Petwood Hotel

grounds, Petwood Hotel grounds, Petwood Hotel grounds, Petwood Hotel

Petwood Hotel, set in magnificent grounds in the former spa town of Woodhall Spa, celebrates its centenary in 2005.

Petwood Hotel The house was originally built at the turn of the last century for Lady Weigall. The name Petwood, derives from the fact that the site she chose was in the area of her favourite 'pet wood'.

Lady Weigall was the only child of the furniture stores magnate Sir Blundell Maple. She lived at Petwood with her husband Sir Archibald Weigall.

Petwood was requisitioned by the RAF during WWII. In the latter stages of the War it was used as the Officers Mess for the famous Dambusters, 617 Squadron, who were then based at nearby RAF Woodhall Spa.

newspaper report of the Dambusters raid In the extensive grounds can be found a dummy practice bouncing bomb, as was used in the Dambusters raid.

Inside the hotel, the Squadron Bar is dedicated to 617 Squadron and has memorabilia from the period.

Over the bar can be found the branch of a tree. This was found impaled in the fuselage of a Lancaster.

Petwood Hotel, with its magnificent grounds, is now a favourite spot for wedding receptions.

July 2009, Petwood Hotel hosted a Bomber Command Memorial Appeal Banquet to raise funds and awareness of the sacrifices of the crew of Bomber Command during World War Two. Wildlife and aviation artist David Shepherd was the guest of honour. Three of his paintings were auctioned to raise funds for a Bomber Command memorial.

In the centre of Woodhall Spa, at the crossroads, can be found a War Memorial dedicated to the Dambusters, 617 Squadron.

Petwood Hotel, a favourite spot for wedding receptions Not far from Woodhall Spa, Thorpe Camp and Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre have exhibitions dedicated to the Dambusters.

Thorpe Camp, now little more than a collection of a few huts, was part of RAF Woodhall Spa, where the Dambusters, 617 Squadron, were based towards the end of WWII. It has a number of interesting exhibits including ones on the Dambusters raid and the sinking of the German battleship the Tirpitz.

Located at the former RAF East Kirkby, Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre has a Spitfire and a Lancaster and a large number of interesting exhibitions, including the Dambusters raid and the sinking of the Tirpitz.

The Blue Bell Inn, an ancient roadside inn at Tattershall Thorpe, in addition to serving excellent ales and food, has Dambuster connections. On the ceiling can be found signatures of members of 617 Squadron.

RAF Coningsby, still an active RAF base, is home to the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight – a Lancaster escorted by a Spitfire and a Hurricane.


Lincolnshire ~ Dambusters
(c) Keith Parkins 2005-2009 -- August 2009 rev 2