Historic England research records

Historic England Research Records

Raf Uxbridge
Hob Uid: 1321296
Location : Greater London Authority Hillingdon Non Civil Parish
Grid Ref : TQ0630083600
Summary : A military base used in both World Wars. The Royal Flying Corps and later Royal Air Force station has occcupied Hillingdon House and grounds from 1917 (for the history of the house please see record 1431086). In the grounds are a cinema (Please see record 1431102), a sergeants mess, officers mess, gymnasium, military chapel (see 1431173), bunkers and accommodation. The World War One base was the home for the Royal Flying Corps Armament School. During the interwar years it was a military training site for recruits to the Royal Air Force, with barracks and a parade ground built in 1928. In World War Two, although not an actual airfield it fulfilled a particularly vital role during the Battle of Britain as the main operations centre for the hard pressed 11 Group under Keith Park, defending London and the south-east against the Luftwaffe. Operations were directed from the underground operations room bunker built in 1938, which has been restored as a museum that is viewable by appointment (please see record 1431113 for details of this installation).On 31 March 2010, RAF Uxbridge formally closed as a military base.
More information : A military base: the Royal Flying Corps and later Royal Air Force station which has occcupied Hillingdon House and grounds from 1917. The World War One base was the home for the Royal Flying Corps Armament School. During the interwar years it was a military training site for recruits to the Royal Air Force, with barracks and a parade ground built in 1928. In World War Two, although not an actual airfield it fulfilled a particularly vital role during the Battle of Britain as the operations centre for the hard pressed 11 Group under Keith Park, defending London and the south-east against the Luftwaffe. Operations were directed from the underground operations room built in 1938, which has been restored as a museum which can be viewed by appointment. (1-5) 1948 Olympics male athletes were billeted here. (8) On 31 March 2010, RAF Uxbridge formally closed as a military base. Please see source for further details. (6) This website contains details of the mixed-use development planned for the former RAF Uxbridge site. See source for details. (7)

Sources :

Source Number : 1
Source :
Source details : English Heritage Thematic Listing Programme, May 2003: "Survey of Military Aviation Sites and Structures Summary Report", Annexe 1, unpaged.
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Source Number : 3
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Page(s) : 235-243
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Source Number : 4
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Source details : Public Records Office files: PRO AIR 28/872, 1144, 1281, 1431, 1655, 1656.
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Source Number : 5
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Source details : Brooks RJ, 2002: "Thames Valley Airfields in the Second World War", Countryside Books, pp28-29.
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Source Number : 6
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Source details : Squadron Leader R J Willis. (2010). Closure of RAF Uxbridge [accessed 31-AUG-2011]
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Source Number : 7
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Source details : VSM Estates Limited. (2011). RAF Uxbridge [accessed 31-AUG-2011]
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Source Number : 8
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Page(s) : 138
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Monument Types:

Monument Period Name : 20th Century
Display Date : World War I from 1917
Monument End Date : 2000
Monument Start Date : 1917
Monument Type : Military Base
Evidence : Extant Building

Monument Period Name : 20th Century
Display Date : Inter-war period.
Monument End Date : 1939
Monument Start Date : 1928
Monument Type : Barracks, Military Training Site, Military Base, Parade Ground, Sergeants Mess, Church, Gymnasium (Sports)
Evidence : Extant Building, Structure

Monument Period Name : Second World War
Display Date : World War II
Monument End Date : 1945
Monument Start Date : 1939
Monument Type : Military Base
Evidence : Extant Building

Monument Period Name : Second World War
Display Date : Battle of Britain
Monument End Date : 1940
Monument Start Date : 1940
Monument Type : Military Base
Evidence : Extant Building

Monument Period Name : 21st Century
Display Date : Continued use by RAF
Monument End Date : 2005
Monument Start Date : 2005
Monument Type : Military Base
Evidence : Extant Building

Monument Period Name : 21st Century
Display Date : Closed 2010
Monument End Date : 2010
Monument Start Date : 2010
Monument Type : Military Base
Evidence : Extant Building

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Related Records from other datasets:

External Cross Reference Source : NBR Index Number
External Cross Reference Number : 105815
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External Cross Reference Source : National Monuments Record Number
External Cross Reference Number : TQ 08 SE 41
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Related Activities :

Associated Activities :
Activity type : ARCHITECTURAL SURVEY
Start Date : 1995-11-14
End Date : 1995-11-14

Associated Activities :
Activity type : EVALUATION
Start Date : 2012-01-01
End Date : 2012-12-31

Historic England Research Records

Raf Uxbridge