Cranwell
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Cranwell (The name means the spring where the cranes are found) is a village with a population of approximately 3,000 inhabitants (part of the Civil Parish of Cranwell and Byard's Leap), situated in the North Kesteven district of Lincolnshire, England, on the B1429 road approximately 7km north-west of Sleaford.
The village centres on the remains of the Village Cross. The cross is a 14th century market cross from which important matters of public moment were announced. The base, which is original, and the undisturbed ground beneath are listed as a national monument.
Standing near to the cross is the village's rather unusual looking parish church. Dedicated to St Andrew, the church originates circa the 10th century, the village possibly dates from the time of King Alfred (849-899). The church consists only of a nave and chancel with, above the former, a rather odd bellcote, much of the masonry is Norman but parts date back to Saxon times. The fittings include 17th century bench-ends and a Perpendicular rood screen. Mounted on corbels in the North aisle are the remains of a Hogsback grave. The fine carvings on these stones are either Saxon or Norse (Ringerike). The stones are unique to Lincolnshire and are probably the finest of their type in the country. In the stonework in the porch is the incised outline of a pilgrim's shoe and the year 1728, and on the right-hand door pillar are six carved figures believed to depict ancient May King and Queen ceremonial costumes. The Churchyard includes a Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cemetery with over 200 military graves.
Cranwell is peculiar for a village of its size in that it does not have a Public House. It does, however, have a members only social club. This dates back to when the cadets training at R.A.F Cranwell during World War II used to come into the village to try and buy alcohol. The members only club was introduced as a deterrent to them, being only temporary residents in the area they were therefore unable to gain membership. To this day, no pub has ever opened its doors to the public, even though the reasons for not having one have long since become obsolete.
[edit] RAF College Cranwell
Just over one mile (2 kilometres) to the west of the village is RAF College Cranwell and its two associated airfields. The northern airfield is the older, being used for light aircraft and airships from 1916 and remains as a grassed field used occasionally by gliders and light aircraft. The southern airfield is much larger with two paved runways and abuts the A17 road, this was first used as a flying training base in 1917. The paved runways were built in 1954, to make way for the jet aircraft, Meteor and Vampire.
The RAF college is where all RAF officers are trained, the equivalent of the British Army's Sandhurst). The Officer and Aircrew Selection Centre (OASC) moved here from Biggin Hill in the 1990s. No.3 Flying School still trains aircrew and others for the British and some foreign air forces.
RAF Cranwell was first established in 1916 as the Navy air training centre and airships were operational there until the end of World War I. By 18 April 1918 Cranwell was largest Aerodrome in the world. The camp was split into two parts. East camp was initial training of apprentices and officers and west camp, specialist training in signals,electrical and wireless. In early 1920 Cranwell became the world's first military air academy. The College Hall was complete by the mid 1930s and its symmetrical classical architecture remains a potent symbol for the Royal Air Force.
RAF Cranwell was at the forefront of aircraft development, and long range development flight was established in 1921, this lead to a world record distance flight of 3,420 miles from Cranwell to the Persian gulf in a Hawker Horsley, and a second in 1929 when a fairey long range monoplane was flown non stop from Cranwell to Karachisome 4,130 miles in 50 hours and 37 minutes.
RAF Cranwell's most famous graduate was Sir Frank Whittle. The western world's first true flight by a jet aircraft, the Gloster E28/39, took place here on May 15th 1941 at around 19.45 lasting 17 minutes, flown by Flight Lt. Sayer. Whittle was the first to propose ideas for the jet engine when at Cranwell in the late 1920s: his 1929 thesis resulted in him obtaining the patent for the jet engine in 1930. The Gloster Meteor aircraft (f8) was also test flown here. Barkston Heath airfield situated south of Ancaster acts as a satellite airfield, supporting Cranwell cadets in their pilot training.
An independent heritage centre telling the story of RAF Cranwell may be visited near the village of North Rauceby, to the south east of the larger airfield.
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