A Wiltshire village left abandoned for decades is set to open to the public for a weekend this Easter.
In 1943, people living in the village of Imber in Salisbury Plain were told they had 47 days to evacuate their homes so the area could be used for military training.
Following the war, it remained in use for training British troops to fight in Northern Ireland during the Troubles before it fell into disrepair.
More than 80 years on, Imber remains under the control of the Ministry of Defence.
Now, the abandoned village is poised to open its doors to members of the public on select days of the year.
This year, the volunteer-run St Giles’ Church in the village, which dates back to the 12th century, is set to allow visitors over Easter weekend from April 4.
There will then be a second chance for people to explore the deserted village for one day in August, when the ImberBus will ferry visitors from Warminster in Wiltshire.
The vintage buses will start their service from outside Warminster Rail Station, with passengers unable to reserve seats or book tickets in advance.
Vintage buses ferry visitors to the village on select days every year
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PA
According to the ImberBus website, there are little amenities at the village, including no shops, no permanent toilets, no electricity and no mobile phone or internet signal.
In recent years, campaigners have called for the remote village to be fully reopened.
A 2001 report found that St Giles’s Church, which is considered to be its main attraction, has fallen into severe disrepair, with the church tower being struck by lightning.
After a restoration project was finished in 2008, the permitted annual service of public worship resumed in September 2009 on completion of the works.
The volunteer-run St Giles’ Church will open for the weekend this Spring
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PA
Some members of the public and former residents have been buried at the churchyard, including Ray Nash in 2023, whose family lived in the village.
Ray Nash was the nephew of Albert Nash, who had been the village blacksmith for over four decades.
According to local legend, Albert was found sobbing over his anvil when he found out the village was going to be evacuated.
He was the first resident to be brought back to Imber for burial after it was abandoned, with residents suggesting he died of a broken heart after being forced to leave the village.
The village’s population peaked at 440 according to the 1851 census, before declining sharply by the time of the 20th century.
While it featured a pub called The Bell Inn and a small post office, the population had declined to around 150 by 1943.
