Not sure if Imber belongs in the military section or the residential section...
We went in January when they had an open day. It was bloody freezing.
History for those who don't know it, Imber was a little village on Salisbury plain. Imber was first mentioned in 967, then again in the Domesday book. Its population was around 250 from the 14-19th centuries, being recorded as 440 in the population census in 1851, but by the time the villagers were evicted, the population was down to about 150.
The War Office started using Salisbury Plain for military training, and by the time of WWII, Imber was a tiny little island surrounded by MOD land, must have been a thorn in their thumb. On 1st November, the villagers were called into the village hall and told they had 47 days to leave. They were promised at first that in 6 months' time they could reutnr, then that after the war they would be allowed back. But soon after the end of the war, the MOD decided they were not allowed to return. The villagers took the army to court, but in 1961 when as a result of a public enquiry, the village of Imber was given to the army, with the agreement that the 13th century church would be maintained.
During the 1970s, a "housing area" was built to practise house-to-house fighting and clearing rooms.
The village now opens a few times a year and is very popular.
No one seemed to take any notice of this one
Thanks to this sign my sister did think a dog cr@p was an unexploded land mine!
I think this was the pub
The church
Some people had been buried here as late on as the early 90s I think, possibly later.
I thought it was very disrespectful to let the village war memorial end up in a state like this
This is the "sheet music" for the church bells, I think it is 14th century
Imber Court, the only one you can't actually get to. I'm guessing its because it was owned by someone more powerful than your mere little villager.
The modern buildings
Look at what's stacked up in the background!
And some tanks
"Little Imber on the Downe,
Seven miles from any Towne,
Sheep bleats the unly sound,
Life twer sweet with ne'er a vrown,
Oh let us bide on Imber Downe."
The blacksmith allegedly died of a broken heart weeks after being evicted.
I thoroughly recommend next time its open, its a fascinating place and lots of stairs to climb! (Having stairs to climb makes me very happy as I still remember the ruined village we found in Spain when I was little and my mum wouldn't let me go up the stairs but my dad did!)
We went in January when they had an open day. It was bloody freezing.
History for those who don't know it, Imber was a little village on Salisbury plain. Imber was first mentioned in 967, then again in the Domesday book. Its population was around 250 from the 14-19th centuries, being recorded as 440 in the population census in 1851, but by the time the villagers were evicted, the population was down to about 150.
The War Office started using Salisbury Plain for military training, and by the time of WWII, Imber was a tiny little island surrounded by MOD land, must have been a thorn in their thumb. On 1st November, the villagers were called into the village hall and told they had 47 days to leave. They were promised at first that in 6 months' time they could reutnr, then that after the war they would be allowed back. But soon after the end of the war, the MOD decided they were not allowed to return. The villagers took the army to court, but in 1961 when as a result of a public enquiry, the village of Imber was given to the army, with the agreement that the 13th century church would be maintained.
During the 1970s, a "housing area" was built to practise house-to-house fighting and clearing rooms.
The village now opens a few times a year and is very popular.
No one seemed to take any notice of this one
Thanks to this sign my sister did think a dog cr@p was an unexploded land mine!
I think this was the pub
The church
Some people had been buried here as late on as the early 90s I think, possibly later.
I thought it was very disrespectful to let the village war memorial end up in a state like this
This is the "sheet music" for the church bells, I think it is 14th century
Imber Court, the only one you can't actually get to. I'm guessing its because it was owned by someone more powerful than your mere little villager.
The modern buildings
Look at what's stacked up in the background!
And some tanks
"Little Imber on the Downe,
Seven miles from any Towne,
Sheep bleats the unly sound,
Life twer sweet with ne'er a vrown,
Oh let us bide on Imber Downe."
The blacksmith allegedly died of a broken heart weeks after being evicted.
I thoroughly recommend next time its open, its a fascinating place and lots of stairs to climb! (Having stairs to climb makes me very happy as I still remember the ruined village we found in Spain when I was little and my mum wouldn't let me go up the stairs but my dad did!)