Site of First World War airfield and landing ground at Writtle (EHER 19365)
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Summary
The site of a First World War airfield at Writtle in use from 1914 to 1916.
Map
Location
| Grid reference | Centred TL 6813 0659 (402m by 406m) |
|---|---|
| Civil Parish | WRITTLE, CHELMSFORD, ESSEX |
Type and Period
Description
Landing ground allocated to No 1 Reserve Aeroplane Sqn RFC in use from December 1914 to November 1916. The two fields making up the landing ground were on the site of Napoleonic period camp and gave an area of 22 acres. From 1919 the site was used by Marconi for aircraft wireless experiments. <1>.
The N part of the site is crossed by a tree belt and orchards belonging to Writtle College. Despite the field boundaries to the S and E being bordered by more recent development, the plan of the WWI airfield is still essentially intact. However, because of the temporary nature of the landing ground, it is unlikely that any other archaeological evidence of this period survives here. <2>
No new information from NRHE
Sources
Related Events (1)
Other References
- NRHE identifier: 1514829
- National Monuments Record: TL 60 NE 64