Imber, a village on Salisbury Plain evacuated in 1943 for D-Day training, remains abandoned and under Ministry of Defence (MoD) control, with public access limited to a few days each year. Visitors can see scattered bullet casings, destroyed tanks, and a few surviving original structures, including a 15th-century church.
Evacuation and military requisition
On 1 November 1943, residents of Imber received a letter from the War Office instructing them to vacate their homes within 41 days. Around 150 residents lived there at the time, many of whom had never left the village and had to seek housing through the local council.
The evacuation was driven by the village's location within the Imber ranges, north of Salisbury Plain. It was requisitioned as a training ground for American forces preparing for the D-Day landings.
Ghost village today
The villagers never returned. Stone cottages, two schools, a pub, church, farm and barn were either razed or commandeered by the military. The village now resembles a war zone, with derelict tanks covered in foliage along the approach road.
Signs warn 'Warning: troops training' and 'Danger: no public access'. The main road is used mostly by military personnel, and used bullets rest on the ground. The old courthouse, sealed with wire fencing, once hosted community gatherings.
Limited public access and St Giles Church
Public access is allowed for a few days each year, including Imberbus Day, when red buses bring hundreds of visitors. Most original buildings have been demolished and replaced with training facilities.
The Grade I-listed St Giles Church remains untouched. It is bordered by a high-wire security gate but opens on certain occasions: three days over Easter, Imberbus Day in August, the August bank holiday, a remembrance service in November, a carol service at Christmas, and some days after.
Church Custodian Neil Skelton said: "I was determined that the memory of Imber would not be lost, and it's through this church that we've managed to keep it like that. What gives me great pleasure is people coming here and enjoying it."
The church contains original 15th-century paintings, ancient pews, pillar arches and wooden beams. For more details on visiting, see the church website.
