More information : The First World War training trenches surviving at Clipstone are complex and of multiple phases. They are presumed to relate to Clipstone Camp which was used by a large number of different units, including the University and Public School Brigade of the Royal Fusiliers, the West Riding Regiment, West Yorkshire Regiment, Sherwood Foresters and the Gordon Highlanders.
The largest concentration of earthworks occurs in the north-west corner of the site, around SK 600 624, extending over approximately 67 hectares. The overall form is unclear without further survey or more detailed mapping.
The clearest earthworks are at SK 5990 6205. They appear to represent a north facing trench system, with a well preserved crenellated trench, with traverses and legs of approximately 4m, curving southwards. A second stretch of trench, immediately to the west appears to be crenellated, with a sap trench with curved traverses extending northwards from its western terminus, and possibly with a gun emplacement or similar circular feature at SK 5989 6209 on its eastern terminus.
At SK 6138 6139 there is a discrete group of trenches partially cleared of forestry, discernable in LiDAR images and partially in satellite images. This may be a ‘nursery labyrinth’, a small intense network of traversed trenches used to recreate a confined space for bayonet practice. This group has a slightly trapezoidal shape, and appears to represent a short section of a north facing ‘front line’, with connecting communications trenches to a support trench. The ‘front line’ appears to show some evidence for traversing, although the exact form of this is not clear from LiDAR or satellite images. It is approximately 110m long, and is aligned east-north-east/west-south-west. There are at least four traversed communications trenches varying in length from 25m at the east, to 55m at the west, that are oriented north/south. The outer two show a well-defined zig-zag pattern, defining the edges of the ‘nursery labyrinth’ with the middle two having tighter, more curved traverses. The ‘support trench’ is approximately 125m long and oriented west-north-west/east-south-east. The lack of crenellation or traversing is more typical of support or reserve lines. There are a number of circular features within this area of trenching, which may be mock-shell craters or the result of forestry. Approximately 210m east of this group is a possible slit trench with curved traverses.
At SK 6075 6082 is another discrete group of trenches arranged as a rectangular grid, measuring approximately 130m by 60m. It is defined by two irregularly traversed trenches aligned approximately north-north-east/south-south-west, with up to four communications trenches between them. As at SK 61385 6139, the enclosed area shows regular pitting which may represent either mock-shell craters or forestry activity.
A small part of the trench system was partially excavated and reconstructed in 2013. (1)
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