Tattershall Thorpe is a hamlet and civil parish about 1 miles (1.6 km) north east of Tattershall

Tattershall

Tattershall is a village and civil parish in the East Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England, located on the A153 Horncastle to Sleaford road, east of the point where that road crosses the River Witham. At its eastern end, Tattershall adjoins the village of Coningsby, to the north of the village...

, Lincolnshire

Lincolnshire

Lincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders...

, England and about 3 miles (4.8 km) south of Woodhall Spa

Woodhall Spa

Woodhall Spa is a civil parish and village in the East Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England within a wooded area on the Southern edge of the Lincolnshire Wolds, about south-west of Horncastle and about east-south-east of Lincoln...

.

The hamlet is notable because of its war-time connections with RAF Woodhall Spa

RAF Woodhall Spa

-History:Constructed on farmland 1 km south of Woodhall Spa, the station opened in February 1942 as a satellite station to RAF Coningsby. In August 1943 it became No 54 Base Substation. After victory in Europe the airfield was used as an assembly and kitting out point for Tiger Force...

, which was actually in this parish.

RAF Woodhall Spa

RAF Woodhall Spa

RAF Woodhall Spa

-History:Constructed on farmland 1 km south of Woodhall Spa, the station opened in February 1942 as a satellite station to RAF Coningsby. In August 1943 it became No 54 Base Substation. After victory in Europe the airfield was used as an assembly and kitting out point for Tiger Force...

 was planned as a satellite airfield to RAF Coningsby

RAF Coningsby

RAF Coningsby , is a Royal Air Force station in Lincolnshire, England. It has been commanded by Group Captain Martin Sampson since 10 December 2010.-Operational units:...

. Construction began in 1940, but because of the threat of invasion further construction was postponed until 1942 and the airfield opened later that year. It consisted of three concrete runways

Runway

According to ICAO a runway is a "defined rectangular area on a land aerodrome prepared for the landing and take-off of aircraft." Runways may be a man-made surface or a natural surface .- Orientation and dimensions :Runways are named by a number between 01 and 36, which is generally one tenth...

 and was equipped with aircraft hangars, and temporary accommodation for over 1000 men. As it was intended to be a heavy bomber base for Royal Air Force Bomber Command

RAF Bomber Command

RAF Bomber Command controlled the RAF's bomber forces from 1936 to 1968. During World War II the command destroyed a significant proportion of Nazi Germany's industries and many German cities, and in the 1960s stood at the peak of its postwar military power with the V bombers and a supplemental...

, there were also large bomb stores, situated to the north of the flying field, The airfield was mainly used by 97 Squadron and then 617 Squadron (famous as the Dambusters). In the latter part of the war 617 Squadron were involved in dropping powerful "Grand Slam" bombs. After the war flying ceased but the site was reactivated as a Bristol Bloodhound Missile site between 1960-1967. In 2000 part of the site remained in use by the RAF for testing aircraft.

Thorpe Camp

Thorpe Camp was part of Number 1 Communal Site, RAF Woodhall Spa, and was built in 1940. After the war, it was taken over by Horncastle Rural District Council who used it for temporary housing until the 1960s. By the late 1980s it was derelict, and likely to be knocked down, until the Thorpe Camp Preservation Group, a registered charity, first leased and then bought the site. They opened a small museum and Visitor Centre.

Bluebell Inn

The Bluebell Inn is a public house

Public house

A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...

 dating from the 17th century, with 19th and 20th century alterations. It is constructed of "mud and stud" and partly underbuilt with painted brick. It is a Grade II listed building, and houses some memorabilia from RAF Woodhall Spa, as well as signatures some of the members of 617 (Dambusters) Squadron on the ceiling.

Demographics

Population of Tattershall Thorpe Civil Parish Civil parish In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties... , 1891- 2001
Year	1891	1901	1911	1921	1931	1951	1961	2001
Population	277	233	222	213	196	482	178	264