Monument record TQ 96 NE 42 - HM Prison Standford Hill, Eastchurch, Isle of Sheppey

The site of HMP Standford Hill prison was the first home of British aviation. Stonepits Farm was leased in 1909 to the Aero Club, which in 1910 became the Royal Aero Club. In 1911 the first Royal Navy Air Service station was established there. The airfield was used by the Royal Flying Corps during World War I and after 1918 became an air-gunnery school. During World War II it served as a fighter station then as a RAF intelligence and debriefing centre. In 1948 it passed to the army and on 25th December 1949 was acquired by the Prison Commissioners who adapted it as an open prison which opened in 1950 as HMP Eastchurch. A young prisoners' centre was open between 1954 and 1963 and an older prisoners' unit operated from 1956 to 1957. The prison also held preventive detainees until 1966-7. In 1975 the prison's name changed to HMP Standford Hill. A semi-secure Category C unit was demolished in 1986 following two severe fires. HMP Swaleside and HMP Elmley were constructed on part of Standford Hill's estate. Until the 1980s, accommodation was in military huts dating from 1923-45. After 1986 two new cell blocks were opened and the military huts demolished. Early military buildings still remain and have been adapted for prison use. A new kitchen was due to be completed in spring 1997 (1-2)

Eastchurch Airfield, Kent, TQ 988 698. During its World War Two phase it had grass landing surfaces. Part of the base accommodation was permanent. There were said to be 3 bellman hangars at the wartime base. (3)

Eastchurch, Kent, TQ 982 695, former RAF Eastchurch site at HMP Stanford Prison. the site was associated with the pioneers of powered flight from 1910 onwards, including hangars built in 1912. In World War One the site was initially used until 1917 by the Royal Navy to train pilots and to protect the naval dockyards at Chatham and Sheerness. The site was expanded in 1916-1917. During World War Two the airfield used to mount attacks on German shipping but was badly damaged by German air attacks and was out of action from September 1940 to June 1942. In 1943-1944 the airfield was used unofficially as a landing ground for damaged American aircraft. (4)

It was authorised for heavy anti aircraft armament of unspecified calibre in 1916, but it is not known whether this was ever supplied. (5)

HMS Pembroke II or RAF Eastchurch were the names give to the airfield. For further information, plans and photographs of the site please refer to the source. (6)

RAF Eastchurch was part of the heavily committed 11 Group of the Royal Air Force during the Battle of Britain. During the battle number 266 Squadron was stationed there from 12th August 1940. (7)

Building work started on HMP Swaleside in 1985 and the prison opened in August 1988. In layout and design, Swaleside shares many features with the 'New Wave' prisons of the 1960s, the first of which was HMP Blundeston. The central common services, reception and visits are situated on either side of a two-storey east/west-running corridor. Reception and visits, the kitchen, and religious activities and education lie on the north side of the corridor and the segregation unit, hospital and physical recreation lie on the south side. The corridor is bisected by a second, north/south-running corridor towards its west end, forming a 'centre' where they meed. Accommodation is provided in four house blocks which are located to the south and west of the central common services. Each house block is cruciform in plan with three storey spurs containing cells and one spur containing association rooms and serveries on the ground floor and television rooms on the first floor, with a plant room above. The accommodation spurs are floored.

Historic England archive material: BF093819 HMP STANDFORD HILL, CHURCH ROAD, EASTCHURC BF093818 HMP SWALESIDE, EASTCHURCH H

Peter Higginbotham, 2000, The Workhouse (Website). SKE56079.

Ken Delve, 2005, The Military airfields of Britain; Southern England, Kent, Hampshire, Surrey and Sussex (Monograph). SKE31935.

Caledonian, 2021, HMP Standford Hill (Cat D), Heritage Statement, Amended (Unpublished document). SKE58190.

<1> Ashword, Chris, 1985/1990, Action Stations 9: Military Airfields of the Central South & South East (Monograph). SKE8330.