# RAF Dry Tree > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/RAF_Dry_Tree > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/RAF_Dry_Tree.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Dry_Tree > Source revision: 1351748171 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) Former Royal Air Force early warning station in Cornwall, England This article needs more citations. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "RAF Dry Tree" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (May 2014) (Learn how and when to remove this message) RAF Dry Tree Goonhilly Downs Near Helston, Cornwall in England View inside the receiver block at RAF Dry Tree. Site information Type Chain Home radar station Owner Air Ministry Operator Royal Air Force Open to the public yes Location RAF Dry Tree Shown with Cornwall Show map of Cornwall RAF Dry Tree RAF Dry Tree (the United Kingdom) Show map of the United Kingdom Coordinates 50°2′44.1″N 5°12′18.24″W / 50.045583°N 5.2050667°W / 50.045583; -5.2050667 Height four 360 feet (110 m) transmitter masts Site history Built 1940 (1940) In use 1940- Fate demolished with the exception of ground level buildings and concrete hardstandings Battles/wars Second World War **RAF Dry Tree** was a [Royal Air Force](/source/Royal_Air_Force) [early warning radar](/source/Early_warning_radar) station for detecting enemy aircraft during the [Second World War](/source/World_War_II). It was built in 1940 on [Goonhilly Downs](/source/Goonhilly_Downs), on the [Lizard peninsula](/source/The_Lizard) in [Cornwall](/source/Cornwall), a short distance to the south-east of the [Goonhilly Earth Station](/source/Goonhilly_Satellite_Earth_Station).[1][2] It was named from the [standing stone](/source/Menhir) on the land known as the Dry Tree menhir. ## Purpose Its purpose was detecting aircraft approaching South Cornwall and the [Western Approaches](/source/Western_Approaches). It had four 360 feet (110 m) transmitter masts and two 240 ft (73 m) wooden receiver masts.[1] Its existence was only revealed after the war had ended. Most of the station was destroyed in the early 1960s to make way for the [satellite communication station](/source/Goonhilly_Satellite_Earth_Station). Some buildings and structures still exist and are located within a [nature reserve](/source/Site_of_Special_Scientific_Interest). The nerve centre was the receiver block which now has public access to the roof, giving excellent views across the Downs. Other buildings and structures which were part of RAF Dry Tree can also be seen. ## Dry Tree menhir The Dry Tree menhir, a standing stone from which the station took its name. [Cornish heath](/source/Cornish_heath) is seen in the foreground The **Dry Tree menhir** is a ten foot [standing stone](/source/Menhir) located on the ex-RAF Dry Tree site at Goonhilly,[3] from which the station takes its name. The menhir was seemingly named Dry Tree due its resemblance to a dry tree trunk. The location of the menhir was where the boundaries for six parishes met in medieval times. It dates back around 3,500 years. It was dug out during the 19th century (by gold hunters) and was put back in its upward position in 1927, after [World War I](/source/World_War_I), but soldiers had cut one metre off its top.[4] Dry Tree is west of [Traboe](/source/Traboe).[5][6] ## See also - [List of former Royal Air Force stations](/source/List_of_former_Royal_Air_Force_stations) ## References - [Cornwall portal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Cornwall) 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-dp_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-dp_1-1) hydealfred. ["RAF Dry Tree Chain Home Radar Station"](http://www.derelictplaces.co.uk/main/showthread.php?t=18472#.VHm3dGeuT-A). *Derelict Places*. Retrieved 29 November 2014. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Site of RAF Dry Tree"](https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1678265). *Geograph*. Retrieved 31 May 2014. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-Helstonhistory_3-0)** ["Dry Tree Menhir | HELSTON HISTORY"](http://www.helstonhistory.co.uk/old-customs/dry-tree-menhir/). Retrieved 11 October 2021. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Dry Tree, Goonhilly"](https://www.cornwalls.co.uk/history/sites/dry_tree.htm). *Cornwall Guide*. 11 May 2015. Retrieved 1 February 2025. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** [Dry Tree/Gwedhen Sygh](https://www.akademikernewek.org.uk/place-names/content/dry-tree) 1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** [OS map of Try Tree and Traboe](https://www.geograph.org.uk/showmap.php?gridref=SW729209) v t e Royal Air Force Formations and units Units Commands Groups Wings Squadrons Flights Conversion units Operational Training units Schools / Training units Ferry units Glider units Misc units Stations Active Former Satellite Landing Grounds Station description Regiment Wings Squadrons Flights Branches and components Air Force Board RAF Regiment RAF Chaplains Branch RAF Intelligence RAF Legal Branch RAF Medical Services Princess Mary's RAF Nursing Service RAF Police RAF ground trades RAF Music Services RAF Search and Rescue Force RAF Mountain Rescue Service RAF Marine Branch RAF Air Cadets Operations Reserve forces Royal Auxiliary Air Force RAF Volunteer Reserve Equipment List of RAF aircraft current future List of RAF missiles List of equipment of the RAF Regiment Personnel Officer ranks Other ranks List of notable personnel List of serving senior officers Personnel numbers Appointments Chief of Air Staff Assistant Chief of the Air Staff Air Member for Personnel Air Secretary Air Member for Materiel Commandant-General of the RAF Regiment Warrant Officer of the RAF Symbols and uniform Badge Ensign Heraldic badges Roundels Squadron standards and battle honours Uniform Associated civil organisations Air Training Corps Combined Cadet Force (RAF section) RAF Association RAF Centre of Aviation Medicine RAF Benevolent Fund RAF Football Association RAF Museum History Timeline Future v t e Royal Air Force radar stations UK radar stations Active Benbecula Brizlee Wood Buchan Neatishead Portreath Saxa Vord Staxton Wold Former Aird Uig Ash Bawdsey Beachy Head Bempton Bent Rigg Bishops Court Chenies Craster Cresswell Danby Beacon Donna Nook1 Dry Tree Goldsborough Holmpton Hope Cove Kilchiaran Patrington Portland Ringstead Sopley Stenigot Swingate Down Trimingham Ventnor West Beckham Worldwide radar stations Active Byron Heights (Falkland Islands) Mount Alice (Falkland Islands) Mount Kent (Falkland Islands) Mount Olympus (Cyprus) Former Madalena (Malta) Notes 1: Still in RAF use as a bombing range v t e Royal Air Force stations in Cornwall Active stations Portreath St Mawgan Inactive Cleave Davidstow Moor Dry Tree Perranporth Predannack St Eval Tresco --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [RAF Dry Tree](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Dry_Tree) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Dry_Tree?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.