Exploring Kent's Past

It should not be assumed that this site is publicly accessible and it may be on private property. Do not trespass.

Monument details

Summary

Former RAF camp with many buildings extant and married quarters all now privately owned.

Monument Types

• DOMESTIC SITE (Modern - 1950 AD to 1969 AD?)

Full description

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From the NMR:
A Royal Air Force housing estate built during the 1950s. This was the domestic site for RAF Ash to accommodate station personnel. The estate covers approximately 4.5 hectares and comprises 16 pairs of semi-detached houses built around Stonar Close, and 8 detached officer's houses on Stonar Gardens. It is understood that Stonar House was used as a mess. The roads are tree-lined and the whole estate is surrounded by a wire-mesh fence. A stand-by set house for reserve power for the radar station was also located here. The site was decommissioned in the early 1990s and sold to a private company. The site was unoccupied at the time of survey, but was in good condition.

TR 3339 5853. The housing estate off Ramsgate Road was built between 1950 and 1954 to house the personnel stationed at the radar station, at RAF Ash. The estate covers approximately 4.5 hectares and comprises 16 pairs of semi-detached houses built around Stonar Close, and 8 detached officer's houses on Stonar gardens. It is understood that Stonar House was used as a mess. The roads are tree-lined and the whole estate is surrounded by a wire-mesh fence. The estate alongwith with other MOD housing, was sold to a private company during the early 1990s, and most of the houses were vacant at the time of survey. (1 and 2)

The Rotor programme was developed to upgrade the wartime radar technology to detect and locate fast-flying jets. It was approved by the Air Council in June 1950. There were three main components to the Rotor stations: the technical site, including the radars, operation blocks and other installations; the domestic site, where personnel were accommodated; and the stand-by set house, a reserve power supply. The domestic site for Sandwich radar station was located at TR 334 585.

The rural location of many radar stations meant accommodation had to be constructed to house members of staff. A typical GCI station could have up to 400 personnel, including officers, non-commissioned officers, corporals and aircraftsmen/women. Often new housing estates were built and accommodation could vary from temporary huts to permanent brick-built buildings.

Aerial photography from 1979 shows a full series of brick-built domestic housing in good condition. Many prefabricated also remain in use and there are a small number of bases and derelict structures in the north-west corner of the site.

From the Defence of Kent survey:
Owner : Private
Publicly accessible : Yes
How accessed for survey : The old married quarters are now a housing estate and the rest of the site is an industrial estate
Tourism Potential :
Condition : moderate
Date of visit : 01/04/07

The site was surveyed in 2003 by the Canterbury Archaeological Trust ahead of redevelopment. The surviving buildings were recorded. Most were in poor condition, the site having been used for light industry since the late 1960s. The development, Willow Bank and Bridge Close, replaced the Sergeants' Mess and Quarters, Sergeants' Club and the RAF RADAR operators' quarters. (2-3)

<1> English Heritage, 1998, RAF Ash, Kent: Survey Report (Unpublished document). SKE17307.

<2> Canterbury Archaeological Trust, 2003, Sandwich Industrial Estate, Sandwich, Kent: Former RAF Sandwich and Felton's Yard (Unpublished document). SKE17481.

<3> Canterbury Archaeological Trust, 2003, Sandwich Industrial Estate, Sandwich, Kent: Former RAF Sandwich and Felton's Yard - Addendum (Unpublished document). SKE17482.

Sources and further reading

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