Monument record MDO29698 - Second World War RAF accommodation site, Weston, Portland

The site of a possible accommodation site for an RAF radar station is visible on aerial photographs of the 1946 in Weston, Portland. The site consists of building platforms either side of a central road.

ROYAL AIR FORCE CAMP. From site list with letter. Isle of Portland. Recorder- R. Perry. <1-3>

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 Portland Rotor station was located at SY 682 714. The technical site was situated at SY 696 735 and the stand-by set house co-located at the domestic site. <4-5>

Aerial photography from 1968 shows the post-1950 domestic buildings in good condition. They were substantially built buildings and are likely to be used as civillian accommodation. <7>


The site of a possible military accommodation site, possibly connected with Blacknor Battery (see MWX435) or for an RAF radar station (see MDO29694) is visible on aerial photographs <8> of the 1946 in Weston, Portland. The site consists of building platforms either side of a central road. The buildings on the site appear to have been demolished by 1946. The site appears to have been redeveloped in 1948, with triple line of buildings to the south of the road and a double line of buildings to the north. This may be the site referred to in NRHE record 1413234, which is described as an accommodation for the post war RAF Portland radar station. <9> This site was digitally plotted during the South West Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey (Dorset).

<1> Council for British Archaeology, 1995, Defence of Britain Project, 2564 (Digital archive). SWX5.

<2> Council for British Archaeology, 2003, Defence of Britain Project Database, 2564 (Machine readable data file). SDO128.

<3> Council for British Archaeology, 2006, Defence of Britain Project Archive DEB01, 2564 (Excavation archive). SDO17227.

<4> Cocroft, Wayne D, and Thomas, Roger J C, 2003, Cold War: Building for Nuclear Confrontation 1946-1989 (Monograph). SDO18652.

<5> Dobinson, C S, 2000, Twentieth century fortifications in England. Volume XI.1. The Cold War (Monograph). SDO18653.

<6> Dobinson, C S, 2000, Twentieth century fortifications in England. Volume XI.2. The Cold War (Monograph). SDO18654.

<7> Anderton, Michael J, 2000, Twentieth Century Military Recording Project: Cold War Rotor Stations (Unpublished document). SDO18655.

<8> Royal Air Force, 13-APR-1946, RAF 106G/UK/1411 4044-5 (Aerial Photograph). SDO13037.

<9> Royal Air Force, 07-MAY-1948, SY 6871/3 RAF 30099/0132 (Aerial Photograph). SDO13040.

<10> National Record of the Historic Environment, 1413234 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Aug 23 2024 4:08PM