Quezi

Harperley POW huts in need of restoration. (Photo by Draco2008 CC-BY)

Harperley Prisoner of War Camp in County Durham, England, which was used during the Second World War to house Italian and German POWs has been placed for sale on Ebay under a classified listing. The asking price is £900,000.

The present owners acquired the camp 10 years ago with the intention of turning it into a leisure attraction. They were successful in campaigning for its historical importance to be recognised by English Heritage which later gave it a Monument status. This identified its importance as a historical site.

Some restoration and renovation has been made to the original buildings, and new visitor facilities have been built, but the owners have recently struggled to find funds, despite gaining planning permission. They have had to put development of the site on hold for the last two years.

The camp, which was known as Working Camp 93, was built on requisitioned farm land. Intended for low risk POWs, the first to arrive were Italians from the North Africa theatre of war. They were housed at first in tents and were responsible for building the rest of the camp. They built around 50 buildings, most of which still remain. One of them was theatre and the second a canteen. In the latter, a set of painted wall murals of German countryside scenes still remain. The remainder were Ministry of War supply standard huts.

The German POWs arrived in late 1944, while the Italians were sent to hostels and to work on farms. After the end of the war the German prisoners were gradually repatriated, apart from those who wished to stay in Britain and take up British citizenship.

The new owner will certainly be facing a challenge in establishing this as a tourist attraction.

Google maps satellite image showing the camp.

Ebay classified advertisement