RAF Spadeadam

The Spadeadam area was remote and largely uninhabited and known as Spadeadam Waste.{{cite web|title=MoD Heritage Report 2011-2013|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/470261/MOD_Heritage_Report_FINAL.pdf |publisher=Ministry of Defence |page=6 |access-date=6 July 2016}} The name is possibly a corruption of Cumbric ysbyddaden "hawthorn", or "ysbytybrenin" "king's hostel", and in 1950 the recorded pronunciation was {{IPAc-en|s|p|ɪ|d|ɪ|d|əm}}.{{cite book |last1=Armstrong |first1=A. M. |last2=Mawer |first2=A. |last3=Stenton |first3=F. M. |last4=Dickins |first4=Bruce |series=English Place-Name society |volume=20 |title=The Place-names of Cumberland, Part 1: Eskdale, Cumberland and Leath Wards |date=1950 |location=Cambridge |publisher= Cambridge University Press |pages=96–97 |language=en}} It is mentioned as "Speir Adam"{{cite book |last1=Reed |first1=James |title=Sir Walter Scott: Landscape and Locality |date=2014 |publisher=A&C Black |isbn=9781472514110 |page=27 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hMBMAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA27 |access-date=5 November 2019 |language=en}} or "Spear Edom" in "Hobie Noble".{{cite book |last1=Quiller-Couch |first1=Arthur |title=The Oxford Book of Ballads |date=1910 |chapter-url=https://www.bartleby.com/243/139.html |access-date=5 November 2019 |chapter=139. Hobbie Noble}}

File:Blue Streak Engine Test.jpg at RAF Spadeadam]]

The site was first built in 1955 to be the test centre for the Blue Streak intermediate-range ballistic missile project.{{cite web|title=History|url=http://www.raf.mod.uk/rafspadeadam/aboutus/history.cfm |publisher=Royal Air Force}} The role of Spadeadam in Britain's Cold War nuclear weapons programme was made public in 2004 when tree felling uncovered remains of abandoned excavations for an experimental missile silo. Spadeadam was probably intended to be one of 60 launch sites planned for remote locations.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5vK4CgAAQBAJ&pg=PT13|title=Lost Britain: An A-Z of Forgotten Landmarks and Lost Traditions|first= David|last= Long|publisher=Michael O'Mara|year=2015|isbn=978-1782434399}}

The Rocket Establishment, as it was called, was divided into five areas: an administration and assembly block, a British Oxygen Company compound for on-site liquid oxygen fuel manufacture, a component test area, the engine test area and the static firing stands.{{NHLE|num= 1413245|desc=RAF Spadeadam: Blue Streak Rocket |accessdate = 5 July 2016}} The engine test area at Prior Lancy Rigg consisted of four concrete stands into which the engines could be mounted for test firing.{{NHLE|desc=RAF Spadeadam: Priorlancy Rigg, Engine Test Area|num=1413098|access-date=25 November 2021}} Two rocket-firing stands themselves stood at Greymare Hills and were large enough to accommodate a full Blue Streak missile.{{PastScape|num=1580748|desc=RAF Spadeadam Greymare Hill Missile Test Area|accessdate=5 July 2016}}

The RAF took the site over in 1976 and it became Europe's first electronic warfare tactics range in 1977.{{cite web|url=https://www.forgottenairfields.com/airfield-spadeadam-966.html|title=Spadeadam|publisher=Forgotten Airfields|access-date=25 November 2021}}

The site continues to be used in training the Royal Air Force and NATO allied aircrew in electronic warfare. It also hosts other exercising forces such as JFACTSU forward air controller training delivered from RAF Leeming in North Yorkshire. Close air support (CAS) training is carried out too. Since 2006, this has been the only mainland UK location where aircrews can drop practice bombs.{{cite web|title=Close Air Support|url=http://www.raf.mod.uk/rafspadeadam/aboutus/closeairsupport.cfm |publisher=Royal Air Force|access-date=5 July 2016}}

DNV (previously Advantica) uses the site for industrial hazard testing including fire and the destruction of pipelines. The remoteness of the area is key to their operations.{{cite news|title=Explosives testing centre to open at Spadeadam|url=http://www.newsandstar.co.uk/news/business/Explosives-testing-centre-to-open-at-Spadeadam-bf5d181d-4d63-4d6d-bc18-114a55d11571-ds|access-date=5 July 2016|work=News and Star|date=30 June 2016}}

