 Originally there had been a farm called Doncombe and a vineyard on the site of the airfield, the name of Doncombe Lane and Doncombe Hill being the last link to the farm.From 1940 to 1955 RAF Fighter Command units were based here.During the Battle of Britain the airfield served as a satellite field to RAF Middle Wallop, and squadrons rotated back and forth from there on a daily basis.