Saighton Camp

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Saighton Camp
Saighton
Footpath and Stile at Huntington, Cheshire.jpg
The stone in the foreground is a War Office boundary stone for Saighton Camp
Site information
TypeBarracks
Owner Ministry of Defence
OperatorFlag of the British Army.svg  British Army
Location
Cheshire UK location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Saighton Camp
Location within Cheshire
Coordinates 53°10′19″N2°51′32″W / 53.172°N 2.859°W / 53.172; -2.859
Site history
Built1938-1939
Built for War Office
In use1939-1999

Saighton Camp was a military installation located between Saighton and Huntington covering an area of approximately 33 hectares.

History

The camp was created between 1938 and 1939 for use as a military training camp during the Second World War. It was established as a basic training facility for light anti-aircraft batteries and subsequently became the primary training centre for the 233 Light Anti-Aircraft Training Regiment of the Royal Artillery. In 1949, it became Training Centre No. 12 of the Royal Pioneer Corps, and in the 1950s and early 1960s it became a training centre for the Royal Corps of Signals. [1] The King's Own Royal Border Regiment were based at the site from 1973 to 1974, [2] the Green Howards were based there from 1974 to 1976, [3] the Queen's Lancashire Regiment were based there from 1976 to 1978 [4] and the Gordon Highlanders were based there from 1978 to 1980. [5] The King's Regiment were billeted at the camp until its closure in 1985, when the regiment moved to the Dale Camp, Chester's last remaining military barracks. [6]

In the early 1980s Saighton became a training centre for the Royal Army Medical Corps. It remained open after the barracks closed but its use diminished until it was closed completely in 1999. [7]

In 2015, the site was cleared of its remaining military infrastructure. It is now a residential housing estate. [8]

References

  1. ↑ "Saighton Camp". NAA Heritage consultants. Retrieved 30 September 2016.
  2. ↑ "King's Own Royal Border Regiment". British Army units 1945 on. Archived from the original on 31 March 2014. Retrieved 30 September 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  3. ↑ "Green Howards". British Army units 1945 on. Archived from the original on 17 March 2016. Retrieved 30 September 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  4. ↑ "Queen's Lancashire Regiment". British Army units 1945 on. Archived from the original on 27 April 2016. Retrieved 30 September 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  5. ↑ "Gordon Highlanders". British Army units 1945 on. Archived from the original on 18 March 2016. Retrieved 30 September 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  6. ↑ "King's Regiment". British Army units 1945 on. Retrieved 9 September 2016.
  7. ↑ "Saighton Camp". Hawksmoor. Retrieved 30 September 2016.
  8. ↑ "Residential expansion at Saighton Camp". Place North West. 7 January 2015. Retrieved 30 September 2016.
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