Fountain Hotel
Note: This map only gives an approximate position for the Landing Ground. If anybody can kindly offer advice regarding a more exact position, this will be most welcome.
FOUNTAIN HOTEL: Private Landing Ground (Aka LOUGHTON)
Operated by: The Fountain Hotel, Proprietor R J Harrison Lieut,-Comdr., R.N.
Location: About I nm SSW of the Fountain Hotel which was midway between Fenny Stratford and Stony Stratford on the A5, then referred to as the main London to Birmingham Road. London was given as being 47½ miles and Birmingham 61 miles.
Period of operation: 1930s only?
Runways: NW/SE 350 yards (320 metres), SW/NE 320 yards (293 metres) All grass
NOTES: Pilots were requested “to circle the Hotel three times and a car will meet them at the Aerodrome” This site was listed as a Landing Ground in Flying – The Light Aeroplane Weekly compilation of UK Flying Clubs & Landing Grounds 1933-34 as LOUGHTON. Also listed in the 1930s ‘A.A. Landing Grounds Register’.
Fuel was available from the hotel, presumably in cans? Not unusual an arrangement in those days and, it seems, probably the most common way of supplying fuel to aircraft landing at one of the seventy-four AA (Automobile Association) approved Landing Grounds on mainland Britain.
FLYING CIRCUS VENUE?
Possibly the venue on the 16th July 1932 for Alan Cobham’s National Aviation Day UK Display Tour and possibly the venue on the 29th September 1933 for the No.2 Tour display at Bletchley?
A QUEST
Several years ago Mr Tony Southam sent me copies of a couple of postcards of the Fountain Hotel in Loughton, described as being the “Hotel which is different”. The location is described as, “Midway between Fenny Stratford and Stony Stratford on the main London – Birmingham Road”, the A5 of course. Today this area has been absorbed into MILTON KEYNES. It is very frustrating, but when adding this listing in 2017, I could not easily find these pictures. As you might imagine I have an enormous amount stored in various files - so hopefully I will come across them sooner rather than later.
Andrew Jackson
This comment was written on: 2017-12-26 10:51:53There is a picture of the Fountain Hotel in 1931 on page 124 of the book England's Motoring Heritage from the Air (it is incorrectly attributed to Loughton ESSEX). Shows petrol pumps at the front of the hotel! It is still called The Fountain and is operated by Harvester.
George Nairn
This comment was written on: 2020-01-26 08:38:55I have an original postcard of the hotel with the information on the back for sale if interested please contact me
Nigel Perry
This comment was written on: 2020-09-09 15:06:19May 1937 used by Avro 504N Cpt phillips to aero-tow gliders from London gliding club Dunstable, temporarily operating from here. See also Fenny Stratford.
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