The United Kingdom is home to a number of abandoned villages that urban explorers definitely do not want to infiltrate.  Many of them dating back to the Domesday Book of 1086, the villages were taken over by the British Army during World War Two and have never been returned to their residents.  Now used to train soldiers in close quarters combat for Iraq and Afghanistan, each village boasts a centuries-old church that remains intact despite exploding shells and bullets.

Imber, Wiltshire

(Images: Scott Wylie (top, bottom, right), cc-sa-3.0)

The uninhabited village of Imber stands on Britain’s Salisbury Plain – near Stonehenge, but far less touristy.  Villagers were evicted in 1943 so American troops could train for the invasion of Europe.  Much to the dismay of former residents, Imber remains accessible only to tanks and soldiers after more than 60 years.  Since World War Two, this once quiet Wiltshire village has helped train troops for Northern Ireland, Afghanistan and Iraq.

(Images: Scott Wylie, cc-sa-3.0; Rog Frost, cc-sa-3.0)

Numerous attemps have been made over the years calling for the restoration of Imber.  But despite public pressure, the village remains accessible only a few days each year.  One of Imber’s most striking buildings is the centuries-old church of St Giles and adjacent graveyard.  Dilapidated for years, the church was finally restored in 2008 and is open to worshippers, including former residents, once a year on St Giles’ day.

Tyneham, Dorset

(Image: WyrdLight (top, right) cc-sa-3.0; Steinsky (left), cc-sa-3.0)

Evidence of Roman occupation and ancient Iron Age fishing communities attest to the antiquity of Tyneham, a ghost village in Dorset, England.  But today Tyneham nestles in the untranquil setting of the Lulworth Military Range.  Mentioned in the Domesday Book and situated near the Jurassic Coast, Tyneham is accessible when the firing range is inactive, but intrepid hikers are advised to keep to footpaths due to unexploded ordnance.

Abandoned Villages of Langford, Stanford, Sturston and Tottington (within Stanford Battle Area, Norfolk)

In the English county of Norfolk, the ghost villages of Langford, Stanford, Sturston and Tottington sit within the 30,000 acre Stanford Training Area.  Established in 1942, the area required a “Nazi village” and today houses a mock Afghan settlement for modern warfare training.  The ghost villages are off-limits except certain days each year when former residents are afforded a retrospective look around.

Langford

(Images: John Salmon, cc-sa-3.0; Evelyn Simak, cc-sa-3.0; Simon Knott, cc-sa-3.0)

Entered into the Domesday Book as Langaforde, the landowner was Hugh de Montfort and the village had two mills, two beehives and a fishery.  Occupied mainly by tenant farmers in more modern times, the focal point of Langford is the small parish church of St Andrew.  Dating to Norman times, the church appears to be in good condition despite nearby shelling.

Stanford

(Images: Keith Evans, cc-sa-3.0; Nicholas Mutton, cc-sa-3.0; Simon Knott, cc-sa-3.0)

Another ghost village seized during World War Two and retained by the army thanks to the Cold War, Stanford, curiously, had a population of eight people in four households according to the 2001 census.  Like Langford, Stanford is characterised by a reasonably well maintained Norman church which sports are rather unusual cylindrical tower.

Sturston

(Image: Nicholas Mutton, cc-sa-3.0)

The ghost village of Sturston tells the same stories as its other abandoned counterparts.  But unlike Stanford, the 2001 census recorded zero occupants – which is a relief in this highly dangerous area of the military firing range.  Its location is 10 km north of Thetford and 40 km south-west of Norwich.

Tottington

(Images: John Salmon (top, left, right), cc-sa-3.0)

Tottington was also mentioned in the Domesday Book under the control of one Ralph FitzHelwin.  Despite the lack of public access, the parish church of St Andrew is fenced-off to troops.  The roof is clad in blast proof sheeting, while the original pantiles are stored inside ready for the church’s return to the public.

(Image: John Salmon, cc-sa-3.0)

But the wait could be a long one and the British Army’s bullets look set to keep flying.  While it may no longer be the most peaceful place, a World War Two veteran born in Tottington was recently buried in the churchyard.  Special permission had to be sought for what was the first burial in over 50 years.

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No. 1 The Square, Low Newton by the Sea

Hiding at the bottom of a hill adjacent to the Northumberland coast is the tiny fishing village of Low Newton by the Sea. Little more than a collection of 18th century cottages and farm buildings, the beach is protected by the National Trust and is popular year round with walkers and wildlife enthusiasts.

