Second World War Dispersed Site No. 4 (Communal Site), Ridgewell Airfield, near Tilbury Hall (EHER 16620)

No. 4 Communal site associated with WWII airfield. This site is complete and in agricultural use. The buildings include Nissen huts, brick huts, an air raid shelter built of brick and covered in an earth mound, a static water tank sunk into the ground. Although the buildings are not in excellent condition this site represents a rare complete example of its type.

Original HER entry merged with NRHE data import: No. 4 Communal site associated with WWII airfield. This site is complete and in agricultural use. The buildings include Nissen huts, brick huts, an air raid shelter built of brick and covered in an earth mound, a static water tank sunk into the ground. Although the buildings are not in excellent condition this site represents a rare complete example of its type. <1> - <3> Aerial photo. <4> 10 photos of the site. <5> 1996. Survey. A World War Two air raid shelter associated with Ridgewell Airfield, at TL 7540 4017, noted in 1996 during a survey by Simon Thorpe on behalf of Essex County Council. The airfield was constructed between 1941-1942 and was operational from 1942 to 1945. The air raid shelter was located at the dispersed site formerly known as Number 4 Communal Site, situated to the south of the main flying field. Thorpe notes that the shelter does not appear on the original buildings schedule. This was a common type of shelter at such sites. It took the form of a single storey semi-sunken building protected by embanked earth, with a concrete slab roof. The steps leading down to the entrance was protected by brick blast walls. This example was noted as extant in 1996, however at that time the earth embankment was eroded and the whole structure was under threat of demolition due to possible site clearance for agricultural development. A World War Two NAAFI Institute associated with Ridgewell Airfield (building 212 on the Air Ministry buildings schedule), noted at TL 7553 4015. The buildings were situated at the former Number 4 Communal Site, a dispersed site to the south of the main flying field. The purpose of the NAAFI (Navy Army and Air Force Institute) was to provide recreational facilities and refreshments for military personnel. It comprised three Nissen huts with modified dormer windows. One of the huts underwent post-war alterations. The buildings were extant in 1996 but were under threat of demolition at that time, due to possible clearance for agricultural development. World War Two airmen's' dining room associated with Ridgewell Airfield (building No 211 on the Air Ministry building schedule).The buildings are situated at the former Number 4 Communal Site, a dispersed site to the south of the main flying field. This group comprises three parallel 30 foot span Nissen huts, with a smaller 16 foot span. Nissen hut attached to the south end of the central hut. This smaller hut has a large brick chimney like structure and probably formed the boiler room. (An alternative interpretation is that the brick structure was a water tower). The larger Nissen huts were the kitchens and dining rooms, these have brick porches. The huts could cater for 600 personnel. The group was extant in 1996 but was under threat of demolition at that time due to possible clearance for agricultural development. See also the original Air Ministry site plans and buildings schedule reproduced in the report. A World War Two officers' mess (building No. 210), associated with Ridgewell Airfield, at TL 7545 4012. The officers' mess was situated at Number 4 Communal Site, a dispersed site to the south of the main flying field. It comprised four Nissen huts, two of which were demolished prior to 1996. Two were still extant in 1996, but were under threat of demolition at that time due to possible clearance for agricultural development. On the original Air Ministry building schedule the building is mistakenly shown to be the officers showers. A World War Two officers ablutions block associated with Ridgewell Airfield. This shower block is situated on the former Number 4 Communal Site, a dispersed site to the south of the flying field. It is a single storey building constructed of "temporary brick": a wartime economy measure utilizing low-fired bricks laid in stretcher bond to a half bricks thickness, with a cement render. The roof is made of concrete slabs supported on rendered brick piers. It is identical to the sergeants showers also on the same site, of "temporary" brick construction. The original Air Ministry buildings schedule suggests wrongly that the building should be a Nisen hut. The building was extant in 1996 but was under threat of demolition at that time. A World War Two Sergeants' Showers (building No. 208) associated with Ridgewell Airfield at TL 7542 4017. The building was situated