It was first selected to be used as a radar station in 1937, when it was set up as part of the Chain Home system, being some 590 feet (180 m) above sea level and only 4 miles (6.4 km) inland of the Yorkshire Coast.

[8] Just before the outbreak of war (July 1939), the base was equipped with a Bofors anti-aircraft gun,[9] and by December 1939, it was only one of two operational radar stations in Yorkshire (the other being Danby Beacon).

[10] For six weeks during late 1939, Sir Bernard Lovell was posted to Staxton Wold from the University of Manchester whilst assessing radar at the site.

[17] In April 1980, the station was an attack target in Exercise Elder Forest 80, which involved 1,500 NATO aircraft testing the air defences of the RAF's early warning and radar network.

[23] As part of a major upgrade of RRH sites around the U.K. the MOD began a programme titled HYDRA in 2020 to install new state-of-the-art communications buildings, radar towers and bespoke perimeter security.