Heritage at Graven Hill

The homes here are new, but Graven Hill as a place has history dating back over six thousand years.

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Long before the first self-build plot was staked out, people were living, farming and trading at Graven Hill. These streets, courtyards and green spaces sit on top of six thousand years of history.

The Archaeological Story

In 2015, Oxford Archaeology undertook an evaluation of the site ahead of development. The finds spanned thousands of years — a Neolithic flint axe fragment, an Iron Age gold coin, Saxon brooches and medieval pottery all came to light. A medieval floor of large limestone slabs was also uncovered, suggesting buildings of some significance once occupied this ground.

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Graven Hill in WWII

What Graven Hill was used for in WWII
Operation Bolero

The United States entered the war in December 1941. It became important to construct facilities to accommodate American troops and equipment in the United Kingdom, in anticipation of the invasion of the European continents. The combined chiefs of staff called this ‘Operation Bolero’.

Nissen & Romney Huts

Nissen huts were originally designed in World War I by Major Peter Norman Niseen, of the 20th Company Royal Engineers. The one’s at Graven Hill were constructed in the second world war.

Romney Huts were developed during the Second World War to supplement the Nissen hut. A total of eleven Romney Huts were located around the Graven Hill site with each being altered to suit their original or later use.

The Ordnance Support Unit

The Ordnance Support Unit (OSU) was located on the North side of Westacott Road. The complex comprised of eight Romney Huts, four Nissen Huts, two prefabricated offices, two brick ablution blocks, a brick quartermaster store and a water tank. The complex was serviced by a railway siding on the south side. The exact use of the Ordnance  Support Unit has not been revealed through research.

What you can see today

The heritage of the site is very important at Graven Hill and parts of it can still be seen today.

Throughout the site you can see sections of the Graven Hill Military Railway which was used to service the Ordnance Support Unit complex and the facilities in Operation Bolero.

You can see the exact ‘historic footprint’ of a Nissen Hut paved into the Silibivari Courtyard at the exact location where it stood at an important time in our history.

Akeman Street was approximately 70 miles long and linked areas we now know as St Albans and Cirencester. Part of the road was reconstructed in its original alignment on the site.

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