This abandoned UK village vanishes for 310 days a year and now you can finally visit
- UK Hidden Gems
- 15 hours ago
- 2 min read
A town that has stood frozen in time since the Second World War is set to welcome visitors again for a short period.
This abandoned ghost village is cut off from the outside world for most of the year, and people are only allowed to visit during a few special open days taking place this week.
History fans and nature lovers travel here in large numbers, eager to see the place where around 150 people once lived before leaving in 1943.
Since that year, the quiet village of Imber in Wiltshire has only opened its gates to visitors for 12 days each year.
During the Second World War, families living in Imber were given just 47 days to pack up and leave so the village could become a military training ground for soldiers.
They were told they would be able to come back once the war ended, but even today the village remains under the control of the Ministry of Defence.
On selected open days, the public can explore the village and step inside the Grade I listed St Giles Church, which is open daily from 11am until 4pm.
The historic church is free to enter during these visiting days, and any donations are given to the Churches Conservation Trust to help pay for repairs and restoration work.
Alongside a former pub, the church is one of the few original buildings still standing in Imber. Many of the larger stone houses were damaged during army training exercises and later knocked down.
Other homes have been left as empty shells, while some have been rebuilt into plain, windowless structures designed to copy modern urban areas used for military training.
Although former residents can still be buried in the churchyard, the only full time inhabitants of Imber today are wildlife such as owls, badgers, birds and foxes, living undisturbed among the quiet streets.
Remember - LeaveNoTrace!
As with anywhere outdoors, kindly keep these areas pristine and wild by taking all trash with you. The amount of complaints we have seen since the pandemic is crazy. It's really not that hard to take your rubbish with you!
Litter tends to spread, so if you see any and are able to pick it up and dispose of it outside the hidden gem, it will help keep the area tidy.
Download the official APP!
Gain access to over 1,600 hidden gems and their co-ordinates all over the UK when you download our app. Add gems to your bucket-list and tick them off as you go along, as well as earn rewards/badges when you visit a certain amount.
Users will also have acess to over 9,000 parking spots across the UK as well as over 1,600 staycations in the UK.
Comments