OKEHAMPTON ARMY CAMP

ABOUT THIS MONUMENT

+ / -

EH Visitor Information
Related Monuments
Related Text
Investigation History

More Pictures
Modern Map
Old Map
Aerial Photograph

Monument Types
Sources
Thesaurus
Description

DESCRIPTION

+ / -

Okehampton Field Artillery Practice Camp was established between 1893-4 within the 13th century Okehampton Deer Park on Dartmoor. It is closely associated with Dartmoor Firing Range and it became the summer headquarters of the School of Gunnery and one of the most important practice camps in England. The camp was equipped with permanent and temporary accommodation including stable blocks and gun stores. In the 1930s, as a result of the introduction of wheeled and tracked vehicles, the camp was modified and new facilities replaced the earlier stable blocks and harness rooms. The camp further increased in size with mobilisation at the beginning of the Second World War and nearly thirty Nissen huts were erected for accommodation and the stables were converted into quarter blocks. In 1940 the camp became a Reinforcement Camp and in 1941/2 it became a Reception Camp supplying the South West District. As part of the preparations for D-Day American troops from the 4th and 29th Divisions stayed at the camp.
The camp continued to be used in the post war period. In the 1950s it became the base for the Eaton Hall Officer Cadet Training Unit and training took place here for the campaigns in Korea (1950-1953) and Suez (1956).
Since the latter half of the 20th century the Territorial Army has made extensive use of the facilities on the camp and today the camp still provides accommodation for up to 720 armed forces personnel.

In 2002 a historical building survey was carried out for the Defence Estates and a number of buildings were recorded. These include some of the original late 19th century structures as well as later buildings which illustrate the development of the camp through time and its use up to the present day (2009).

DETAIL

+ / -

MORE INFORMATION & SOURCES

+ / -

Centred at SX 5883 9302. An active military training camp occupies 23 hectares of a moorland hillside between 335m and 373m above OD. The camp was established 1893-4 within an area previously delimited by military boundary stones. An outer buffer zone located on the south, east and north sides which comprises 24 hectares of moorland grass, was added to the military leasehold. Much of this zone was never developed and it was used for picketing horses. The camp has been subject to limited development over the decades as some buildings were demolished and others were added. The English Heritage Field Survey (Exeter) team undertook a field survey of the archaeological earthworks which lie within the camp as part of a management study for the ongoing development - including tree planting - of the site. The camp lies within the boundary of the 13th century Okehampton Park (SX 59 SE 7). Apart from a damaged prehistoric barrow (SX 59 SE 84) much of the earthwork evidence comprises various types of fragmentary ridge and furrow set within a medieval field system (SX 59 SE 2). The footings and earthworks of abandoned military structures were noted in the outer zone. These include shallow air-raid shelters, a weapons pit, a possible anti-aircraft gun, small target butts and various slit trenches. See the report (source 2) compiled in 2001 for further details. (1-2)

Okehampton was an artillery practice camp where permanent construction began in 1894 using local materials. The camp has a scattered layout due to the topography and the virtually unlimited land available to build the stables required for the horses which transported the artillery. It was unusual as it had permanent buildings which acted as a nucleus for the setting up of tented seasonal accommodation.

Constructed in 1894 as an artillery practice camp with 32 officers, 34 Warrant Officers and Sergeants and 646 other ranks. Permanent stone, brick and wooden buildings.

WW2 it continued as an artillery practice camp but in 1940 it also became a Reinforcement Camp and 1941/2 it became a Reception Camp supplying the SW District

1950s and continued use as a OCTU Battle Camp, Territorial Army
(3)

Photographs of the camp showing it in the late 19th century. (4)

Okehampton camp was begun in 1893 with the construction of metal stables for the horses, sheds for the guns and the men were billeted in bell tents. The buildings were improved in 1930 and Nissen huts were built and the camp was used much more just prior to the Second World War. Some of the early buildings have survived including: the cook houses, hospital, a small married quarters built of galvanized iron, ammunition stores and the terraced areas for pitching tents. (5)

Dartmoor began to be used by the army for large-scale manoeuvres from 1873 and in 1875 a site for a practice camp was required. The first camp was established by the Royal Artillery in the summer of 1876 above Okehampton at Halstock Down and by 1895 a permanent Field Artillery Practice Camp had been established. The officers' stables were begun in July 1892 and the first phase was completed on 14 June 1894.

