'I can't imagine why a Lancaster, capable of grass field performances, would ever need 5 miles of tarmac to stop, it didn't go fast enough in the first instance'
Manston and Woodbridge were both emergency landing grounds for aircraft in distress on operations in WWII. Hence they were wider and longer than the norm so that they could accept multiple diversions and potential accidents. They were located at the 'nearest' suitable locations to enemy territory, hence Manston on the Kent peninsular and Woodbridge on the Suffolk coastline.
Longest current runways off the top of my head are Heathrow, Gatwick and Macrihanish is up there very close to the top of the pile too. Aurora obviously not being STOL
