Inside ‘ghost’ village abandoned 82 years ago to help train Nazi-killers during WWII – that opens just 12 days a year

In the heart of the British countryside, 82 years ago during World War II. The ‘ghost’ village, abandoned to help train soldiers to kill Nazis in World War II, is open to the public just 12 days a year.

History buffs can discover an excellent time capsule in Imber, Wiltshire, which was evacuated in 1943 and converted into a military training area; this helps prepare soldiers ahead of D-Day and the course of the war.

Approximately 150 residents were forced from their homes and given 47 days to evacuate with the promise that they would be able to return after World War II.

But more than 80 years later, the village is still occupied by the Ministry of Defense (MoD) and the public is only allowed in for 12 days each year.

Many of the original cottages have been demolished over time, but the original structures of the Grade I listed St Giles Church and the old pub still survive.

Other surviving buildings were demolished in the 1940s after being badly damaged during training exercises.

The village and the surrounding countryside still play a vital role in the military for the Ministry of Defense, even being used to help train Ukrainian soldiers in their fight against Russia following Putin’s invasion.

Despite its importance, the public can still learn about the history of the site on specially designated occasions surrounded by rubble, signs warning of the danger of unexploded ordnance and other relics from past training exercises.

More than 80 years later, the village is still occupied by the Ministry of Defense (MoD) and the public is only allowed in for 12 days each year.

Imber was evacuated in 1943 to make way for military training exercises vital in the fight against the Nazis – but its residents were never allowed to return (Image: Soldiers in the village in 1962)

Guardian Neil Skelton, 77, from Wilton, Wiltshire, says there are a lot of visitors to the church every year.

The building is opened daily from 11:00 in the morning to 16:00 in the evening, on each of the 12 days granted by the Ministry.

These include Easter, a day in the summer, a carol festival just before Christmas and this week the village being accessible from 8am yesterday until the same time on January 2.

Visiting the village is free, but the public can provide donations, all of which go to the Churches Preservation Trust (CCT) for maintenance and restoration.

Mr Skelton said: ‘We get a lot of visitors. In the summer we had about 4,000 visitors on bus days, and on public holidays we had 3,000 visitors.

‘Some people come because they think they should come every time it’s open. People come without any interest in history.

‘It can get quite crowded in the church, some days you can’t move because there are so many people there.

‘This is very important in terms of areas of special scientific interest and of course the wildlife here is quite extensive. ‘Time has stood still because no one has lived in Imber for 82 years.’

Mr Skelton worked for CCT for 30 years until his retirement in 2008 and has volunteered for the job as custodian of the lost church ever since.

The village in Wiltshire now opens its doors to the public for just 12 days each year and is still owned by the Ministry of Defence.

Visiting the village is free, but the public can donate to the Churches Preservation Trust.

Although most of the original stone houses have been demolished, debris from training exercises can be seen scattered around some of the buildings.

The village and the surrounding countryside still play a vital role in the military for the Ministry of Defence; it is even being used to help train Ukrainian soldiers in the fight against Russia following Putin’s invasion.

Even on clear days, public areas of the village are strictly controlled

He says he enjoys the peace and quiet of the abandoned village and loves working on chaotic clear days.

The church sells drinks and merchandise and they raise an incredible £15,000 to £20,000 each year.

Although no one has lived in the village for over 80 years, those who lived there still have the right to be buried in the churchyard.

Mr Skelton added: ‘They couldn’t believe their luck when I offered to volunteer to take on the role.

‘I love the atmosphere and have always had a soft spot for the chapel. I just enjoy being there. It is a good church with a lot of history.

‘It all goes back to 1964, when, aged 16, I cycled from Salisbury to Imber and back in a day. It captured my imagination.

‘As a sexton, I always thought this was a church where I would never ring the bells, but in 2010 we installed the bells again and so I realized my ambition.’

He says that most of the old huts collapsed because their roofs were thatched and water got inside, while others were heavily damaged during training events.

The village now consists mostly of empty stone buildings, although the original church and pub still stand.

Guardian Neil Skelton, 77, from Wilton, Wiltshire, says the church gets a lot of visitors every year

Although no one has lived in the village for over 80 years, those who formerly lived in the village still have the right to be buried in the churchyard.

Despite the ghost town feel, Mr Skelton says the village is actually a nice, quiet place to work

A war memorial commemorating Imber residents killed or wounded during the First World War still stands there today

The Daily Mail reported Imber’s ‘death’ in 1948, when authorities decided the village’s residents would not be allowed to return.

Most of the other houses are either hollow shells or modern, windowless buildings built as military training sets.

Despite the ghost town feel, Mr Skelton says the village is actually a nice, quiet place to work.

He added: ‘It’s nice to have no one around. I often go by myself and I love it, it’s such a beautiful, peaceful place. The training ground is huge, about the size of the Isle of Wight.

‘I love meeting people, I have a good team of volunteers and we all work very well together.

Mr Skelton was awarded the British Empire Medal in 2016 for his services to the church.

The village last made headlines in 2023 when one of its former residents, 87-year-old Ray Nash, died and was buried in the churchyard.

In an extremely rare ceremony, Mr Nash was buried next to family members, including his father.

His son Kelvin Nash, 63, said his father Ray always wanted to be buried with his father in the village, who died when Ray was just one year old.

Ray, a former mechanic with the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, left the village with his mother after the death of his father in 1936.

Although he barely remembered his time there, he had always felt drawn to the place where his father, whom he never knew, lived; He had been visiting this area every year for as long as Kelvin could remember.

Approximately 110 mourners attended the final funeral service to be held in Imber to pay their respects.