
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
monument COOKHOUSE * A camp kitchen, usually associated with the military. back
monument SITE * Unclassifiable site with minimal information. Specify site type wherever possible. back
monument CANTEEN * A self-service dining room, especially for workers/employees; also in institutions, such as schools, hospitals, etc. 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 PARK * An enclosed piece of land, generally large in area, used for hunting, the cultivation of trees, for grazing sheep and cattle or visual enjoyment. Use more specific type where known. back
monument ABLUTIONS BLOCK * A building housing washing facilities and toilets. The term occurs mainly in a military context. back
monument ROAD * A way between different places, used by horses, travellers on foot and vehicles. back
monument WATER TOWER * A tower serving as a reservoir to deliver water at a required point. 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 SEWAGE WORKS * A group of buildings in which local sewage is filtered and purified in large rectangular or circular tanks. back
monument BRIDGE * A structure of wood, stone, iron, brick or concrete, etc, with one or more intervals under it to span a river or other space. Use specific type where known. back
monument FOOTBALL PITCH * A prepared area of grass on which the game of football is played. back
MEDICAL BLOCK * A building, usually part of a complex, where medical treatment and hospital facilities are provided. back
monument HOSPITAL * An establishment providing medical or surgical treatment for the ill or wounded. Use narrower term where possible. back
monument MESS * A military dining room where members of the armed forces eat and take recreation. back
monument PRISONER OF WAR CAMP * A prison site for the containment of servicemen captured in war. back
monument HOSTEL * A building, usually containing several dormitories, used as a cheap, short term residence. Use more specific term if known. back
SICK QUARTERS * A building used for the accommodation of sick and wounded members of the armed forces. back
monument ROW * A row of buildings built during different periods, as opposed to a TERRACE. back
monument CROSS * A free-standing structure, in the form of a cross (+), symbolizing the structure on which Jesus Christ was crucified and sacred to the Christian faith. Use specific type where known. back
monument CELL BLOCK * A building containing a number of single roomed cells used for detaining prisoners. back
monument OFFICE * A building or room where business, administrative or professional activities are conducted. Use specific type where known. back
monument TARGET * Any structure or object, used for the purpose of practice shooting by aerial, seaborne or land mounted weapons. back

* Copyright of English Heritage (1999)

English Heritage National Monuments Record