Main Gates at former RAF West Raynham, Helhoughton, Norfolk

Summary

Two sets of gates providing access to the east and west parts of former RAF West Raynham, constructed between 1936 and 1939.

Description

Two sets of gates providing access to the east and west parts of former RAF West Raynham, constructed between 1936 and 1939.

MATERIALS: wrought iron gates and railings, brick gate piers with limestone dressings, and concrete bases.

DESCRIPTON: two sets of gates and railings are located opposite each other on the main east-west driveway of RAF West Raynham, providing access to the former Officers' Mess and Married Officers' Quarters to the west, and the main site to the east; the former Guard Room and Station Headquarters stand just inside the east gates.

Each set comprises double gates flanked by pedestrian gates, with railings curving to the north and south on concrete bases, braced from the rear. The railings terminate with square-plan buff-brick piers with limestone copings and ball finials. Both gates and railings have pointed square-section railings, with horizontal rails at their base, centre and top levels. The double and pedestrian gates also feature a semi-circular arc between the top and base rails, which when closed, appear to form an oval. The gates are hung from hexagonal piers formed from open iron cage work, which rise to four finials, a six-pointed star on each face, and a lantern. The lanterns on the west gates have been removed, and the lanterns on the east gates were replaced in the early C21, and the east gates mechanised.

History

Construction of RAF West Raynham commenced in 1936, as part of the RAF expansion scheme, and officially opened in April 1939. As built, the site conformed to the typical layout of the 'Expansion Period' aerodrome, consisting of a roughly rectangular grass surfaced landing ground with runways in triangular plan, with the technical site, hangars and accommodation blocks grouped close together at the north-west corner; bomb stores were located to the south-east.

Towards the end of the Second World War, the base was identified as the location for the Central Fighter Establishment. For flying control the construction of a new Very Heavy Bomber (VHB) control tower was specified and completed in 1948. Other work included a cannon test butt, additional officers’ single quarters, technical buildings and supporting infrastructure.

Post-war, RAF West Raynham became the RAF's premier fighter development station. The main roles of the Central Fighter Establishment included the development of fighter tactics and aircrew training. The station maintained both an operational and training role until its closure. From the mid-1960s it also accommodated Bloodhound Mk II surface to air guided missiles, located within its own compound on the East side of the airfield. In 1983, it became the main centre for training operators of Rapier, a short-range air defence missile system, and home to units responsible for this system.

The station closed in 1994, although the Ministry of Defence did not dispose of it until 2006. Most of the Bloodhound Missile site has been cleared. The VHB Control Tower was listed at Grade II in 2012 and later converted to a dwelling. Part of the site was converted to a business park.

The layout of the station is similar to those at other RAF expansion period sites, with a set of gates to each of the two parts of the site. The gates’ design is a Standard Air Ministry one of the 1930s with gate piers which were originally topped by hexagonal lanterns. By the end of the military use of the site those on the eastern gates had been replaced with circular urn-style lamps but these have since been replaced by hexagonal ones. The lamps have been removed from the western piers and not replaced but the gates and railings are otherwise intact. Originally manually operated, the eastern gates have been mechanised since 2006 with equipment attached to them.

Reasons for Listing

The Main Gates of former RAF West Raynham, constructed between 1936 and 1939, are listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:

Architectural interest:

* as a fine neo-Georgian gateway providing a striking and distinct entrance to both the domestic and technical sides of the RAF base with carefully designed features that survive substantially intact;
* for the quality of materials and craftsmanship employed.

Historic interest:

* as a well-preserved example of their type;
* for their illustrative value as part of the RAF's expansion period, testifying to the Government's recognition in the inter-war period of the growing threat to British security, and to the increased investment in military aviation.

Group value:

* for their contribution to the overall importance of RAF West Raynham as an exemplar airfield and their functional relationship with the other listed buildings at the site.

External Links

Historic England Listing

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.