Defford
| Defford | |
| Worcestershire | |
|---|---|
 St James' Church, Defford | |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | SO920429 |
| Location: | 52°5’14"N, 2°7’9"W |
| Data | |
| Post town: | Worcester |
| Postcode: | WR8 |
| Local Government | |
| Council: | Wychavon |
Defford is a small village in Worcestershire, sitting between the towns of Pershore and Upton-upon-Severn. It was once part of the Royal Forest of Horewell, but the woodlands were mostly removed around the time of the Civil War.[1]
The village has three pubs.
Defford is home to one of the radio telescopes that make up the Jodrell Bank MERLIN (Multi-Element Radio Linked Interferometer Network) radio telescope array linking six observing stations that together form a powerful telescope with an effective aperture of over 135 miles.
Defford airfield
In 1941 during Second World War, a Royal Air Force airfield was constructed mainly for the flying experiments for radar that was being developed in nearby Malvern. For a few months the airfield was used as a satellite station by the Wellington bomber training unit located at RAF Pershore.
A small grass airstrip remains on the now disused airfield that has been used as a location for telecommunications installations. The site is now owned and used by the West Mercia Constabulary, but the central part of the airfield still houses a Satellite Communications facility now operated by QinetiQ.
Society
The village hall is owned and run by a charity, the Defford Village Hall Trust, and managed by a committee of trustees .The current hall was built in 2011, on a greenfield site some 50 yards to the south west of the old hall. It has become the focal point of village life, well used by local clubs and societies.
Outside links
| ("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Defford) |
References
- ↑ A History of the County of Worcestershire - Volume 4 pp 163-177: Parishes: Pershore, St Andrew with Defford and Wick (Victoria County History)