Atomic Weapons Research Establishment. Orford ... - English Heritage

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Previous archaeological and historical research The occupation of the spit for most of the 20 th century by the military effectively restricted access to the area until it was acquired by the National Trust in 1993. Prior to this in 1981, Gordon Kinsey published Orford Ness – Secret Site that revealed for the first time its 20 th century military history. Shortly after the National Trust acquired the site the Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England undertook a topographic survey of the strip of First World War and later buildings, known as ‘The Street’. This comprised a ground survey of the buildings and some photography, no detailed report was produced (TM 44 NW 16). Ground and low level oblique air photographs were also taken of the site in the late 1990s and these are deposited in the National Monuments Record, Swindon. Between 2001 and 2004 English Heritage’s National Mapping Programme ran a project to plot all the pre-1945 archaeological features along Suffolk’s shore, including Orford Ness (Hegarty and Newsome 2007, 32-33, 85-6). The National Trust has also undertaken research on the range, including a summary of its historic importance, which partly contributed to the site guide book (Musson 1993, National Trust 2003). The National Trust has also undertaken taped interviews with a number of former employees. These and other archive material is held on site at Orford Ness and their regional headquarters at Bury St Edmunds. The National Archives also holds a number of files relating to the site. © ENGLISH HERITAGE 10 10 - 2009
History The earliest known human activity on the spit is marked by a hoard of 4 th century Roman coins (TM 44 NE 1) found to the north of the light house. To the rear of Orford Beach the marshland was reclaimed during the medieval period and was held by Sudbourne Hall; the main economic activity was cattle and sheep grazing. Probably by the 19 th century oyster beds were also developed on the north side of Stony Ditch. Settlement on the spit was limited to a single small group of buildings to the south of Slaughden known as Marsh House, it or a predecessor was depicted on a map dated 1736 and survived into the 1950s (Musson 1993). To warn seafarers of the dangerous shoals off Orford Ness the first lights were erected in the late 17 th century and are shown at approximately the position of the current lighthouse on John Kirby’s 1736 map of Suffolk. These were replaced with brick towers in 1720 and the current lighthouse was built in 1792 (www.trinityhouse.co.uk) (Figure 2). Adjacent to the lighthouse is a wooden Coast Guard hut that has stood on this site since the 19 th century. To the north at Slaughden between 1808 and 1812, as part of a series of defences to protect the east coast against attack by Napoleonic France, a unique quatrefoil Martello Tower was constructed (Millward 2007, 95-6). It was finally sold by the War Office in 1932 when it became a private house for a short period until it was requisitioned in 1940 for use as a coastal watch tower. In the early 1970s it was acquired by the Landmark Trust who restored it for use as short term holiday accommodation. Another small group of buildings may also have existed at the landing point opposite to Orford Town Quay (Musson 1993). Figure 2: Orford Ness lighthouse, 1792. (C) English Heritage DP068423 © ENGLISH HERITAGE 11 10 - 2009
Page 1 and 2: RESEARCH DEPARTMENT REPORT SERIES n
Page 3: Research Department Report Series 1
Page 6 and 7: © ENGLISH HERITAGE 2009 10 -
Page 8 and 9: Sources 64 Primary sources 64 Secon
Page 10 and 11: Introduction The Atomic Weapons Res
Page 12 and 13: Topography and land use Orford Ness
Page 16 and 17: The First World War In 1915, the Ar
Page 18 and 19: Figure 4: Photograph taken during t
Page 20 and 21: sorties were flown from RAF Martles
Page 22 and 23: Ballistics Building and was able to
Page 24 and 25: With the closure of the Ministry of
Page 26 and 27: Figure 11: Vibration Test Buildings
Page 28 and 29: Figure 12: WE177A freefall tactical
Page 30 and 31: Orford Ness formally passed from AW
Page 32 and 33: Figure 14: RAF Orford Ness in May 1
Page 34 and 35: Figure 16: The remains of the Model
Page 36 and 37: hostel. Adjacent to this is the sit
Page 38 and 39: Figure 21: First World War Magazine
Page 40 and 41: First phase AWRE buildings Air phot
Page 42 and 43: Figure 24: View of the area to the
Page 44 and 45: Figure 25: Laboratory 1 F3/123 show
Page 46 and 47: on its northeast side that gave acc
Page 48 and 49: To support the functions of this bu
Page 50 and 51: The centrifuge arm was 16ft (4.88m)
Page 52 and 53: Figure 32: The Control Room E4, sho
Page 54 and 55: Figure 34: Vibration Laboratory E2,
Page 56 and 57: was supported on concrete piers. Th
Page 58 and 59: Figure 38: The Impact Facility F5,
Page 60 and 61: uildings, are covered by a shingle
Page 62 and 63: for solitary sheep and cattle graze
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Figure 42: AWRE in July 1958, by th
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programme, the development of the W
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Sources Primary sources The Nationa
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Secondary sources Anon 1931 ‘Radi
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Building list This list was compile
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62 7 ton crane - quay 63 7 ton cran
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125 F1 1956 Lab II & control room (
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Magazine AREA/LOCATION: STRUCTURE N
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Fuze Magazine AREA/LOCATION: STRUCT
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Fuze Magazine AREA/LOCATION: STRUCT
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a cruciform framework to support th
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Vibration Test Building AREA/LOCATI
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are 3 large concrete machinery moun
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At the south end of the main plant
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At the east end there is a slightly
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a similar sign on the south door re
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Electrical Sub Station 2 AREA/LOCAT
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Laboratory 2 AREA/LOCATION: STRUCTU
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Laboratory 3 AREA/LOCATION: STRUCTU
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ing the shingle traverse and protec
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and running along the north wall. T
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cylinder. Roughly in the centre of
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tion board/fuse box, and a single s
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Impact Facility AREA/LOCATION: STRU
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Plinth E AREA/LOCATION: STRUCTURE N
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Black Beacon AREA/LOCATION: STRUCTU
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Headquarters AREA/LOCATION: STRUCTU
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Small Vibration Laboratory AREA/LOC
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Office Annexe AREA/LOCATION: STRUCT
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Compound AREA/LOCATION: G Area STRU
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Electronics Workshop AREA/LOCATION:
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Plinth G AREA/LOCATION: Lighthouse
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Figure 44: Reference plan (1:10000
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Figure 46: West end of The Street (
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Figure 48: AWRE headquarters area (
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Figure 50: Laboratory F5 (1:1000 at
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Figure 52: Pagodas and Control Room
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ENGLISH HERITAGE RESEARCH DEPARTMEN
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Atomic Weapons Research Establishment. Orford ... - English Heritage

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