Ridgewell Weather - A tour around the Ridgewell Airfield area

The Villages

News & Events

Local Information

Location

Walks

Villages tour

A quick tour around the Ridgewell Airfield area

(1) The tour starts at Ridgewell, the largest of the airfield's surrounding villages. The village green is a large shaded area located at the centre of this picturesque village and surrounded by interesting and many listed buildings. Ridgewell, intersected by the Halstead to Haverhill road (A1017), has a population of around 500 and is located to the west of the Airfield

(2) Ridgewell is lucky enough to have two pubs as well as a village shop. Both the White Horse and the Kings Head (pictured) were famous watering holes for personnel of both the RAF and USAAF. The Kings Head has a great collection of photographs showing the 381st Bomb Group operations at Station 167.

(3) The imposing Parish Church of St Laurence can be found at the end of Church Lane.

(4) Located at the north end of the village in Meetings Lane, The Congregational Church is the second of Ridgewell's churches. This church was built in 1999 and features a wonderful stained glass window dedicated to the men of the 381st BG.

> top of page

(5) Leaving Ridgewell traveling south on the A1017 towards Great Yeldham, the turning for Tilbury Green is reached after approximately two miles. Travel a few hundred yards further along the A1017 and you reach the Airfield Hospital Site (home of the Ridgewell Airfield Commemorative Association).

(6) At the end of this road you arrive at the small hamlet of Tilbury Green. Turning right towards Tilbury-Juxta-Clare brings you onto a single carriageway road. This road was built as part of the original airfield, providing one of the main entrances to Station 167 (the other being at the Hospital Site). The small housing development immediately to the right was built on the Airfield's Headquarters site (site 2).

(7) The junction with Foxes Lane was the location of the Airfield's Technical Site. This area consisted of a sprawling complex of buildings, the largest being the south hangar and the watch tower area. Sadly, the hangar hardstanding was broken up and returned to agriculture in 1996. The Farm Sheds indicate where the Watch Tower was located. Foxes Lane was part of the airfield perimeter track and one can sometimes imagine B-17 Fortresses or Short Stirlings as they taxied down this road to their take-off runway.

(8) As the road to Tilbury-Juxta-Clare is followed,it leaves what was the perimeter track and narrows down to the single carriageway of the original road. Further along to the right, St Margaret's Church is located down a long lane and at the junction with the Ovington Road a simple war memorial stands. Turn right to the next stop - the village of Tilbury-Juxta-Clare.

(9) Tilbury-Juxta-Clare, located at the southern end of the airfield, has a number of interesting buildings. Tilbury Hall, in particular, has had a number of famous owners throughout it's history - The Earl of Mornington and the De Vere family amongst them.

(10) Leaving Tilbury-Juxta-Clare, proceed back up the Ovington Road, passing the war memorial, towards Ovington. After Passing Lodge Farm the old airfield site is to the left.

(11) As Ovington is reached, turn left into Ashen Road to pass through the main street of the village. It's worth a slight detour to visit to the 14th Century St. Mary's Church next to Ovington Hall (access is across a field).

(12) At the west end of Ovington the airfield's eastern perimeter track becomes part of the Ashen Road. There were many dispersal areas backing on to the village so war-time residents lived with Flying Fortress & Stirling bombers parked at the end of their gardens, often not fenced in.

> top of page

(13) The Ashen road looking north and (below left) B-17 Flying Fortresses using the same, when it was the eastern perimeter track, to line up on the NE - SW runway...

...That runway today forms part of the Essex Gliding Club site.

(14) As the road is followed through Pannel's Ash you arrive at the village of Ashen. At its centre is found this splendid village sign, carved by a local resident. Here you can turn into Foxes Lane and follow the route of the airfield's western perimeter track or continue along The Street through Ashen back to Ridgewell.

(15) Ashen has a very interesting mix of properties including the Church of St Augustine of Canterbury (above), believed to date back to the 13th century. Ashen stands on the County border a stones throw from the Suffolk village of Stoke-by-Clare.

(16) Continuing along The Street and then on along Ashen Road you arrive at Ridgewell, ending back at the village green (right).

> top of page

Disclaimer � 2006 - 2007 www.ridgewellweather.com