RAF Ventnor
| RAF Ventnor | |
|---|---|
| Located near Ventnor in the Isle of Wight | |
Radar receiver towers and bunkers at Woody Bay near St Lawrence, a 'Remote Reserve' station to Ventnor radar station | |
| Site information | |
| Type | Radar Centre |
| Owner | Air Ministry Ministry of Defence |
| Operator | Royal Air Force |
| Location | |
| Coordinates | 50°36′00″N 1°11′00″W / 50.6°N 1.183333°W |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1938 |
| In use | 1938–1961 |
Royal Air Force Ventnor or more simply RAF Ventnor is a former Royal Air Force radar station located 0.7 miles (1.1 km) north east of Ventnor on the Isle of Wight, England. It was initially constructed in 1937 as part of a World War II coastal defence programme codenamed Chain Home. The site played an important role during the Second World War, providing early warnings of incoming bomber attacks carried out by the Luftwaffe.
The site was also part of the ROTOR programme in the 1950s as a Centimetric Early Warning (CEM) station, keeping a constant watch for suspicious Soviet bombers. During the time, an extensive bunker complex was also built at the site, which would later be converted for use as a shelter in case of a nuclear strike during the Cold War. Most of the buildings and facilities at the site have since been demolished, with the bunkers now sealed shut following unauthorised access.