Imber, Wiltshire, England.
April 2017
Imber is a ghost village on Salisbury Plain, a frozen relic from 1943 when its inhabitants were evacuated to allow army manoeuvres. Access is still limited but a visit will reveal much of interest.
Imber: a lyrical name for a little hamlet nestling beside the Imber Dock stream on Salisbury Plain. Dating back to the Iron Age, it received its first mention in Saxon times, in 967.
After that the decades and centuries passed quietly, largely in agricultural pursuits. There was the odd flood, or highway robbery, or even fire, but in 1943 the 150 inhabitants were living a largely peaceful undisturbed life.
Yes, most of the surrounding land had been bought up by the Ministry of Defence by the 1920’s, and movement on some days was restricted due to army manoevres, but a weekly visit to Devizes market was probably the most exciting event in most people’s lives.
The war was largely passing them by, when, on the 1st November 1943, the residents were called to a meeting. With the allied invasion of Europe looming on the horizon, US forces needed to practice their street fighting techniques – and little, isolated Imber fitted the bill.
Eviction of the village
The inhabitants were given 47 days to vacate their homes, in the belief that they could return after the war. And the rest, as they say, is history. Imber is history. The people were never allowed to return and the little village still remains a deserted, lonely outpost on the Plain.
An inquiry after the war sealed its fate when it ruled that it should continue in military use. However, it was agreed that the church should be maintained and be open for worship on the saturday closest to St Giles’s day – a practice that continues to this day.
And this is where we come in, for the MoD opens Imber to visitors on a couple of occasions each year (details below). It is a good opportunity to visit this little known village which is a delightfully British anachronism.
There are 2 approaches; I prefer the route which leaves the Tilshead to West Lavington road and winds across the wide open spaces of the Plain, passing some battered old tanks scattered as if on a distant battlefield. The other way is from Warminster and sometimes there is even a routemaster bus that can be taken from there to the village.
After the war, Imber continued to be used in training for urban warfare, notably in Northern Ireland, and there were even several empty houses constructed. Some of the abandoned houses suffered shell damage and there has been widespread erosion, but much remains to be seen.
The obvious attraction is St Giles’s church which dates back to the late 13th/early 14th centuries and has some 15th century wall paintings. It is lovingly maintained by the Churches Conservation Trust and on open days it is usually possible to get a cup of tea or coffee and cake. On our last visit there was honey for sale too: the Plain is the largest chalk down in Europe and has some unique flora which benefits from the lack of disturbance by man.
The Bell Inn still stands; Ushers brewery continued to issue a licence until the 1960’s in case the residents ever came back. There is also a farmhouse to be seen, some cottages and some ‘council house’ blocks built only in 1938. All are in a state of dilapidation.
The manor house, Imber Court, also survives, but in a boarded up derelict state. It was bought by the Holloway family in 1920 and rebuilt after burning down during the renovations; it did not enjoy its new lease of life for very long.
With its Easter open days coming up, do take the opportunity to explore Imber for yourself. The drive in itself is interesting and you can keep an eye open for the Great Bustard, a bird weighing up to 16 kg and standing nearly a metre tall, which was reintroduced in 2004.
To date, the only residents to have been allowed back are those who chose to be buried in the graveyard. Imber remains still as the old doggerel has it:
Little Imber on the down,
7 miles from any town.
Need to Know
Imber is 2.5 miles west of the A360 Tilshead – West Lavingon road and can also be reached via Warminster.
Imber opening hours 2024
Easter (7 April 2024 – 10 April 2024)
Imber Bus Day (19 August 2024)
The Routemaster bus runs from Warminster Station to Imber.
Further information