Lodmoor / Weymouth

[Daveg4otu]

Just found out that I am going to be in Weymouth next Sat(14th) for several hours while Mrs Dave visits some relatives(my presence other than as driver not needed- thankfully).

Going to take the opportunity of visiting the Chickerell area and Portland , assorted strips in the vicinity, and Lodmoor - site of the early Weymouth aerodrome.

Question is - does anyone have any info about this place(Lodmoor) other than that contained in my Dorset Airfields index page...
http://daveg4otu.tripod.com/dorset/dorindex.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false
(scroll to foot of page.)

As far as I know the actual location was inland from the shoreline at approx 50.37.55N/02.26.02W(near Overcombe)...but any thoughts would be very welcome.

Dave

[Daveg4otu]

Further to the above post ..I visited the Lodmoor site today.

I spent a couple of hours wandering around the general area , buttonholing passers by and tried to find out what , if anything remained(bear in mind we're talking 70+ years).

Short answer is "nothing".....

I'd guess I talked to about two dozen people(dog walkers etc)... of those probably 60% were elderly- recently moved to the area (See Weymouth and die ?) and knew nothing.

Of the rest - most were aware that there had been a Cricket club at Overcombe Corner...and could point out approximately where....and three people knew that the cricket ground had been used as an aerodrome and ,again , could say approximately where.

Three pictures below...

Top picture is a GE view - the oulined area is the approx Aerodrome as pointed out by my interviewees .

The ground at the south edge ...and all to the west is now a rather boggy nature reserve ...quite what state the of ground would have been in the 1910-30s is anyone guess.

The next two pictures ...

First is the car park visible in the O/head from GE - which according to my witnesses is the approx site of the Cricket club buildings .
Second pic is a view from the sea wall looking N across the area - the car park area is visible extreme right- the green at centre mid - distance is an area of very flat dry(ish) turf.
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c118/daveg4otu/lod.jpg
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c118/daveg4otu/DSCF8582Medium.jpg

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c118/daveg4otu/DSCF8583Medium.jpg