Easton Bavents
EASTON BAVENTS: Initially a private airstrip it later become a ‘temporary’ licensed airfield or, as they were known in those days - a Landing Ground
Note: These six maps and pictures were kindly provided by Mr Michael T Holder, a great friend of this 'Guide'. However, I also need to thank another great friend of this 'Guide', Mr Graham Frost, to prompt me to take another look at my original listing.
Looking at the first picture above, it would appear possible that the field used was to the south of the Boggis Farm house?
Location: About 1nm N of Southwold pier on the cliff edge
Period of operation: From about 1933 to the late 1960s (?)
Landing area: A long narrow field of 40 acres probably orientated roughly N/S
Note: The first picture is of a map kindly sent by Graham Frost which started me to look at this site again. The second is an article published in the Southwold - Yarmouth Independent published on Saturday, 11th July 1936 which Mike Holder unearthed. I have added the area view obtained from Google Earth ©
NOTES: It appears that this site was first used by the DH.60G Gipsy Moth G-AAIA but in 1934 the Miles M.2D Hawk G-ACVR operated by Harlow Mills Flying Fields Ltd arrived to give pleasure flights for a few days, the pilot being Mr Harry Hayes. Only six three-seater Hawks were built.
On Thursday 11th July 1935 Alan Cobham’s Tour arrived for a one-day event.
In the summer of 1936 Scott’s Flying Circus also held an aerial pageant at Southwold, with, notably, the B.A.C. Drone G-AEEO, Cierva C.30A G-ACUT and Miles Hawk G-ACPC participating. However, there is a question mark against this site being the location of the venue.
In 1950 the rare Dart Kitten 11 G-AEXT, (still flying), but then based at BOOKER was seen landing here. The last aircraft known to use this site was, oddly enough, a glider from LASHAM in the late 1960s. By 1984 20 acres of this site had crumbled into the sea.
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