Images by Edd Armitage

(Images reproduced with permission of Edd Armitage, via his Flickr set)

Geographically, Low Newton is about half way between the border town of Berwick-upon-Tweed and Antony Gormley’s famous Angel of the North near Newcastle, in England’s North East. In this spectacular county of big skies, rolling hills and outstanding coastline, the village is easy to miss from the road, betrayed only by the former coastguard’s look-out (above), which sits on a hilltop with panoramic views out to sea.

Low Newton’s focal point, if you can steer your gaze away from the pristine beach, is the cream-washed square with obligatory pub, the Ship Inn, built around a pleasant village green. Further up the hill, the two-storey row known as Coastguard Cottages occupies a commanding position with magnificent sea views, and is a familiar waypoint to nautical folk navigating their way into Newton Haven.

Then and now: 19th and 21st centuries

The Square has changed little over the years, with permanent porches replacing older wooden structures.  But a major shift in demographics has seen the holiday market overtake many of the former cottages of farm hands and fishermen. Fishing mostly died out with the last generation, and while some hardy folk still trawl the coastal waters, fishing’s decline reflects both a dying industry and the end of an epoch.

The boatyard at Low Newton

Behind the Square and its associated farm buildings (many now coverted) is a boatyard, nestling at the base of the sand dunes. Stocked mainly with sailing dinghys brought out of hibernation when their owners venture to the North East on holiday, it is also the final resting place of a few larger vessels, relics of the fishing era and reminders of Low Newton’s past, many of them silently rotting away.

St. Mary's Bay/Newton Haven

Newton Bay, as locals call it, is arguably one of the most picturesque beaches in England. Officially called St. Mary’s Bay or Newton Haven, it’s a natural rock harbour sheltered from North Sea tides by an offshore reef. The rocks ensure a challenging environment for sailors at low tide, but also mean that any intrepid mariner that accidentally runs aground can hopefully step out onto the rocks before being confined to Davy Jones’ Locker.

Image by Hoch Zwei

(Image in public domain)

Popular with all manner of watersports, Low Newton was one of the first beaches windsurfing pioneers flocked to when the sport was established in the UK around 1960, when the “Windsurfer” was the only sailboard model on the market. The village has hosted numerous regattas, and was home to popular windsurfing and sailing schools for many years.

Images (top) by johndal and (bottom) Ian Knox

(Images top and bottom reproduced under Creative Commons licenses – here and here)

A cluster of rocks called the Emblestones marks the boundary of Newton Haven, set against the spectacular backdrop of Dunstanburgh Castle. This mighty fortress was a Lancastrian stronghold during the Wars of the Roses and has the scars to prove it. A popular subject for landscape artists like Turner, its stones also came in handy in the construction of local villages.  In addition to its historical past and popularity with watersports fanatics, Newton Haven is a well known wildlife haven for various marine mammals and sea bird species.

Image by yellow book

(Image licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic)

One curious local oddity is St. Mary’s Church which, dating back to the late 19th century, must be one of the earliest kit built churches around. Functional corrugated steel sheeting contrasts with traditional stained glass windows, and the “tin tabernacle”, as it is fondly known, has also stood in for the village hall at one time or another.  (For more interesting seaside churches, check out our article about the Fisherman’s Chapel.)

The Ship Inn, Low Newton

What would any isolated 18th century fishing village be without its pub, that welcoming bastion of warmth on hand to serve up a hearty pint and offer shelter from the wind and waves that batter the coastline outside? Low Newton’s is the Ship Inn (or the Smack Inn, as it was once called).  Now more restaurant than local pub, it caters primarily to walkers and is often closed on winter evenings.  The Ship was featured on the BBC’s Oz and James Drink to Britain – Episode 2.  

Northumberland is known as one of Britain’s best kept secrets, and a visit to Low Newton will explain why.

All uncredited images are by the author.

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Main image by Des Colhoun. Inset: St Kildans in 1886

For thousands of years, human beings have successfully adapted to their environments and coped with some of the toughest challenges that nature could throw their way.  But some places are just so wild that after several millennia, hardy settlers have little choice but to abandon their homes.  As such, the lonely islands off the north west coast of Scotland are a swirling mixture of windswept grasslands,  craggy sea stacks, shipwrecks and abandoned settlements.