Okehampton became the Headquarters of the School of Gunnery in the summer months, and was the UK's most important practice camp. Batteries (horses and guns) from all over England arrived by rail and normally three batteries were in camp using the ranges at any one time.

In the 1930s, wheeled and tracked vehicles were introduced to the armed forces which required new facilities at Okehampton camp to replace the earlier stable blocks and harness rooms. With mobilisation at the start of WW2 many more soldiers came to Dartmoor and virtually the whole moor north of the Tavistock-Moretonhampstead road was requisitioned for military training. This led to an increased demand for accommodation and nearly thirty Nissen huts were erected and the stables were converted into quarter blocks.
With the preparations for D-Day, the British troops were replaced by Americans of the 4th and 29th Divisions.
In the 1950s, Okehampton Camp was the base for Eaton Hall Officer Cadet Training Unit's battle camp. Training also took place for the campaigns in Korea (1950-1953) and Suez (1956).
Since the latter half of the 20th century the Territorial Army has made extensive use of the facilities on camp and today the camp still provides accommodation for up to 720 personnel of the armed forces.

More detailed information can be found in the historical building survey commissioned by Wessex Archaeology on behalf of Training Estates Business Unit, Defence Estates. The report provides information on the existing structures associated with Okehampton Artillery Camp and includes a gazetteer of buildings and sites. (6)

SOURCE TEXT

(1) Field Investigators Comments

Fletcher. M. 01-DEC-2001 English Heritage Field Investigation

(2) Okehampton Military Camp, Okehampton Hamlets, Devon

Page(s)1-10

(3) World Wide Web page

Archaeology Data Service. 2006. England's Army Camps, http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/archive/armycamp_eh_2006/downloads.cfm [Accessed 31-JUL-2009]

(4) World Wide Web page

Cyberheritage. 2009. Okehampton Battle Camp, http://www.cyberheritage.org/armynavyclip/ [Accessed 31-JUL-2009]

(5) World Wide Web page

Widecombe-in-the-Moor. 2009. The Military on Dartmoor, http://www.widecombe-in-the-moor.com/history/minutes/2003/army_on_dartmoor.php [Accessed 31-JUL-2009]

(6) World Wide Web page

Defence Estates, Dartmoor Training Area, 2009. Okehampton Artillery Camp Historical Appraisal, http://www.dartmoor-ranges.co.uk/Downloads/Conservation/Okehampton_Artillery_Range_Observation_Posts.pdf [Accessed 31-JUL-2009]

RELATED MONUMENTS

+ / -

Monument Name/No

Resources

Description

MONUMENT NO. 1396475
OKEHAMPTON HAMLETS

Monument Pictures
Monument Maps
Monument Investigation
Monument Sources
EH Visitor Information

The fragmentary remains of two trench systems lie adjacent to the military ring road on the northern flank of Rowtor.

MONUMENT NO. 1396616
OKEHAMPTON HAMLETS

Monument Pictures
Monument Maps
Monument Investigation
Monument Sources
EH Visitor Information

Four boundary stones above the right bank of the Moor Brook immediately south of Okehampton Army Camp. The stones mark the northern boundary of the Mo...

MONUMENT TYPES

+ / -

COMMENTS

+ / -

Please help us keep our information accurate let us know if you see any errors on this page.

Further information about monuments may be obtained by contacting NMR Enquiry and Research Services , through the English Heritage website.

EH Prints
English Heritage
Heritage Explorer
Heritage Gateway
Images of England
NMR
ViewFinder