A step into the past, Spitfires and all (Eden Camp)

Member Name: Motherjoan

Product:	Eden Camp
Date:	02/11/05 (702 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: A great day out steping back into history

Disadvantages: None

The first time I heard of Eden Camp was when two years ago my husband came home to say we were going on a day trip and our destination was Eden Camp at Malton, North Yorkshire. This pleased me as I knew Malton was not too far away from one of my favorite places, Whitby, more so that if there was time we would be going on from the Camp to Whitby to end the day out.

Having not heard of the camp I wanted to know more of what to expect when I got there so I asked questions of people who had already been and also looked up the history of the camp on the Internet. And I was surprised what I discovered.

The History of The Camp

A group of soldiers were sent to Malton in 1942 with orders to build a barbed wire stockade and set up tents within the site. These tents were to house 250 Italian prisoners of war who were to be put to work building a larger more permanent camp of 45 huts built from similar material to prefab housing. The Italians remained at the camp until 1944 and by this time all the huts were completed and the grounds set out with watch towers, barracks and mess huts after which the camp became home to 1200 German POWs until 1948.

During the 4 years of captivity the German POWs were set to work at local farms helping with the ploughing, sowing and harvesting but once their daily farm duties were done boredom set in as there was nothing to do and so many of the prisoners would hand craft objects from pieces of brick-a-brak, wood, bone or material given to them by the farmers and their families to make craft objects. One prisoner made a four inch long hand craved bone cribbage set complete with pegs in a tiny drawer which he later presented to the farmer who had been good to him. Other things made were knitted baby shoes out of strips of material or tobacco pouches, carved wooden cameo pictures and many other things which were displayed at the time of my visit in one of the huts.

In the mid to late 1980's a businessman noticed the disused camp and found that 35 of the original huts were still intact. He found this fascinating. So, what he did next was to buy the site and invest a large amount of money creating within the original camp grounds, the only modern history war themed museum with moving figures, smells, sounds and movement and much much more transporting you back in time to the 1940's.

Visiting The Camp

From my seat on the coach as we entered through the gates and into the car and coach park, my first thoughts were "No way am I going to spend the next few hours looking around this place!" Its looked like an old army camp with absolutely nothing of interest, until I spotted the Spitfire, a Hawker Hurricane and various other World War II vehicles. Now my interest was sparked.

We got off the coach and made our way towards the huts. There are 33 huts in all, neatly lined in rows, and in between each is a lawn-ed area with benches at each end of the lawns. On some of the lawned areas different types of World War II vehicles sit, such as tanks, lorries, artillery guns, search lights and many other military equipment of that era. Each hut has an entrance ramp back and front leading in and out of the series of huts which contained a difference exhibit of a wartime theme, however rather go into full details of each hut which would not only take an extremely long time it would also spoil it for anyone wishing to visit almost like telling you the end of a film I will only pick out a few that remain more vivid in my memory and only describing a little of what is in that hut starting with Hut 1.

Hut 1

This was the start in more ways than one. Here you found yourself looking at the front parlor of a house with the family sitting around a flickering fire listening to the radio and hearing Neville Chamberlain as he delivered the Declaration of War on Sunday September 3 1939. This was only the first hut and already I had been transported back into my Grandmothers parlor with the decor, the furniture, the style of dress and the homely smell of what I thought was bread baking bringing back memories of my childhood. That is only one of the scenes in this hut, there were many, many more and for you to discover should you decide to visit.

Hut 2

Here we are at a railway station. Children and mothers with babies are climbing into carriages while other mothers are standing aside and waving goodbye to their children. We are on the evacuation train taking the children and nursing mothers away from the city air raids to a safe haven. There are hundreds of children hustling around some are laughing as if on an adventure, some are crying and afraid to be parted from their mothers. London and many other large cities sent away their children to the countryside although in some cases they were sent abroad to countries like Canada, Australia and New Zealand and away from the war. It is sad to think that when it was safe, a lot of these children who returned no longer had homes or families as they had been destroyed and killed in the blitz.

Hut 3

The ground is moving, it is a slight rolling and swaying feeling. We are on a submarine and it is moving through the water. Suddenly the rolling gets stronger and you hear the sound of the depth charges: the submarine is under attack. The noise echoes around you, the lights are flashing on and off you can feel the rolling and shaking from a close collision with the mines. The experience you are feeling is only a reconstruction but it is enough to make your heart beat faster. To the brave submariners it was real and you have to wonder how did they feel? What were they thinking? How did they live in such a confined space without feeling claustrophobic?

