Building record 8445/3/1 - Vicarage Barn (WWII Battle HQ for Sywell Aerodrome)

A derelict barn that was converted into a World War II Battle Headquarters to co-ordinate the defences of RAF Sywell. It was converted to military use in the period 1940 to 1941 but was demolished between 1994 and 1998. The site is located 400 meters east of Wood Lodge on the road from Sywell to Little Harrowden at the junction with Mears Ashby Road, opposite the garden centre.

{1} Look-out/pillbox located at the south west side of the junction between the Mears Ashby and Sywell to Hardwick roads and reputedly for the defence of the nearby Sywell airwell. Its presence is disguised by its utilisation of an ironstone built field barn. Accommodation was provided at the eastern and western ends of the barn, which was separated from the rest of the barn by an internal brick blast wall. Externally splayed embrasures set in the external walls of the barn. The barn was in a derelict condition in Oct-Dec 1996 when it was photographed and drawn by M Ellison and G Cadman.

Site visit 24-09-1998. The barn has been demolished and all the walling ironstone removed. The sole surviving upstanding feature is that of the brick built wartime 'block' constructed inside the east end of the barn. This appears to have survived largely intact even to its concrete slab base and roof. A pile of brick and concrete rubble at the fomer west end of the building marks the site of the other wartime built components of the building.

{2} Derelict barn converted to the Battle HQ to co ordinate the defence of Sywell Aerodrome. The building has loopholes in all sides and a "bunker" inside with two rooms, protected by a blast wall and a massive concrete roof. A third room is built on the western end of the barn. Associated sites with Sywell Aerodrome and Pillbox at SP 817/679. There are plans, and photographs taken in 1994 and 1998.

{5} Aerial photo NCCAP 8368/003

{6} The remaining brick 'bunker' has been demolished and nothing now remains.

{8} Derelict barn converted into Battle HQ to co-ordinate the defence of RAF Sywell. The building has embrasures in all its sides and a bunker inside with two rooms. The bunker is protected by a blast wall and a thick concrete roof. A third room was built on to the western end of the barn. Between the first field visit in 1994 and a second in 1998 the site has been removed, with the exception of the bunker. 400m E of Wood Lodge on road from Sywell to Little Harrowden at junction with Mears Ashby Road, opposite garden centre.

<1> Cadman G., 2014, 20th Century Military Archaeology in Northamptonshire: Logs 1, 2 & 3, (checked) (Report). SNN104868.

<2> Armishaw, A., 1998, Defence of Britain Project Site Report Form, (checked) (Recording Form (Not SMR)). SNN51421.

<3> Cadman, G., 1998, Vicarage Barn, Mears Ashby, (checked) (Photographs). SNN52265.

<4> Foard, G., 1991, Vicarage Barn, Mears Ashby, (checked) (Photographs). SNN52270.

<5> Northamptonshire SMR Collection of Aerial Photographs, (unchecked) (Aerial Photograph(s)). SNN104822.

<6> Armishaw, A., 1999, Vicarage Barn, Mears Ashby, (unchecked) (Letter). SNN109131.

<7> Armshaw, A., 2001, Airfield defences- Sywell Aerodrome, (checked) (Article). SNN103197.

<8> Migrated Defence of Britain Project database record originally compiled from various sources (Database). SNN112922.

<9> Historic England, Undated, Defence of Britain (Archive). SNN112947.

<10> 2002, Subterranea Britannica Web Site, https://www.subbrit.org.uk/sites/sywell-airfield-battle-hq/; Accessed 26/07/2024 (Website). SNN101437.

Record last edited

Jul 26 2024 11:15AM