Monument record 0155801000 - SEVEN WAYS PLAIN

During the Second World War most of Burnham Beeches became Vehicle Reserve Depot No 2. Prior to the D-Day landings an estimated 10,000 vehicles were stored on the site. A camp was built on Seven Ways Plain where the men lived and the area was considerably disturbed. The men were told not to damage the old trees but some earth movements were made. The Main Common was very badly damaged by the vehicles and was re-seeded afterwards. The army also structured the outflow of the ponds. At the end of the war, much of the debris from the buildings and the perimeter fence was apparently buried within Burnham Beeches. An estimated 70 tons of wire was dumped in pits; one of those was probably on Seven Ways Plain (B5).
Copy of map shows huts in Seven Ways Plain (B3).
Desk-based assessment and walkover survey in March and April 2010 identified a number of structures associated with the army camp and vehicle depot. See report for detail (B6).