Camera Obscura Building is a Grade II listed building in the Wiltshire local planning authority area, England. First listed on 8 November 2021. Camera obscura. 8 related planning applications.
Camera Obscura Building
- WRENN ID
- empty-brass-starling
- Grade
- II
- Local Planning Authority
- Wiltshire
- Constituency
- Salisbury MP: John Glen (Con)
- Country
- England
- Date first listed
- 8 November 2021
- Type
- Camera obscura
- Address
- Camera Obscura Building, Old Sarum Airfield, Old Sarum, Salisbury, Ngr: Su1521033448, Laverstock, SP4 6DZ
- OS grid reference
- SU 152 334
- Coordinates
- 51.10013, -1.78415
- Source
- Historic England listing
Description
The Camera Obscura Building was constructed between 1927 and 1931 for the Air Ministry’s School of Army Co-Operation at RAF Old Sarum. It is a single-storey structure made of brick in stretcher bond, featuring a pre-cast concrete roof covered in felt and a concrete floor. The building has concrete lintels over the openings, with windows that have metal casements and concrete sills. The door and window shutters are made of timber.
The building has a rectangular plan, measuring approximately 4.5 meters by 3.7 meters. The principal elevation faces north-west, with a door located to the right and a central casement window. Both the north-east and south-east (rear) elevations have a central window, while the south-west elevation features a fixed metal ladder leading to the roof. The former opening to the roof is sealed with boarding.
Inside, there is a step up from the door into a single room that includes a central boarded aperture in the ceiling, which is lined with metal casing. The three casement windows have timber shutters, and there are light fittings on both the ceiling and the wall.
Local climate
Camera Obscura Building receives an average of 790 mm of rain a year. This makes it drier than 58% of listed buildings in the UK. Its exposure to wind-driven rain is greater than that of 60% of listed buildings.
It experiences an average of 30 freeze-thaw cycles a year, fewer than 63% of listed buildings. Of these, 13 follow at least 1 mm of rain in the preceding 48 hours. Average temperatures at this location have risen by 0.3°C per decade since 1991.
Averages for 1991–2020; temperature trend 1991–2025. Figures describe the wider area (a grid cell of roughly 10 km), not the individual site. Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information 2026.
More on this building
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- Full EPC report — heating system, energy costs, size, glazing, construction etc.
- Sale history — 1 transaction since 2020
- Related listed building consents — 8 applications
- Detailed attributes — period, style, materials, features
- Flood risk assessment
- Radon risk assessment
- Weather exposure and heating demand — rain and frost month by month and year by year, wind direction, solar and humidity
Matched applications, energy data and sale records are assembled automatically and may contain errors. Flag incorrect data.
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Nearby listed buildings
- 3 Former World War I Aircraft Hangars at Old Sarum Airfield
- Old Sarum Airfield: Workshops Immediately to N of Central Hangar (Hangar 2)
- Old Sarum Airfield: Ta Headquarters
- Beehive Cottage
- Longhedge House
- Mill House and Attached Mill
- Granary at Bishopdown Farm
- Barn at Bishopdown Farm
- Old Castle Inn
- Remains of Old Sarum Castle and Cathedral