Grovely Wood WW2 (update)

*In advance, this is a shameless post bigging me up*

Last week I posted about some features I'd come across whilst walking in Grovely Wood, west of Salisbury in Wiltshire (14th March, Grovely Wood World War 2 and Grovely Wood).  I mused on what they may have represented, I knew they were military, WW2, thought they may have represented storage rather than occupation and that their may be more to find amongst the undergrowth. Also, after finding a piece of American graffiti in the area, suggested maybe an American site. 

Well, I did some online research and guess what? Grovely Wood was a massive USAF open bomb/munition storage area, one of 3 in the region.  It became active on 2nd September 1943, the site being chosen for its cover and easy access to nearby rail links.  As I say, it was a massive site with a 20,000 ton capacity, hence I suppose the need for metalled trackways, that's a lot of ordinance to move about. The cluster of building platforms at the western end of the wood must represent the operation/accommodation area, and I know see the 3 shelters and associated building platforms spread along the main track as on site offices and the shelters to offer the necessary protection for those working on site if the munitions were attacked. Although the scale of the munitions stored here, makes me think even with the shelters you'd be lucky to survive a large attack. The main woodland on either side of the central track saw the larger munitions, the bombs and such like, stored in the open, with the smaller munitions stored in dispersed buildings. I'll be visiting again for a more detailed investigation, with the hope of finding more features and building a better picture of the site as a whole.

Which only leaves me to say, I am *brilliant! (I did say it was shameless)

*Clearly, this is said tongue in cheek

Grovely Wood

As I previously mentioned Grovely Wood is one of the, if not the, largest woodlands in southern Wiltshire. Like so many expansive woodlands, it's a mosaic of coniferous plantation, deciduous plantation, ancient woodland and neglected and managed coppice woodland. The more modern coniferous parts are what they are. But the ancient areas are fantastic. I only had a small opportunity to explore these areas though, as I'd entered from the west, whereas most of the deciduous and ancient sections are to the center and east, and by the time I got to there I was on the clock to start my return. Although in my brief exploration of the older woodland and mature avenue trees, I did come across an interesting piece of American graffiti. Is this connected with the military features? It appears to be the right age. 

I think of this as a reccon mission, exploration of Grovely will take a while.

Grovely Wood World War 2

I had the opportunity to explore some woodland which had been on my radar for a while, but was outside my usual range. Grovely Wood, Wiltshire, one of the, if not the, largest woodlands in southern Wiltshire.

So, it was all new to me and what struck me first was the substantial and broad metalled road which runs through the centre of Grovely Wood, east west (I started at the west end).  This is known as the 'Second Broad Drive' the 'First Broad Drive' starting at the eastern end of the wood, and that one being lined with mature Beech, whereas the second isn't. I say first thing which struck me, the first thing I actually noticed were some building platforms and sunken water tanks in the adjacent woodland; military occupation I thought, common enough about the South. But the metalled surface, not so common. As I walked I saw that there were regular spurs heading off into the woodland on either side of this broad metalled track, these spurs too were metalled; stranger and stranger. Then I came across a Stanton type shelter with an adjacent building platform, ah, definitely military I thought. Even though the Stanton was overgrown its mounded profile gave away it's existence.  I came across three in all, all next to the main metalled track and all with a single building platform, but they appeared to be isolated. I searched the nearby woodland but could find no more platforms nor shelters, that said, the undergrowth is dense and the platforms hard to spot, but the shelters, they should have stuck out. But nothing. I found 3 shelter/platform sides, all identical, spaced along the track over a mile and a half.  What's this all about, I thought. All the shelters are in remarkable condition, with sound roofs, all original features, even the wooden door frames remain, and they're dry, which is something after recent rains. One had been blocked up with a gap left at the top of the doorway, obviously turned into a bat roost, but the others were easily accessible and contain very little debris. Only 3 shelters, only 3 (visible) building platforms? I came to the conclusion that this wasn't an occupation site, not enough building platforms nor shelters, there could be more I couldn't find, of course, but the shelters, as I said, the profile easily gives away their position, even amongst the undergrowth. Then What? I reckon it could've been a storage area, vehicles, fuel, munitions, something of that nature, that's what the metalled surfaces are about and why so few shelters or buildings. And the group of building platforms in the adjoining woodland represent the occupation portion of the site, and, being away from the main site may suggest that it was something explosive being stored here. Pointing towards fuel or munitions, maybe? Further investigation is needed, I have to know. I returned along a path which ran along the northern edge of the woodland, following a section of Grims Ditch, this path too, although thinner, was metalled.  On the edge of the wood I found 2 stacks of rusting metal roof trusses, evidence of more buildings? Or later agricultural debris? I'll be visiting here again, new woods, with World War Two archaeology, it's a must.