Crossways
Encyclopedia
Crossways is a village in Dorset
, England
, six miles east of Dorchester. The village has a population
of 2,019 (2001).
In the early 1930s Crossways was a sleepy hamlet of scattered bungalows and cottages, and at that time the Air Ministry acquired local heath and farm land to build an airfield. This airfield was completed in 1937 and was known as RAF Woodsford, although it was renamed RAF Warmwell
a year later. RAF Warmwell
played an important part in World War II, being a major fighter base during the Battle of Britain, and offering fighter protection for Portland Naval Base and other important south coast areas.
During the following years, the runways and operational areas disappeared as a result of the extraction of valuable sand and gravel by mineral companies. Several remnants of the airfield can still be seen however. The Village Hall, for example, used to have a multi-functional role, being used by the airmen for recreational use - cinema, gymnasium and NAFFI, but was used on occasions as a morgue. It is in use constantly to this day.
Much of the present village of Crossways is built on the eastern part of the former airfield site.
In the early 1970s the Local Authority decided to build blocks of flats, houses and bungalows to provide much needed accommodation for displaced families in the area, and to fulfil a growing need for housing at the time. This resulted in a very rapid expansion in the size of the community at Crossways. There is a thriving business park nearby and a new school opened in September 2006.
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, six miles east of Dorchester. The village has a population
Population
A population is all the organisms that both belong to the same group or species and live in the same geographical area. The area that is used to define a sexual population is such that inter-breeding is possible between any pair within the area and more probable than cross-breeding with individuals...
of 2,019 (2001).
In the early 1930s Crossways was a sleepy hamlet of scattered bungalows and cottages, and at that time the Air Ministry acquired local heath and farm land to build an airfield. This airfield was completed in 1937 and was known as RAF Woodsford, although it was renamed RAF Warmwell
RAF Warmwell
RAF Warmwell was a Royal Air Force station near Warmwell in Dorset, England from 1937 to 1946, located about 5 miles east-southeast of Dorchester; 100 miles southwest of London....
a year later. RAF Warmwell
RAF Warmwell
RAF Warmwell was a Royal Air Force station near Warmwell in Dorset, England from 1937 to 1946, located about 5 miles east-southeast of Dorchester; 100 miles southwest of London....
played an important part in World War II, being a major fighter base during the Battle of Britain, and offering fighter protection for Portland Naval Base and other important south coast areas.
During the following years, the runways and operational areas disappeared as a result of the extraction of valuable sand and gravel by mineral companies. Several remnants of the airfield can still be seen however. The Village Hall, for example, used to have a multi-functional role, being used by the airmen for recreational use - cinema, gymnasium and NAFFI, but was used on occasions as a morgue. It is in use constantly to this day.
Much of the present village of Crossways is built on the eastern part of the former airfield site.
In the early 1970s the Local Authority decided to build blocks of flats, houses and bungalows to provide much needed accommodation for displaced families in the area, and to fulfil a growing need for housing at the time. This resulted in a very rapid expansion in the size of the community at Crossways. There is a thriving business park nearby and a new school opened in September 2006.
External links
Village Website: {http://crosswaysdorset.infoCensus data-
- Crossways is also the name of a large industrial development to the east of DartfordDartfordDartford is the principal town in the borough of Dartford. It is situated in the northwest corner of Kent, England, east south-east of central London....
in KentKentKent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
, EnglandEnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
- Crossways is also the name of a large industrial development to the east of Dartford