Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
A view of Brașov’s Old Town.
Romania • 12 days, 11 nights
Legends of Romania: Castles, Ruins & Culinary Delights
from
Balkans road trip
Bosnia and Herzegovina • 9 days, 8 nights
Balkans Road Trip: Serbia, Croatia & Bosnia and Herzegovina
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
The ‘Old Secretariat’ government building in New Delhi.
The 'Old Secretariat'
This set is inspired by a Roman arena.
Bozdağ Film Platolari
The Sea Water Distilling Plant.
Sea Water Distilling Plant
Contemplative paths.
Ayo Rock Formations
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
The pavlova comes crowned with jewel-like fruit.
Central Park Boathouse
The Village Tavern of Long Grove - exterior.
The Village Tavern
Hunter House Hamburgers
L’Escamoteur
Names on the bartop.
The Dive
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Wortley built the wooden backpack she used while retracing Alexandra David-Néel’s journey from a chair she found on the street in London.
How Elise Wortley Climbed Mont Blanc in 1830s Women’s Attire
29 days ago
Simplicity is key: Just a slice of bread with a sprinkling of salt and pepper is the perfect accompaniment.
The Sweet Second Life of Creole Cream Cheese
29 days ago
My rendition of frog legs, popping mushroom curry, pad prik khing with salted egg yolk, and sweet khanom thuai.
Recreating My Favorite Meal From Thailand
29 days ago
Inside London’s Gorgeously Curated ‘Art Restaurants’
29 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United Kingdom England Everton RAF Tempsford Memorial Barn
AO Edited

RAF Tempsford Memorial Barn

Set amid the remains of a secret WWII airfield, this barn was preserved as a memorial to Allied agents who parachuted into Europe.

Everton, England

Added By
Morten Buus
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
  Adrian S Pye
  Adrian S Pye
The interior of the barn in 2012.   Peter Skynner
Remains of the runways   Morten Buus / Atlas Obscura User
Memorial placards inside the barn   Morten Buus / Atlas Obscura User
Inside the barn   Morten Buus / Atlas Obscura User
  Snowdrop68 / Atlas Obscura User
  Snowdrop68 / Atlas Obscura User
  Snowdrop68 / Atlas Obscura User
  Snowdrop68 / Atlas Obscura User
  Snowdrop68 / Atlas Obscura User
RAF Tempsford Memorial Barn   Morten Buus / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

One of the hundreds of airfields set up by the British Royal Air Force (RAF) during WWII, RAF Tempsford was established in 1940. Placed between an old Roman road and the railway to Peterborough, it was an unique facility: Named Gibraltar Farm and designed to resemble a working farm, it was set up to help facilitate infiltrations by Allied special agents into Nazi-occupied Europe.

From RAF Tempsford, aircraft flew across the Channel to drop supplies to resistance movements, while Westland Lysander planes (you can see an example at the nearby Shuttleworth Collection) dropped or picked up agents who quickly clambered up and down a ladder kept outside the plane to enable touchdowns and takeoffs in mere minutes. Accounts of the agents, who included female members of the Special Operations Executive (or, as Churchill called it, the Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare), are full of heroism and bravery, although many agents died in action.

After the war, the main barn, where agents received their gear and kits before flights, was preserved as a memorial to the agents, even as the rest of the airfield was converted back into farmland and for private commercial use. It now makes for a fascinating sight and poignant visit.

Related Tags

World War Ii Aviation Memorials Secret Spies Military

Know Before You Go

The barn is technically on private land, but there are regular memorial events, as well as regular access at the owner’s jurisdiction. The airfield can clearly be seen from the nearby footpaths, and the former RAF Tempsford makes for an excellent addition to any East Bedfordshire walk or cycle. The nearest parking is a very small lay-by on Tempsford Road, a 10-minute walk to the south.

The nearby area contains other memorials and museums to the area's World War II history, including a Memorial to the Women of SOE, a plaque at St. Peter's Church, and artifacts and information at the Tempsford Museum & Archives in the Stuart Memorial Village Hall, which, although not open every day, is a good place to ask about visiting the barn. 

Community Contributors

Added By

Morten Buus

Edited By

Alex Mayyasi, Snowdrop68

  • Alex Mayyasi
  • Snowdrop68

Published

January 1, 2021

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • http://www.tempsfordmemorial.co.uk/history.html
  • https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1390750
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Tempsford
  • https://harringtonmuseum.org.uk/tempsford-airfield/
RAF Tempsford Memorial Barn
Everton, England, SG19 2JW
United Kingdom
52.158529, -0.258323
Visit Website

Nearby Places

Westland Lysander at the Shuttleworth Collection

Central Bedfordshire, England

miles away

The Panacea Museum

Bedford, England

miles away

Medieval Graffiti of the Church of St. Mary the Virgin

Ashwell, England

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of England

England

United Kingdom

Places 2,231
Stories 145

Nearby Places

Westland Lysander at the Shuttleworth Collection

Central Bedfordshire, England

miles away

The Panacea Museum

Bedford, England

miles away

Medieval Graffiti of the Church of St. Mary the Virgin

Ashwell, England

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of England

England

United Kingdom

Places 2,231
Stories 145

Related Places

  • The bust of Violette Szabo.

    London, England

    S.O.E. Monument

    A bronze bust commemorates the heroism of the secret agents who led covert operations against the Nazis.

  • The monument.

    Fairbanks, Alaska

    Lend-Lease Monument

    This super-sized statue is the only public memorial to the deal that ended America's neutrality during World War II.

  • The guard tower.

    Minneapolis, Minnesota

    Thorp Building Navy Guard Towers

    During World War II the Thorp building was guarded by the OSS, FBI, and US Navy because of the top-secret bombsight being produced there.

  • Ford TriMotor Plane

    Port Clinton, Ohio

    Liberty Aviation Museum

    Inside an airport, visitors can explore this museum where history takes flight.

  • Viterbo, Italy

    Fontana-Monumento al Paracadutista d’Italia

    This war memorial commemorates some of the world's first paratroopers.

  • ‘Arbeit Macht Frei’ - the entrance to camp in the Terezin fortress

    Terezín, Czechia

    Theresienstadt (Terezín Concentration Camp)

    Created as a "model concentration camp" to hide Nazi atrocities from the international community, this former camp-ghetto now holds a museum and memorial honoring the lives lost within.

  • Ballum, Netherlands

    Dixie Flyer Crash

    Found in the waddenzee, this propeller has been put on public display as a reminder of the Second World War.

  • Mound, crypt and statue

    Berlin, Germany

    Soviet Memorial (Sowjetisches Ehrenmal)

    For patriotic Russians, this memorial honoring the Soviet soldiers who died liberating Berlin in 1945 is the most sacred location outside of Russia.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.