at Number 4 Communal Site, a dispersed site to the south of the main flying field. It is a single storey building constructed of "temporary brick", with bricks laid in stretcher bond to a half bricks thickness, with a cement render. The roof is made of concrete slabs supported on rendered brick piers. The building was extant in 1996 but was under threat of demolition at that time due to possible clearance for agricultural development. See also the original buildings schedule for the dispersed sites reproduced in the survey report. A former World War Two sergeants' mess associated with Ridgewell Airfield. The building (building number 207) was situated at Number 4 Communal Site. It was improvised by utilizing four Nissen huts connected by "temporary" brick porches. The resulting complex had a capacity for 300 personnel. One Nissen hut was converted to use as a grain silo, presumably after World War Two. The alterations include the addition of a corrugated iron clad tower and a ramp. The buildings were extant in 1996 but were threatened by demolition at that time, because of possible clearance for agricultural development. A World War Two storehouse (building No. 206) associated with Ridgewell Airfield, TL 7547 4020. It is situated at the former Number 4 Communal Site. It was of "temporary" brick construction: the bricks were laid in stretcher bond with a half brick thickness. The bricks were then cement rendered. It has a gabled asbestos roof; the roof truss is supported by brick piers. The ration store was capable of holding rations for 400-600 personnel. It was altered post-war. The building was extant in 1996, but was threatened with demolition at that time, due to possible redevelopment of the site for agriculture. See also the original buildings schedule for dispersed sites on the Air Ministry Works Department Record Site plan included in the survey report. <6> 2004. Survey. The Ration Store: The Ration Store is of temporary brick construction with cement rendering. The gable walls have brick piers supporting a pitched roof of corrugated asbestos cement sheeting. It is suggested on the Record Site Plan that this Ration Store was capable of housing rations for between 400-600 personnel. Sergeants Mess: The Sergeants' Mess comprises four Nissen huts with capacity for 300 personnel. The huts were provided with temporary brick built porches connecting them together. One of the Nissen huts appears to have been altered for use as a grain store with the addition of corrugated-clad tower and ramp to one end. The corrugated sheeting on all four huts has been maintained suggesting continued use. Sergent's Showers: The Sergeants' Shower block is of temporary brick construction, cement rendered, with brick piers at regular short intervals supporting a pre-cast concrete slab sloping roof. Officers' Shower block of temporary brick construction, of identical form to the adjacent Sergeants' Shower block. Officer's Mess: Two Nissen huts providing Officers ' Mess for 80 personnel of this rank. The Mess provided dining, kitchen and recreation facilities . Two further Nissen huts which formed part of the Mess are no longer extant. The two surviving are maintained and externally unaltered, the glass in the long range of window dormers on either side is covered with corrugated sheeting. Dining Room: The airmen's dining room comprises three parallel 30ft span Nissen huts forming a double dining room and kitchen. The outer two huts were used as dining rooms joined to the kitchen hut at the centre forming a servery for both dining rooms. Attached to the southern end of the centre hut is a 16ft span Nissen hut which may have been the boiler room; the square brick chimney at the southern end is either a chimney associated with this or a water tower. At the other end a yard with cutlery-washing shelter would have been provided. The dining rooms were designed to accommodate 600 personnel. The dining rooms had temporary brick black-out porches at either ends. Institute: The Institute, or NAAFI (Navy, Army and Air Force Institute), provided services for personnel in the form of recreation, food and drink. The Institute at Ridgewell comprises three Nissen huts with a capacity as stated on the Record Site Plan for 80 corporals and 520 airmen. A small brick entrance porch is visible for the hut on the left, the glazed dormer windows are intact on this hut. The end elevation of the hut on the right has been rebuilt in modern breeze blocks and the dormer windows partially covered in metal sheeting. Air Raid Shelter: This air raid shelter is a common type, based on a single-storey brick building with concrete slab roof semi-sunken into the ground and embanked with earth to substantially increase the blast resistance. The entrance steps down into the structure are protected by protruding brick blast walls. <7>