St Kilda

The tiny archipelago known as St Kilda contains the westernmost islands in Scotland’s Outer Hebrides and is one of the most isolated clusters in the North Atlantic.  With no barrier between the tiny islands and vast expanse of ocean, the winter storms that gather momentum over thousands of miles deliver a relentless battering to these shores.  It’s little wonder then, that after more than 4,000 years of occupation, the tiny population finally surrendered to the elements.

Isle of Soay, St Kilda (image by Olaf1950)

In 1852, not happy with simply making a trip to the Scottish mainland, 36 islanders – around a third of the population – decided to attempt the long and risky journey to Australia.  Many reportedly perished at sea, but the abundance of towns and suburbs named St Kilda in Australia – especially one small suburb in Adelaide – suggests that some who had witnessed the tiny archipelago did make it “Down Under”.  By 1930, the remaining islanders decided to make the shorter trip to the mainland.  They petitioned the government to evacuate them and on August 29, the St Kildans left the islands for the last time, taking most of their livestock with them.

Families outside their houses (left); St Kilda parliament (right)

(Images above via Friends of Scotland)

The tiny community lived on Hirta, St Kilda’s largest island.  Huddled on a hillside around Village Bay, the most sheltered area, St Kildans went about their daily business of farming crops, tending to sheep and raising their children.  The pictures above, from 1886, paint a picture of how life must have been on a typical day – with the men in the right hand picture wearing what look like nineteenth century versions of the “See you Jimmy” hat!

Images by gajtalbot

The isolated location and sturdy build of the cottages and other structures mean the village survives largely intact to this day.  The unforgiving weather has not surprisingly taken its toll on some of the buildings, but looking at the right hand picture above, you could be forgiven for thinking the street has not changed much in the last 80 years.  That said, the renovated roofs on several of the cottages denotes ongoing renovation since the islands were declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1986.

Images by gajtalbot

The series of images above show a collection of scenes around Hirta.  The dry stone walls once sheltered crops of oats and barley from the salty wind and livestock that grazed the hillside behind the settlement.  The curious looking beehive-shaped structures are called cleitean.  These protected stores of food throughout the long winter, as well as dried peat used for fuel.  The top left image shows the haunting remains of the main settlement, with the end of the street to the right of the picture and a network of stone walls beyond.

St Kilda cemetery (image by Bob Jones)

Only the dead remain.  This dry stone wall protects the islanders’ tiny cemetery where generations of St Kildans rest, watched over by the chilly North Atlantic winds.  (Weburbanist does a great article about exposed settlements, including a nice section about St Kilda.)

North Rona

Image by David Hoult

North Rona lies 44 miles north north east of the bizarrely-named Butt of Lewis, and is the most remote island in the British Isles to have once been inhabited longterm.  Even more isolated than St Kilda, it is the closest neighbour of the Faroe Islands.  Rona (Rònaidh, in Gaelic) is so isolated that it is often omitted from maps of Britain, lending its mysterious Celtic ruins an even more enigmatic air.  In the foreground (above) can be seen the remains of St Ronan’s Chapel, while the hut on the horizon provides temporary living accomodation for Durham University scientists studying the island’s native grey seal colony.

Images by Peter Strugnell

The image (right) shows the Celtic remains of St Ronan’s Chapel and graveyard.  It dates from the 8th century and is one of the three oldest Christian churches in Scotland.  The impressive cave (left) is the result of constant erosion from the ferocious waves.  One day, the entire northern peninsula could become a separate island as a result of continued erosion by Atlantic storms.

Images by JJM

Images by john m macfarlane

Shipwrecks are a brutal reminder of the ocean’s ferocity as it pounds and traps hapless vessels in the driving swell beneath the overhanging cliffs and craggy stacks.  Once boats run aground here, there is little chance of saving them before they are mercilessly battered against the rocks.  The lower wreck is the fishing boat Moray Adverturer.

South Rona

Stone pews in Church Cave, South Rona (image by Carolyn Mansfield)

Less isolated than its northern counterpart, but still chilly and exposed nonetheless, is the island of South Rona.  Languishing slightly more comfortably (anyone who has visited Scotland will know this is relative!) within the Inner Hebrides, South Rona is home to this unique cave.  At first glance it looks nothing out of the ordinary, except that the horizontal stone arrangements on the floor are actually the remains of stone pews – and this cave was once a fully consecrated Christian church!  Known as Church Cave, it was the scene of regular Sunday services until a proper church was built in 1912.  Even then, it continued in sporadic use until the 1970s.  So while North Rona may have one of the oldest churches in Scotland, South Rona surely has the only consecrated cave in the land!

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