Eerie and abandoned places can really send a chill up the spine.
That’s certainly the case for one UK ghost village that one local maintains is “haunted by the ghosts” of former residents who were banished from their homes 80 years ago.
In 1943, 150 people living in the tiny village of Imber, on Salisbury Plain, were told to move out so the village could be turned into a military training area.
The residents were promised they could return to their homes after the war – but they were never allowed to venture back to the place where some of them were born and raised.
Now the village is still occupied by the Ministry of Defence with members of the public only able to visit for a few days in a year.
St Giles Church is the only undamaged building still standing – and over the years it has been given permission to open on a few occasions for special services.
Lord Peter Hendy of Richmond Hill who once lived in Imber runs a charity bus service to the village once a year, reports The BBC.
He said: “I think it is an extraordinary place and it’s haunted by the ghosts of the people who used to live here and the ghosts of thousands of military people who’ve trained here.”
Lord Hendy added: “But when nobody else is here, this is a very quiet, peaceful part of Wiltshire.”
In January of this year the last resident who will be able to be buried there was laid to rest – and it required special permission from the MOD.
Ray Nash was 87 and he had wanted to be buried alongside his father, who died in 1936 when Ray was one.
Son Kelvin, 63, said that despite the former mechanic barely remembering his time there, he felt drawn to the place, making regular visits to the family home.
Kelvin said: “The church was St Giles, so every year on St Giles day, September 1, we would go to the village which would be open to the public.
“My great uncle Albert was the blacksmith and was evacuated in 1943. He died in 1944 of a broken heart, according to his death certificate. It was a difficult thing for the family.
“Arranging the funeral was much easier than I imagined. There is a man who has volunteered for 17 years to look after the village who sorted everything for us.”
Troops had to escort mourners into Imber.
This year visitors are able to venture inside from Friday, December 29 until Tuesday, January 2. 2024. The village church will open Friday to Monday 11am to 4pm.
