Monument record 7111/0/1 - WWII Starfish Decoy, Kislingbury

A Second World War bombing decoy site at Kislingbury. It was built in June 1941 as a 'Permanent Starfish' site to deflect enemy bombing from the town of Northampton. The 'Starfish' decoy operated by lighting a series of controlled fires during an air raid to replicate an urban area targeted by bombs. The site is referenced as being in use until 1943. A control building, which would have housed an operations room and provided the decoy crew with shelter, was located at SP 7010 5853. By 1989 the site had been given over to agricultural use and no features of the decoy survive. A further 'Starfish' site for Northampton was located at Hardingstone.

{1} A 'special fire' site was intended to simulate a burning target as viewed from the air. Another reportedly in Hardingstone parish.

{2} Starfish site to simulate large fires in Northampton by night (with another at Hardingstone). Starfish were the biggest and most complex of the decoys for civilian and industrial WW2 targets. Further details of the operation of Starfish sites in Gibson p89-90 and in summary under 'Airfield Decoys'.

{3} The report gazetteer makes specific reference to this site on p147 & 152. The report also contains detailed descriptions of this and other decoy types (summarised in part 4 of this report). Note the site known as Kislingbury though NGR places it in Upton parish. The gazetteer places the decoy as having been in use at least 1.8.1941 - 8.4.1943.

{4} No remains of the decoy was discovered in trench 10.

{5} No features could be positively identified as either fire breaks or postholes for starfish bomb decoys. The presence of thick copper wire in the topsoil, patches of hardened creosote and patches of scorched natural substrate all indicate the presence of such an installation at this location. Truncation of the area suggests post-war levelling prior to reinstatement of the ground for agricultural use and it is likely that the remains of the former installation were obliterated as a result.

{6} Aerial photography shows that a control building was located at SP 7010 5853, but it is now marked as a roadway on a map. The decoy site appears to have been disturbed agricultural activity. There are no known surviving features of the decoy.

{7} NGR concords with that given in source 1. The 'Starfish' decoys for Northampton were built in June 1941.

<1> LOWRY B, ORAL REPORT TO SMR, (unchecked) (Oral Report). SNN50492.

<2> Gibson M.L., 1982, Aviation In Northamptonshire: An Illustrated History, p.90 (unchecked) (Book). SNN100276.

<3> DOBINSON C.S., 1996, TWENTIETH CENTURY FORTIFICATIONS IN ENGLAND: BOMBING DECOYS OF WORLD WAR TWO, p. 147, 152 (Uncertain). SNN44309.

<4> Pears B., 2005, Archaeological Evaluation at Pineham North, Upton, Northamptonshire, p.14 (checked) (Full Report). SNN105288.

<5> BROWN J., 2007, The Industrial Infrastructure Strip, Map and Sample Areas at Pineham Barn, Upton, Northampton: Assessment Report, p.11 (checked) (Report). SNN106237.

<5> Preece, T, 2018, Archaeological excavation on land at Pineham, Upton, Northamptonshire, July 2006 to September 2006, p.11 (checked) (Report). SNN112259.

<6> Anderton M.J., 1999, Twentieth Century Military Recording Project: World War Two Bombing Decoy Sites (Survey Undertaken for MPP), p. 81 (Report). SNN106122.

<7> Dobinson C., 2000, Fields of Deception: Britain's Bombing Decoys of World War II, p. 90, 266 (Book). SNN105856.

Record last edited

Jan 24 2023 1:59PM