Tiny abandoned UK village where no one can enter without special permission

Daily Mirror

01-06-2025

Stanford, a deserted village and civil parish in Norfolk, was taken over by the British Army during the Second World War and can only be accessed with permission
A Norfolk village can only be accessed with special permission from the military. Stanford, an abandoned village and civil parish in the English county, was seized by the British Army during World War II.
It was subsequently dubbed the Stanford Battle Area, and to this day, it serves as an active infantry training ground. The village was evacuated and reformed in 1942 to mimic a 'Nazi village', playing a crucial role in the preparations for the D-Day invasion.
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In 2009, an additional section was incorporated into the Battle Area to train troops set to be deployed in the Afghan war, as previously reported by the Mirror.
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This section comprises houses, a market, a mosque, and even a system that emits odours such as rotten meat and sewage. The 16 Air Assault Brigade conducts their annual Gryphon exercises there, along with cadets aiming to complete Fieldcraft exercises.
Located seven and a half miles north of Thetford and 25 miles southwest of Norwich, the village lies within a restricted area, and visitors must obtain special permission from the Army to enter. Access is primarily limited to a handful of tours throughout the year and on compassionate grounds for former residents or their relatives.
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Live fire drills are conducted on site, so entering at your own risk could have serious repercussions. Structures like the parish church of All Saints are equipped with blast-proofing sheeting to shield them from military operations. Each of the surviving churches and churchyards in the region is enclosed by wire fencing.
Stanford is one of six Norfolk villages unceremoniously abandoned during the Second World War, with villagers promised a return post-war that never happened. West Tofts, Sturston, Langford, Stanford, Buckenham Tofts, and Tottington were all evacuated and have since remained in military hands.
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Yet, despite continuing as an active military zone known as Stanford Training Area, the 2001 census clocked a tiny population of just eight souls residing within four households over an expansive 5.26 square miles.
And still, in 2011 the census data pointed to fewer than 100 inhabitants, leading Stanford to be administratively swallowed up by the civil parish of Croxton.
The name 'Stanford' itself harks back to its origins, meaning "stony ford". The village's battle area has even had its brush with fame, serving as a backdrop for select episodes of the beloved comedy series 'Dad's Army'.
In more recent memory, the village has been troubled by two significant fires. A calamitous event occurred on August 21, 2005, when five cottages overlooking Church Green became engulfed in flames originating from a dormant chimney fire which ferociously spread throughout their thatched roofs.
Another blaze wreaked havoc on July 6, 2013, tearing through the storied walls and upper floors of the local haunt, the Horse and Jockey pub.