New point of view for secret war tower
A SECRET World War Two tower on a north Northumberland farm has been reborn a viewing point for some of the most spectacular scenery in the county.
A metal platform has been constructed inside the base of the RAF war plane guidance tower on Shoreswood Farm near Berwick, giving views of Eildon Hill, Border Ridge, the Cheviots, the Kyloe Hills, Halidon Hill and as far down the coast as Holy Island.
Farm tenants Will and Christine Jackson have had the platform and interpretation boards built with the help of money from Defra's Countryside Stewardship Scheme. It is combined with a circular walk round the farm so visitors can see the results of their efforts to boost wildlife habitats.
The Jacksons had thought the tower was a searchlight emplacement until they began researching it. It turned out the brick construction was just the base for a 30-foot wooden tower, used to help lost planes work out their location and guide them home.
Local historian Phil Rowett said that the work of the towers was little-appreciated as such technology was kept under wraps at the time; however, they had helped save many lives.
"In the Second World War," he said, "There can have been few circumstances that were more fraught for a returning bomber crew than being lost in fog and cloud. There is an example of an American Flying Fortress which crashed off the Farnes when the crew thought they were somewhere near Lincolnshire!
"The answer to this problem was a series of tall wooden towers in which RAF specialists, mainly WAAFs (Women's Auxiliary Air Force), guided in aircraft. Each tower would be given responsibility for an aircraft, the position of which could be fixed by getting a bearing on its radio transmissions. Two other towers elsewhere in the country would do the same and the triangulated position would then allow the navigator to fix his position very accurately.
"The efforts of these groundcrew have never been especially noted, but it was because of them that night after night lost and damaged aircraft managed to limp home safely. Many of these made emergency landings at the nearby airfields of Milfield, Winfield and Charterhall."
The 330-hectare beef and arable farm has been tenanted by the Jackson family since 1963 and Will played in the tower as a boy. However, he and Christine had been considering having it demolished until the alternative of developing it for public access under their participation in the Stewardship scheme presented itself.
It is just the latest step in a decade-long relationship with Defra (previously MAFF) which has seen them take a wide range of measures to improve wildlife habitats on the farm. They are home to some of the last corn buntings in Northumberland, along with species such as tree sparrows, yellowhammers, skylarks, owls, pipistrelle bats and hares.
Will said: "Stewardship has allowed us to enhance the habitat on the farm in a way that would otherwise not have been possible and we're pleased to welcome those with a genuine interest in the countryside to share our enjoyment of a very special part of a very special county."
Steve Pullan, Countryside Stewardship adviser at Defra's Rural Development Service north east, said; "The new circular walk at Shoreswood offers some truly spectacular views of the surrounding countryside and gives visitors a chance to see some wonderful wildlife habitats, and the wildlife itself, close up.
"The scheme is also preserving the wartime remains on the farm which help to tell the story of an important part of our country's history and heritage."
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Weather for Berwick-Upon-Tweed
Thursday 24 May 2012
Today
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Temperature: 10 C to 20 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
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Temperature: 9 C to 20 C
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