Broke my toe over Christmas, so not been able to get out too much.
Saw Hughie’s report on Culverthorpe last year, and made a mental note to pay a visit when next on my way to see my mate in Nowheresville, Lincolnshire.
Enjoyed this more than I thought I would, I think due to the photographic snowdrops around. A mooch further into the estate, and I came across what looks like it may have been a very old swimming pool.
Also visited another site on the other side of Grantham; RAF Harlaxton. Had a look round the decontamination hospital, and another building, which have been chavved up.
Not much to each place, so thought I would combine them into one report.
The History:
The hamlet of Culverthorpe is in south Lincolnshire. It lies approximately 6km south-west of Sleaford and 9km north-east of Grantham. It boasts a Grade I Listed Hall built in the17th century and remodelled in the 18th century. St Bartholomew's Chapel was the former 17th century chapel that was attached to Culverthorpe Hall. The chapel was designed in 1691, possibly by William Stanton, but construction was later circa 1735 when the hall was partially rebuilt. Two trenches dug by excavations show the presence of north and south wall foundations belonging to the chapel's façade. Built in Limestone ashlar, it remained in use until 1803 following the death of Michael Newton. It was then partially demolished sometime in the 1800s and the building materials salvaged for reuse. It appears that the facade was added to in the 19th century, most probably to create a folly. The site was Grade II listed in January 1990 and described as Culverthorpe Temple. An ambitious Millennium Project to restore the remains of the Tetrastyle Ionic portico, pulvinated frieze and dentillated pediment of former chapel, and to rebuild the chapel on its original site to the east was investigated in March 1999 when the site was surveyed for the owner. However this clearly never came to fruition.
RAF HARLAXTON
RAF Harlaxton opened in 1916 as a Royal Flying Corps training aerodrome. It had three grassed runways laid out in a triangle shape and provided a home for an array of planes, including de Havilland DH Marques and Sopwith Camels.
The aerodrome was moth-balled between the wars and then re-opened in 1942 as a 'satellite field' and relief landing ground for a flying training squadron that was based the other side of Grantham at RAF Spitalgate. The grass runways were retained as the terrain was deemed unsuitable for tarmac and a number of brick and concrete buildings were added, including a decontamination hospital. The nearby Harlaxton Manor was commandeered by the War Department and used as planning centre for the Army's 1st Airborne Division during their detailed pre-D-Day preparations.
After the war, flying training at nearby RAF Cranwell switched to jet aircraft and Harlaxton's grass runways which had been providing a relief landing ground were no longer suitable and the site closed 41 year's later in 1957.
thanks for looking
Saw Hughie’s report on Culverthorpe last year, and made a mental note to pay a visit when next on my way to see my mate in Nowheresville, Lincolnshire.
Enjoyed this more than I thought I would, I think due to the photographic snowdrops around. A mooch further into the estate, and I came across what looks like it may have been a very old swimming pool.
Also visited another site on the other side of Grantham; RAF Harlaxton. Had a look round the decontamination hospital, and another building, which have been chavved up.
Not much to each place, so thought I would combine them into one report.
The History:
The hamlet of Culverthorpe is in south Lincolnshire. It lies approximately 6km south-west of Sleaford and 9km north-east of Grantham. It boasts a Grade I Listed Hall built in the17th century and remodelled in the 18th century. St Bartholomew's Chapel was the former 17th century chapel that was attached to Culverthorpe Hall. The chapel was designed in 1691, possibly by William Stanton, but construction was later circa 1735 when the hall was partially rebuilt. Two trenches dug by excavations show the presence of north and south wall foundations belonging to the chapel's façade. Built in Limestone ashlar, it remained in use until 1803 following the death of Michael Newton. It was then partially demolished sometime in the 1800s and the building materials salvaged for reuse. It appears that the facade was added to in the 19th century, most probably to create a folly. The site was Grade II listed in January 1990 and described as Culverthorpe Temple. An ambitious Millennium Project to restore the remains of the Tetrastyle Ionic portico, pulvinated frieze and dentillated pediment of former chapel, and to rebuild the chapel on its original site to the east was investigated in March 1999 when the site was surveyed for the owner. However this clearly never came to fruition.
RAF HARLAXTON
RAF Harlaxton opened in 1916 as a Royal Flying Corps training aerodrome. It had three grassed runways laid out in a triangle shape and provided a home for an array of planes, including de Havilland DH Marques and Sopwith Camels.
The aerodrome was moth-balled between the wars and then re-opened in 1942 as a 'satellite field' and relief landing ground for a flying training squadron that was based the other side of Grantham at RAF Spitalgate. The grass runways were retained as the terrain was deemed unsuitable for tarmac and a number of brick and concrete buildings were added, including a decontamination hospital. The nearby Harlaxton Manor was commandeered by the War Department and used as planning centre for the Army's 1st Airborne Division during their detailed pre-D-Day preparations.
After the war, flying training at nearby RAF Cranwell switched to jet aircraft and Harlaxton's grass runways which had been providing a relief landing ground were no longer suitable and the site closed 41 year's later in 1957.
A mooch across the site; and I came across what looked like an old pool
RAF HARLAXTON
thanks for looking