Hut 5

We find ourselves back in the parlor of the house of Hut 1 only this time it has been bombed. There is a gaping hole in the ceiling and a bed is hanging through the gap, everything has been destroyed by the blast and the following fire. No longer is there a smell of baking bread just the smell of smoldering furniture and smoke. Out in the street are firemen aiming their hose pipes on the flames of burning houses. You can hear the sound of the bells from the engines and the hiss as the water hits the flames and burning rubble. Smoke is everywhere you look and then you hear that sound, it is the dreaded doodle bug. The sound stops. You wait. You look up and listen. Where will it drop?

Hut 10

You cannot enter this hut because you see everything through the windows. The hut is set out exactly as it was during the years of 1942 - 1948. We are at the Prisoners Hut where in each 64 men were housed. You peer into the gloomy room and see rows of crude bunk beds with their thin mattresses, hard pillows and rough blankets. The room is meagerly furnished. There are figures of prisoners sitting at tables playing cards or writing letters, other are standing around talking or just laying on their bunks. Everywhere is so depressive with the air of demoralized defeat.

Hut 14

Here are the toilets including facilities for the disabled, the First Aid room and the Baby Changing Facilities. The reason I have included this is not only to advise what facilities are available but considering the hundred of people using these facilities each day they were impressively clean. I was extremely impressed.

Hut 16

Several of the huts have been designed and equipped to cater for food. Hut 16 is the Prisoners Canteen (NAFFI). The opening hours are 10.00 am to 5.00 pm with hot food served between the hours of 11.30 am and 3.30 pm with generous and tasty portions. I thought I should list just a few of the meals available.

Soup of D.Day £1.55

617 Dam busters Stew & Dumplings £3.99

Churchill's Pie (Local Steak Pie) £3.99

Submariners Feast (Battered Fish) £3.99

POW Quarter Pounder (Beef Burger in a Bun) £3.20

Bombers (Jumbo Sausage) £2.75

All these dishes include a serving of chips or potatoes and Beans or Peas.

You can also buy snacks, deserts, coffee and soft drinks at reasonable prices.

Set meals for groups are available with prior arrangement except from mid June to mid September.

In the Garrison Bar there is a range of alcoholic beverages available

The Grounds

As I have already mentioned there is a range of World War II military vehicles on display and each one of them had a group of young boys admiring them, touching them and climbing onto them with their little eyes wide open, their faces glowing and a look of wonder upon them.

I stood there watching and wondering what each little head was thinking or what dream world they were in, as they pretended to be the driver or pilot of whatever vehicle they were exploring.

Throughout the whole site I could not spot a single step. All the ground were accessible to the disabled and young mother with prams and pushchairs. Available to those who require them, wheelchairs can be loaned free of charge but they have to be pre-booked before the visit. Also on loan are braille sheets and audio cassettes containing information of the site.

Quiet areas have been created for those visitors who require special medication during their visit and each area is equipped with a power point for use of ventilators. Dogs are allowed on the site as long as they are on a leash but they are not allowed in the cafeterias.

One other interesting point is the whole site is kept and maintained by Army Cadets including the cook house duties,cleaning and gardening and what a wonderful job they do.

Opening Times & Admission

The Camp is open every day from 2nd Monday in January to 23 December times 10.00 am to 5.00 pm.

Adults £4.00, Children, Disabled and Senior Citizens £3.00

Party rates for groups of 10 persons or more, pre-booked and payable upon arrival is reduced by £1.00 per head.

School Groups rates for each group of 10 Children to 1 teacher, pre-booked and payable upon arrival Children £1.50 and the teacher Free admission, (this is for supervision purposes)

There is a large free car and coach park very close to the camp gates.

Please note Credit and Debit cards are not acceptable, cash and cheque with bankers card only.

You must allow 3 - 4 hours or more for your visit to be able to explore and see everything available. All in all this camp caters for all ages and needs and is a great day out for all. To think my first thoughts of this place were "Eerk" but not now. I enjoyed my visit so much that I have been twice since.

Eden Camp is just off A64 from York to Scarborough at Malton, North Yorkshire at the junction of the A169 to Whitby and about 15 miles from Castle Howard and north of Stamford Bridge

© motherjoan

Summary: A museum full of history from 1938 & 1945 revisiting the past