I first heard about this site a year ago when I saw photos of it on Shaun Churchill's WW2 Airfields website. Thanks to Shaun for confirming the location for me.
The buildings are spread each side of the A3052 at King's Down Tail just west of Branscombe Cross and are situated on three separately owned sites; a business park, a farm and a caravan park. There isn't a lot of information about it but I found this tidbit on the website of the caravan park.
'Here and there can still be seen some of the defensive works of World War II. Buildings on the caravan parks were part of RAF Branscombe, the local radar station. They now house some of our amenities. This station worked in conjunction with Dunkeswell Airfield, home to the American 7th Fleet Air Wings. It was from here that Joe Kennedy Jnr. flew on his fateful mission on August 12th 1944.'
Taken from the King's Down Tail Caravan Park website: http://www.kingsdowntail.co.uk/
This has to have been one of my favourite explores as for once it wasn't so much about the photos (which is just as well as they're not my best, to say the least! ), but more to do with being there, discovering the buildings and history by talking to the people who own them and work there now.
My first task after getting off the bus at the right place was to cross the busy A3052, my first port of call being here at the King's Down Tail Business Park.
Despite the fact that I had a flask of coffee in my backpack, I couldn't resist a cappuchino at the cafe.
Talking to the two chaps that run the place, I was told that the station was connected to a military base in Honiton, where the Heathfield Business Park is now situated. This answered a question for me as I knew about an anti-tank island there, but I hadn't been able to ascertain why.
The owner came out of his office to chat and he told me that these two blocks were the officers barracks, and that what is now his office was then the bunk room of the commanding officer. When the owner bought the site 20 odd years ago it still had in it the original sink toilet and bed. He then suggested that I should go and look at another building situated on the farm across the road. "Go and see Gerry," he said "he'll tell you all about it". So I crossed the busy road again to go and see Gerry but Gerry wasn't there, so I talked to a guy who was there and he showed me the building in question. Then he flagged down another chap who was working a JCB to ask him about it. Apparently, this is thought to be the Radio Control Room, with a double thickness of reinforced walls, making it bombproof.
However, just down the road is the actual Operations Block housing the Transmitter/Receiver mast. You can just about make it out in this photo taken from the farm entrance.
Before going to see that, however, I had the cross that damn road again!
More to follow.
The buildings are spread each side of the A3052 at King's Down Tail just west of Branscombe Cross and are situated on three separately owned sites; a business park, a farm and a caravan park. There isn't a lot of information about it but I found this tidbit on the website of the caravan park.
'Here and there can still be seen some of the defensive works of World War II. Buildings on the caravan parks were part of RAF Branscombe, the local radar station. They now house some of our amenities. This station worked in conjunction with Dunkeswell Airfield, home to the American 7th Fleet Air Wings. It was from here that Joe Kennedy Jnr. flew on his fateful mission on August 12th 1944.'
Taken from the King's Down Tail Caravan Park website: http://www.kingsdowntail.co.uk/
This has to have been one of my favourite explores as for once it wasn't so much about the photos (which is just as well as they're not my best, to say the least! ), but more to do with being there, discovering the buildings and history by talking to the people who own them and work there now.
My first task after getting off the bus at the right place was to cross the busy A3052, my first port of call being here at the King's Down Tail Business Park.
Despite the fact that I had a flask of coffee in my backpack, I couldn't resist a cappuchino at the cafe.
Talking to the two chaps that run the place, I was told that the station was connected to a military base in Honiton, where the Heathfield Business Park is now situated. This answered a question for me as I knew about an anti-tank island there, but I hadn't been able to ascertain why.
The owner came out of his office to chat and he told me that these two blocks were the officers barracks, and that what is now his office was then the bunk room of the commanding officer. When the owner bought the site 20 odd years ago it still had in it the original sink toilet and bed. He then suggested that I should go and look at another building situated on the farm across the road. "Go and see Gerry," he said "he'll tell you all about it". So I crossed the busy road again to go and see Gerry but Gerry wasn't there, so I talked to a guy who was there and he showed me the building in question. Then he flagged down another chap who was working a JCB to ask him about it. Apparently, this is thought to be the Radio Control Room, with a double thickness of reinforced walls, making it bombproof.
However, just down the road is the actual Operations Block housing the Transmitter/Receiver mast. You can just about make it out in this photo taken from the farm entrance.
Before going to see that, however, I had the cross that damn road again!
More to follow.
Last edited: