Monument record 8678/1/6 - Remote Munitions Stores, Wittering

The Explosives Storage Area was constructed in 1953.

{1} Bomb stores probably associated with nearby RAF Wittering. Located within Collyweston Great Wood; absent from OS maps though clearly visible on modern vertical Aps.
Compound comprises bunkers and other buildings with a network of roads plus earthwork traverses- site appears to be redundant- only viewed from the road. Cold War bomb stores;
Website: http://fp.coldwar.f9.co.uk/wittering- This site is located in the middle of Collyweston Great Wood but is absent from OS plans. Extensive bunkers and hutting. Website includes photos of structures and describes site as redundant and up for sale;

{2} The store site was constructed in 1953 for military storage. It is described as a former MoD Bomb Store containing "a network of metalled roads with hard standings, brick buildings, storage sheds and earth-covered bunkers. Grassed blast mounds separate parts of the site and there are other patches of grassland… as well as static water tanks and minor features".
A black and white plan dated 1998 depicts up to 100 strcutures, road and other features such as ponds, fire hydrants, fire alarms, street lamps, plus a basic representation of earthwork bunds/ traverses. The key identifies the presence of five building types plus air raid shelters and porta cabins.

{3} Concrete guard post of a type known as a Yarnold Sanger, located on the south side of the entrance to this redundant former MoD bomb store. Constructed of three concrete sections with further 2 part sections forming an adjoining blast wall covering the entrance. Photographed 24/03/03.
AA advises that this type is most commonly found on RAF and Naval sites. A small number of standard sections could be assembled in a variety of configurations.

{6} A level II building recording survey was undertaken of munitions stores and workshop buildings prior to demolition. Five different types of building were recorded. All had been built in the 1950s.

<1> Cadman G., 2002, SMR Report Form, (checked) (Notes). SNN102258.

<2> Cadman, G., 2002, Rapid Desktop Historic Environment Assessment of Former MoD Bomb Store Nr King's Cliffe, Northants, (part checked) (Report). SNN109431.

<3> Cadman, G., 2004, Former MoD Bomb Store - Collyweston, (part checked) (Note). SNN104644.

<4> Andrews Ward Associates, 2002, Ecological Assessment of a Former MoD Bomb Store Nr Kings Cliffe, Northants, (unchecked) (Report). SNN109432.

<5> Cope-Faulkner, P, 2014, Archaeological desk based assessment of land at Collyweston Great Wood, Collyweston, Northamptonshire (Report). SNN116481.

<6> Parker, N., 2014, Archaeological evaluation on land at Collyweston Great Wood, Collyweston, 2014 (Report). SNN110935.

<7> Parker, N., 2023, Historic Building Recording: Former Munitions Stores, Collyweston Great Wood, Collyweston, Northamptonshire (Report). SNN116480.

Record last edited

Jul 11 2024 3:52PM