In July 2021, RAF Spadeadam was used to conduct drone swarm trials; a first for the British Armed Forces.{{cite news |last1=Mitchell |first1=Ben |title=Commandos operate drone swarms in UK military first |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/commandos-lulworth-cove-cumbria-dorset-royal-marines-b946263.html |access-date=23 August 2021 |work=Evening Standard |date=17 July 2021}}

The outlying moorland landscape of the site is of increasing importance for its visual quality and for nature conservation. The area includes a pristine peat bog, populations of all three species of British newt and forestry habitat suitable for endangered red squirrels.{{cite news|title=Efforts to protect red squirrels|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/cumbria/7135345.stm|access-date=5 July 2016|work=BBC News|date=9 December 2007}} Otters have been noted along the watercourses and still ponds that are dotted across the vast training area.{{cite magazine |title=Cumbria - RAF Spadeadam |magazine=Sanctuary |date=2008 |issue=37 |page=68 |publisher=Ministry of Defence |issn=0959-4132}} Trees that were planted on the site after the First World War were felled in 2008 to 2009 to allow the peat bogs to return. Despite concerns about trees being carbon sinks, the rarity of the peat habitat meant the Forestry Commission decided to fell 145,000 trees.{{cite web|title=Open Country|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00jpyw1|website=BBC Radio 4|publisher=BBC|access-date=5 July 2016}}{{cite news|title=RAF bombers halted by peat bogs|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7347786.stm|access-date=5 July 2016|work=BBC News|date=15 April 2008}}

RAF Spadeadam has received the Freedom of several locations throughout its history; these include:

• {{flagicon|England}} 18 June 2017: Brampton.{{cite web|url=http://www.bramptonparishcouncil.co.uk/|title=Brampton Parish Council - Home|website=www.bramptonparishcouncil.co.uk}}{{cite web|url=http://www.briefreport.co.uk/news/raf-to-receive-special-honour-in-brampton-5082509.html|title=RAF to receive special honour in Brampton}}
• {{flagicon|England}} 2 June 2018: Carlisle.{{Cite web|url=https://cumbriacrack.com/2018/05/25/raf-spadeadam-to-receive-freedom-of-the-city-of-carlisle-in-celebration-of-raf100/|title=RAF Spadeadam to receive Freedom of the City of Carlisle in celebration of RAF100|website=cumbriacrack.com|date=25 May 2018}}

{{reflist}}

{{commons category|RAF Spadeadam}}

• {{Official website|https://www.raf.mod.uk/our-organisation/stations/raf-spadeadam/}}
• [http://www.bunkertours.co.uk/spadeadam.htm Photos from a Subterranea Britannica visit]
• [http://www.multimap.com/map/browse.cgi?client=public&scale=25000&mapsize=small&x=361620&y=570300&gride=361620&gridn=570300&title=RAF+Spadeadam+at+Gilsland,+Cumbria+-&pc=RAF+Spadeadam+at+Gilsland,+Cumbria RAF Spadeadam on Multimap.com] [http://www.multimap.com/map/browse.cgi?client=public&scale=25000&mapsize=small&x=359660&y=571890&gride=359660&gridn=571890 Priorlancy rocket engine test area] [http://www.multimap.com/map/browse.cgi?client=public&scale=25000&mapsize=small&x=362100&y=574200&gride=362100&gridn=574200 Rocket & missile test area at Graymare Hill]
• {{usurped|[https://web.archive.org/web/20040515130256/http://www.spaceuk.org/bstreak/bs/k11.html Plans of the Blue Streak K11 missile silo]}}
• [http://www.gl-nobledenton.com/en/consulting/SpadeadamTestSite.php GL Noble Denton - Spadeadam Test Site]
• [https://www.google.com/maps/place/Spadeadam,+Brampton,+UK Google Earth view of Spadeadam Farm]

{{Royal Air Force}}

{{Royal Air Force bombing ranges}}

{{Royal Air Force stations}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Spadeadam, RAF}}

Category:Bombing ranges

Category:Cumberland (unitary authority)

Spadeadam

Category:Science and technology in Cumbria

Category:Space programme of the United Kingdom