Monument record TR 34 SE 193 - Camp for the personnel for the Rotor radar site at St Margaret's at Cliffe.

Camp for the personnel for the Rotor radar site (TR 34 NE 122). The prefabricated huts were built in 1952 as part of the Rotor programme and accommodated station personnel. The site was abandoned by the Royal Air Force when the radar stations were closed in circa 1960 and it was subsequently used by the army as a training camp. From 1966 to 1985 the huts were used as a holiday camp, until they were demolished and replaced with mobile homes. All that survives is the guard room and the water heating plant.

The Rotor programme was developed to upgrade the wartime radar technology to detect and locate fast-flying jets. It was approved by the Air Council in June 1950. There were three main components to the Rotor stations: the technical site, including the radars, operation blocks and other installations; the domestic site, where personnel were accommodated; and the stand-by set house, a reserve power supply. The domestic site for Swingate radar station was located at TR 356 444. (2-4)

Aerial photography from 1982 shows the layout clearly visible. The majority of buildings remain in the original location. New buildings have been built at the middle west and to the north-west of the camp where the layout has been extended and altered. It is shown as a chalet camp on OS map. (5)

Swingate Camp was built in 1952 and comprised prefabricated huts. The site was abandoned by the Royal Air Force when the radar station was closed and it was used by the army as a training camp until 1966. The huts were used as a holiday camp until 1985, when they were demolished and replaced with mobile homes. All that remains is the guard room and the water heating plant. (6)

<1> Kent County Council, 1987-, Kent County Council: holding record (Miscellaneous Material). SKE59004.

<2> Cocroft, Wayne D; Thomas, Roger J C, 2003, Cold War: Building for Nuclear Confrontation 1946-1989 (Bibliographic reference). SKE58760.

<3> C.S. Dobinson, 2000, Twentieth century fortifications in England. Volume XI.1. The Cold War (text) (Bibliographic reference). SKE58761.

<4> C.S. Dobinson, 2000, Twentieth century fortifications in England. Volume XI.2. The Cold War (Appendices) (Bibliographic reference). SKE58762.

<5> Michael J. Anderton, 2000, Twentieth Century Military Recording Project: Cold War Rotor Stations (Bibliographic reference). SKE58763.

<6> Peter Higginbotham, Higginbotham, Peter. 2000. The Workhouse. (Website). SKE53741.