Report - POW Camp Widnes/Warrington

[Webb7 Photography]

Visited this site over the weekend, access to the site is very easy no security. Not a bad visit and think I got some decent shots on this one. The site is very overgrown and unstable so if anyone visits I would advise to probably avoid the top floor as there are chunks missing out of it. There was also a cabin on site which wasn't as old as the site so I can only imagine that this was maybe for security or maybe some sort of construction/demolition after it was abandoned

History
From what I have read on this it was previously a POW camp. The main part of the site was demolished when they closed it but the warehouse still remains with a couple out smaller building out the back. Wasn't really able to find much more info on the building but here are the pics anyway. Pretty run down as it's been derelict for many years now.

Holes were on the upper floor, made it all look unstable

Lookout building at the from which can be seen from the roadside

These picture were of the building at the back of the property. Lots of tyres in there and around this site

We spotted this little temporary building on out way out.

 

[tigger]

Always seems odd that people call this a PoW camp when the remains of Barrows Green (H17) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Battery at the back are more extensive and predate the later use for PoWs. There is nothing left to show the use as a PoW camp.
The HAA Battery is a listed grouping and best visited in the winter, preferably after a dry spell of weather. The gun laying RADAR platform is a fairly rare survivor. Only two of the emplacements were fitted with guns. One of the emplacements and several of the buildings were demolished when the agricultural building and new house were built. The small water tower near the road also dates from 1940.

PoW Camp 290 (South Lane Farm Hostel) utilised some of the unused Royal Artillery Barrack huts to house low risk Italian PoWs and was subsequently used briefly as a displaced persons camp before returning to agricultural use (chicken farming). Post war the huts were sold off and at least one was still in use by 10th Warrington Scouts until fairly recently.