Monument record 0660600000 - Westcott Airfield and Royal Ordnance Site

Summary

World War II to modern military installations at Westcott airfield.

Protected Status/Designation

  • Planning Notification Area: Cold War rocket test facility and rocket motor factory at Westcott airfield

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Type and Period (1)

  • MILITARY DEPOT (Modern - 1942 AD to 1994 AD?)

Description

World War 2 airfield used by Bomber Command for Operational Training Unit No 11 (No 11 OTU) from Sept. 1942 and Electronic Countermeasures Development Unit 92 Group. Involved in Operation Exodus (repatriation of prisoners of war from Europe in 1945). No 11 OTU disbanded 03/Aug/1945. Airfield placed under Care and Maintenance until April 1946. (B1-2).
Guided Projectile Establishment (later Rocket Propulsion Department) set up on site by Ministry of Supply to study rocket propulsion. Linked to Royal Gunpowder Factory, Waltham Abbey. Became Rocket Propulsion Establishment in 1958. Later merged in 1973 with Waltham Abbey site and further reorganisation in 1977 created the Propellants, Explosives and Rocket Motor Establishment (PERME). Sites split in 1984 in lead up to privatisation of Royal Ordnance, Westcott passing to Royal Ordnance; further details (B3-4).
MPP Cold War remains assessment (B5).
See report(s) for building details (B11-13).
Article tracing the development of the first British liquid fuel rocket motor, affectionately called 'Lizzy', originally designed as an assisted take-off unit for the Wellington bomber (B14).

Sources (22)

  • <1>SBC19271 Bibliographic reference: Robin J Brooks. 2000. Thames Valley Airfields in the Second World War. pp195-200.
  • <2>SBC19272 Bibliographic reference: Buckinghamshire Record Office. 1995. Wartime Buckinghamshire 1939-1945. pp6-7.
  • <3>SBC19273 Bibliographic reference: Wayne D Cocroft. 2000. Dangerous Energy. pp247-252 fig.8.40 p258.
  • <4>SBC19274 Unpublished document: RCHME. Monument Details :Royal Ordnance Factory Westcott.
  • <5>SBC19422 Bibliographic reference: English Heritage. 2001. Cold War Monuments: an assessment by the Monuments Protection Programme.
  • <6>SBC22398 Bibliographic reference: Wayne D Cocroft and Roger J C Thomas (edited by P S Barnwell). 2004. Cold War: Building for Nuclear Confrontation 1946-1989. pp46-7,240,256, Figs 3.36,10.17.
  • <7>SBC23214 Unpublished document: David Radford (BCC). 2007. Map extracts annotated with brief notes and photographs taken during site visit in August 2007..
  • <8>SBC23215 Unpublished document: RPS Consultants. 2008. A Desk-Based Archaeological Assessment in connection with a Proposed In-Vessel Composting Facility at Westcott Venture Park, High Street, Westcott.
  • <9>SBC23308 Article in serial: Wayne D Cocroft. 2006. 'The Spadeadam Blue Streak Underground Launcher Facility U1', in Prospero (The Journal of British Rocketry and Nuclear History) Number 3 pp7-14. No 3.
  • <10>SBC23309 Bibliographic reference: C N Hill. 2001. A Vertical Empire: The History of the UK Rocket and Space Programme, 1950-1971.
  • <11>SBC24108 Unpublished document: Albion Archaeology. 2009. Former Rocket Propellent Establishment, Westcott, Solids Area (SPA), Westcott Venture Park, Wotton Underwood: Building Recording.
  • <12>SBC24109 Unpublished document: Albion Archaeology. 2009. Westcott Venture Park, Former Rocket Propulsion Establishment, Main Area, Building Recording Appendix 2: The Building Record.
  • <13>SBC24110 Unpublished document: Albion Archaeology. 2009. Westcott Venture Park, Former Rocket Propulsion Establishment, SPA Area, Building Recording Appendix 1: The Building Record.
  • <14>SBC24179 Article in serial: J Griffiths. 1985. Lizzy: The First British Liquid Propellant Rocket Motor.
  • <15>SBC24341 Digital archive: English Heritage. 2013. National Heritage List for England: Listing Entry.
  • <16>SBC24342 Digital archive: English Heritage. 2013. National Heritage List for England: Listing Entry.
  • <17>SBC24343 Digital archive: English Heritage. 2013. National Heritage List for England: Listing Entry.
  • <18>SBC24344 Digital archive: English Heritage. 2013. National Heritage List for England: Listing Entry.
  • <19>SBC24345 Digital archive: English Heritage. 2013. National Heritage List for England: Listing Entry.
  • <20>SBC24346 Digital archive: English Heritage. 2013. National Heritage List for England: Listing Entry.
  • <21>SBC24347 Unpublished document: English Heritage. 2013. Correspondence re decision not to list the Blue Streak model silo.
  • <22>SBC25359 Digital archive: UK Pillbox Study Group. 2020. UK Pillbox Study Group - Database of Modern Defence Sites.

Location

Grid reference SP 7100 1700 (point)
Civil Parish WESTCOTT, Aylesbury Vale, Buckinghamshire
Civil Parish WOTTON UNDERWOOD, Aylesbury Vale, Buckinghamshire
Civil Parish ASHENDON, Aylesbury Vale, Buckinghamshire

Finds (0)

Related Monuments/Buildings (11)

Related Events/Activities (2)

  • Event - Survey: Building Recording (Ref: 1341) (EBC17476)
  • Event - Survey: Field Survey (EBC15796)

Record last edited

Oct 12 2020 2:51PM

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