VALE of Evesham historian Michael J Barnard paid a nostalgic visit to Long Marston airfield, set in a part of the South Warwickshire countryside that

Shakespeare knew and loved. He talked to Gerry Barnett about it:THE country lanes and byways around Long Marston are very much the same as they were in Shakespeare's England, as are the descendants of the hedgerows that still divide the lush green pasture lands. The only country feature missing is probably the majestic elm trees.

These are the country lanes Shakespeare and his friends used to wander, either to poach game or to walk along to visit their favourite ale houses, one being at Pebworth, or Piping Pebworth as mentioned in one of his plays.

Villages with such wonderful names as Broad and Long Marston, Lower and Upper Quinton and Little Wilcote, not far from Stratford, were the places in the 1940s in which the hospitality of villagers was extended to 1,000 RAF and WAAF personnel who were to arrive to staff RAF Long Marston, a newly-built heavy bomber airfield attached to 91 Bomber Group (RAF Abingdon) a satellite of No 24 OTU RAF Honeybourne.

The main mode of travel was the bicycle, used always on the airfield and also the way of getting to the local villages and pubs and what fascinating names they were, Masons Arms, College Arms, Kings Arms, Butchers Arms and the Shoulder of Mutton, while Stratford had the Dirty Duck.

"No wonder there were numerous prangs on the journeys home to billets along the country lanes," Mr Barnard said. "I think Shakespeare's own words in the Taming of the Shrew, Act V Sc. II, summed up the situation beautifully: 'He that is giddy thinks the world turns round'."

Mr Barnard's visit to the old Long Marston airfield was to enjoy looking round the Jet Aviation Preservation Group's wonderful collection of jet aircraft such as the awesome Avro Shackleton, three Hunters, Meteor, Camberra, Sea Venom, Vampire, Whirlwind helicopter and many more.

"I also took advantage of my visit to look round the old control tower, now the microlight aircraft HQ, a building that has not changed much over the years," said Mr Barnard. "As a member of our local ATC squadron I made many visits to Long Marston towards the end of the war. Circuits and bumps in Anson and Wellington aircraft were always very thrilling, sometimes making several takes-off and landings in one afternoon."

The airfield again came into use in 1952-54 as No 10 Advances Training School during the Korean crisis.

Mr Barnard's picture shows the familiar backdrop of Meon Hill, near the old airfield, with its chequered fields and meadows offering enjoyable summertime walks. The lovely spire on Quinton Church is like a needle in the tapestry of lovely Warwickshire countryside framed by Long Marston's historic airfield.

"Thankfully the airfield is still a flying airfield with the former airmen and women still holding a warm presence here," he said. "They may have left a long time ago but memory has that wonderful way of remembering them as they were. Thanks for what they did and for the precious memories that remain."

Mr Barnard said the Flight Sergeant's cycle propped up against the Wellington's wheel is an RAF issue affectionately known as Old Faithful, one of many thousands used on RAF airfields and strong enough to carry more than one airman home from the pub.