New Mill
NEW MILL: Private airstrip?
NOTE: One of the main aspects of producing this 'Guide' is to pose questions rather than always seeking to provide answers. This being yet another example where only a guess can be made. If anybody can kindly offer advice this will be most welcome.
We have to thank Mr Graham Frost, a great friend of this 'Guide', for pointing out this item. It concerns the Auster J/4 Archer, G-AIPR. This was registered to Mr Hilary C N Goodhart, at this address, (New Miil, Inkpen),from 03.03.49 until 26.10.56. He then became part of a group, known as the Heron Flying Group, who had registered G-AIPR from 02.01.57 until 03.05.59.
Location: Just NE of Inkpen, about 6nm WSW of Newbury town centre
Probable runway: 07/25 550 grass
SO, WHAT CAN WE MAKE OF THIS?
Applying the age old scientific principle that if it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck and waddles like a duck - it probably is a duck, the field we have selected close to and just north-east of New Mill, (see local view above), appears ideal. Orientated towards the prevailing winds, suitable for a 'tail-dragger' aeroplane, all the few available signs appear to confirm our idea that G-AIPR was based here. But, was it?
ANOTHER IMPORTANT CLUE?
Having noticed this new listing in December 2025, Mike Holder, another great friend of this 'Guide', kindly added this information. Turns out that Commander Hilary C N Goodhart (RN) was very well known in those days. An engineer and aviator he invented and developed the Mirror-Sight Optical Glide-Path Indicator for use on aircraft carriers. He was also a World Champion and record breaker in gliding.
Clearly not definitive proof that he had his own airstrip here, but I think if anybody was likely to, it was him.
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