Archives: Lost Landscapes

“Local landowners have been generous with their knowledge and allowing access to their properties. This has proved most helpful uncovering sites that are currently not documented with the local Historic Environment Office. Recording a consortium of sites adds wealth to the local records and builds a much more accurate profile of military activity on the Isle of Axholme. It is also indicative as to what happened prior to the land being used for military purposes and what effects it has had on the developing and historic landscape. These new discoveries are exciting and the team are looking forward to further survey and recording work to see what else can be uncovered.”

“Being part of a small team of volunteers, tasked with finding the ‘Lost Landscape of Heroes’ in the Isle of Axholme, you realise that these concrete slabs in a muddy field represent the remains of a once important building that was part of RAF Sandtoft. It is hard to get your head around the fact, that during the Second World War, there were thousands of air and ground-crew base at this new derelict site, all doing their bit to help with the war!”

“Little did I know when I got involved with the “Lost Landscape of Heroes Project” that I would be tramping round farms and fields looking at old bits of concrete! Along with 3 or 4 other volunteers we have recorded some of the buildings still standing (or falling) at RAF Sandtoft. We have measured, drawn, photographed and plotted with GPS lots of bases of concrete, working out, with the help of old maps, what the buildings were.”