During World War II, the United Kingdom constructed numerous RAF bases to dominate the skies, strategically positioning airfields across the country. Decades after the war’s conclusion, many of these military installations have been abandoned, leaving behind a haunting landscape of disused runways and forgotten infrastructure. Our exploration takes us through 7 abandoned RAF bases in the UK, each telling a silent story of Britain’s wartime aviation history.
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RAF Manby
Location: Lincolnshire
An abandoned RAF based in Lincolnshire is RAF Manby Officers Mess. The Officers’ Mess and Single Officers’ Quarters was built in 1937 and is by A. Bulloch, the architectural advisor to the Air Ministry’s Directorate of Works and Buildings. It has a complex extended H-Plan set out on formal Beaux-Arts lines. The main range includes the principal dining room, reception room, lounge and other public rooms as well as the kitchen. The bedroom blocks form the outer arms of the H. It is an impressive example of a neo-Georgian officers’ mess and quarters, typical of those built on airfields in the 1930s.
The base closed in 1974. Today the site is used for Agriculture, the hangers are used as a grain store, with other buildings being used for industry. It is also home to Manby and District Model Aero Club. The Officers mess building is in a bad state and has fire damage on one side.
RAF Syerston
Location: Nottinghamshire
An abandoned RAF base in Nottinghamshire is RAF Syerston. The officers mess, which is the only building left standing, was opened in 1940. The site was put into care and maintenance after operations at RAF Syerston ceased in 1970. The complex was then sold off by the Ministry of Defence and the Al-Jamia Al Islamia School opened in 1994. A roofer working at the school fell off the roof and broke his back. The case was settled in 2007 but the school closed shortly after.
The land was put up for sale and was due to be auctioned at a guide price of £250,000 but was then withdrawn as the trustees could not be sure how much land had been acquired via a compulsory purchase order to widen the A46. In 2009 a suspected arson attack badly damaged one of the wings. The buildings have been in a derelict state since then and have deteriorated further.
Below are some pictures and video from our visit to RAF Syerston:
RAF Driffield
Location: Yorkshire
The site was first opened in 1918 by the Royal Air Force (RAF) under the name of RAF Eastburn, before closing in early 1920. However, in 1935 a new airfield was built for the RAF initially training bomber crews before closing in 1977 when the site was turned over to the British Army for use as a driving school being renamed Alamein Barracks.
In terms of what the site is like now, it’s pretty small and there only a handful of buildings that can be accessed. In one of the larger rooms there is a small skatepark using old pieces of wood from around the site and there were fresh drinks there when we visited meaning people still come and use it often. Theres a main building with some long corridors and big rooms like most RAF bases.
Below are some pictures from RAF Driffield:
RAF Church Fenton
Location: Yorkshire
Opened in 1937, it saw the peak of its activity during the years of the Second World War, when it served within the defence network of fighter bases of the RAF providing protection for the Leeds, Bradford, Sheffield and Humberside industrial regions.
During September 1940 it became home to the first RAF “Eagle squadron” of American volunteers being No. 71 Squadron RAF initially with the Brewster Buffalo I for one month before changing to the Hawker Hurricane I. The airfield was also home to both the first all-Canadian and all-Polish squadrons, with No. 242 Squadron RAF for the Canadians and No. 306 Squadron RAF for the Polish.
Church Fenton is a small village in Yorkshire but housing surrounds part of the site. The abandoned buildings are still on part of a live airport so its important not to venture too far to one side or you’ll be in trouble. Access was very easy and the site features a lot of empty buildings. There a few living quarters, abandoned kitchens with stoves still inside. There is also a big common building which includes a large hall with a sick tiled black and white floor as well as a bar.
Below are some pictures from RAF Church Fenton:
RAF Nocton Hall
Location: Lincolnshire
RAF Hospital Nocton Hall was a 740-bed RAF hospital serving the predominantly RAF personnel based at the large number of RAF Stations in the area. Officially designated as No. 1 RAF Hospital Nocton Hall it opened in June 1947. It was used by forces personnel, their families and local civilians until it closed on 31 March 1983.
The hospital was situated near the small village of Nocton in rural Lincolnshire and partly in the grounds of Nocton Hall. The hall was used as the officers’ mess. The main part of the hospital consisted of long corridors with wooden hut wards and departments branching off them. The hospital was on a slight slope so the corridors were not level.
RAF Nocton Hall hospital sits next to the also abandoned Nocton Hall, hence the name. Norton Hall itself is quite dangerous as it’s very old so step carefully when inside. Access to the RAF base itself is straightforward enough and when inside there are lots of buildings to explore. The site features many of the same type of buildings, but theres a main ward which is massive and extends via vast corridors and rooms. There is also a small tower which can be climbed but its quite sketchy so i’d only recommend going up to the first section and leaving it at that. This is a fun place to explore for a starter urban explorer.
Below are some pictures and a video from RAF Nocton Hall:
RAF Upwood
Location: Cambridgeshire
RAF Upwood is a former Royal Air Force station adjacent to the village of Upwood, Cambridgeshire, England in the United Kingdom.
It was a non-flying station which was under the control of the United States Air Force from 1981, and one of three RAF stations in Cambridgeshire used by the United States Air Forces in Europe (USAFE).
RAF Upwood is one of the sites which won’t be around much longer as it is being demolished and replaced with housing. This site we visited twice as the first time was being used by an Airsoft group which we didn’t know about and gave us quite the shock when turning a corner and being met with guns. The access to this site was very easy and the site itself is massive. There are loads of buildings which range from living quarters to big halls and a few rooftops are accessible. The site also features so cool features including Pokemon graffiti and 2 tanks which were purchased for decoration for the Airsoft tournaments. This RAF base is one of the best in the region and it’s recommended to explore before time runs out. EDIT – This may or may not have been demolished already.
Below are some pictures from RAF Upwood:
RAF Newton
Location: Nottinghamshire
RAF Newton is a former Royal Air Force station located 7 miles (11 km) east of Nottingham, Nottinghamshire and 10.7 miles (17.2 km) south west of Newark-on-Trent, Nottinghamshire, England
It was used briefly as a bomber base for squadrons to re-equip after the Battle of France and then as a flying training school during the Second World War and beyond until 2000.
RAF Newton is probably our favourite on the list and we visited more than once. The site is on an industrial estate and there is security but access is easy enough to not get spotted. There are several buildings which are all quite different. Theres a living quarters which contains a cool stairwell as well as a big hall which was used for meal times as well as social gatherings. There is also a bar in this building. Across the way there are different buildings which were more living quarters with some interesting rooms, and plants growing inside. Closer to these are some other small buildings but are quite close to where the security are located. Around the other side of the site is a School which is great to explore and access is very easy. There is also what I presume was an administrative building, which contains a safe, a small courtyard and lots of keys and documents on the floor. Theres also a big hall around the back which was inaccessible but leads to a tower which can be climbed to the very top.
Below are some pictures and a video from RAF Newton:
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