Bramcote Mains is farmed by David and Susan Eglin. It has an interesting recent history.
In 1938 the land on which the farm now stands was taken over by the Government for construction of an RAF base. During the war it was used for the training of bomb aimers and navigators although it is thought that at some point Hurricanes and Spitfires may have operated out of the airfield to protect nearby Coventry and Leicester. Towards the end of the war it passed into the hands of the Polish Air Force. At the end of the war the Fleet Air Arm renamed it HMS Gamecock and used it for similar training purposes. It is interesting to think that navigators for the Navy were being trained so far from the sea!
David’s family first contact with the site was when his father had the contract for mowing the grass which included the grass landing strips. When the site was returned to public hands in 1962 it was purchased by David’s father and returned to being a working farm as David left agricultural college in that year.
There are still signs of the wartime history of the site and the airfield’s barracks were later used by the army as a junior leaders regiment. They are known as Gamecock Barracks and in 1996 the 30th signals and Gurkha’s arrived. More information about that side of things can be found at Bramcote Hive
I will provide photos of the military remainsDavid’s family have pursued many activities over the years including pigs, sheep, organic soft fruits.
Currently we have two pedigree flocks – Dorsets and Charmoises – which provide lambs from November to May each year.
