Latest news with #Tyneham
The Sun
16 hours ago
- General
- The Sun
Shameful secret of UK's lost seaside town where 100s gave up homes overnight… only to be FORBIDDEN from ever returning
IN the heart of an active military training area, an eerie silence engulfs an abandoned village trapped in time. Derelict homes are among the few signs that human life existed in the once-idyllic coastal town - which was rapidly vacated by hundreds of villagers after being sold a solemn promise that was cruelly broken. 15 15 15 In November 1943, all 252 residents of Tyneham, Dorset, were told to make the ultimate sacrifice and leave their homes so the area could be used to train soldiers during World War Two. It allowed Allied forces to practise manoeuvres ahead of the 1944 D-Day invasion of Normandy. Officials gave the locals four weeks to pack up all their belongings and leave their old lives behind, with the promise that they could come back once the war was over. But they were never allowed to return, with the military instead continuing to use it as a training base. And following the death of its final resident Peter Wellman at the age of 100 last month, it's clear that the promise will never be kept. Tyneham was inhabited for over 1,000 years until the villagers were forced to move for the war effort. When locals evacuated, a single note was left asking the arriving soldiers to take good care of the village. The note read: "Please treat the church and houses with care. "We have given up our homes, where many of us have lived for generations, to help win the war and keep men free. "We shall return one day and thank you for treating the village kindly." Now the crumbling houses and ruins sit abandoned in the centre of Lulworth Ranges - a gigantic training location for tanks and armoured vehicles. Most of the buildings have fallen into complete disrepair with no roof or windows and plants overcoming the walls. Inside ghost village Tyneham where locals fled leaving a single note behind nearly 80 years ago Faded glory of ghost village Clare Robson, from nearby Blandford, is a regular visitor to the village and describes it as her 'favourite place in the world'. The 52-year-old explained: 'I used to come here all the time with my dad until he died a couple of years ago. "It's really special because it's the place that everybody forgot about. "Although it's really sad the Army didn't let the residents come back and allowed it to fall into disrepair. 'It is just the forgotten village but it is fascinating for people to see how others lived here. 'I wish I could go back in time and live here because it just feels like a different time when families were families." "I would love to see it restored to its former glory. I just completely love it here, it feels like home." Some of the original buildings, such as a row of four terraced houses, are still in tact. A telephone box with wartime-era posters, situated at the entrance of the village, warns passersby 'if you must use me, be brief'. The school and the church have since been converted into museums to teach the public about the residents' sacrifices. 15 15 15 15 The last surviving resident dies aged 100 Peter was the last surviving resident of the village, and sadly passed away from pneumonia last month. He managed to make one final trip to his old home a year before his passing. He said: "We had no electricity, no mains gas and no running water – we had to pump that from near the church. There's a tap there now. "I remember going to the beach and fishing and we often had mackerel. "We were happy until we got moved out." He told how he would have liked to see residents return to the village one day. Peter is survived by his two children, his two grandchildren and his three great grandchildren. His daughter Lynne spoke of her father's love for his lost home, saying he visited regularly. He worked on a farm for 36 years before moving into a job in the clay industry, where he stayed until retirement. As Christmas approached in 1943, the peaceful village become a ghost town overnight. Thousands of acres were also commandeered by the War Office for the Allied troops training camp. Some of the villagers settled into newly built homes in the nearby town Wareham. 15 15 15 15 Failed attempts to claim back homes A public inquiry, several protests and a number of campaigns to bring the residents home have been launched over the years. These have all been unsuccessful, with a compulsory purchase order being issued and the village remaining the property of the Ministry of Defence. In 1973, former residents cut through surrounding barbed wire and re-opened their former post office. This lasted for all of ten minutes before they were caught and thrown out by wardens. A year later, local John Gould wrote to then-PM Harold Wilson calling on him to hand Tyneham back to the people. It read: "'Tyneham to me is the most beautiful place in the world. "I want to give the rest of my life and energy to its restoration. "Most of all, I want to go home." The site is now open to the public most weekends, having become an increasingly popular destination for history buffs. Evidence of the village's military role are everywhere, from signs starkly telling visitors that they are standing on a live firing range, to giant target markers on the surrounding hills for military exercises. Even the village church roof bears a recent bullet hole from a stray machine gun round. 15 15 15 Elaine James, 67, from the New Forest, told how she makes an annual trip to the "indescribable" village. She added: 'I come here every year because I find it fascinating. "It is just so sad that the residents were moved away because the village was needed for the war effort but then never allowed back. 'The story of what happened here just touches your heart and I love how it has been taken over by nature. 'Being here just gives you this feeling like nowhere else, it's hard to describe. 'It's sad that the last resident has now died, I hope his family can come back here at some point.' Locals felt cheated out of their homes Many of the old buildings have been deemed uninhabitable, leaving the spooky ruins to crumble over the decades. Headstones in the church graveyard point to the fact that some former residents have been able to return, although only after their deaths. Arthur Grant - who was buried in the churchyard in 2010 - told how his parents felt "cheated" out of their home. Speaking to the Daily Mail, he said: "I had a happy childhood. We were proud of Tyneham. "My parents referred to Tyneham as 'home' and there was always talk of happy times they had had there. "They did feel cheated out of their home. They felt that a promise had been made and never fulfilled." Vanessa Foot, 65, from Crowthorne in Berkshire added: 'It just shows how important it is to learn from our history. 'Inside the little school house there's information about how they taught reading and writing through phonics which went out of fashion but now they are bringing it back and my grandchildren are learning the same way. 'This is my third attempt to find Tyneham, the other times we tried but just couldn't find it. "Next time I would love to bring my grandchildren with me. 'I just think it's remarkable the sacrifice the whole village made for the good of the country. "It really does feel like a lost village."
The Sun
14-05-2025
- General
- The Sun
Britain's eerie ‘lost village' abandoned overnight with locals forbidden to return… as last ever resident dies aged 100
THE last resident of an eerie lost village abandoned in WW2 has passed away. The village was once home to more than 220 people who were all evacuated during the war and never returned. 10 10 10 The village was used as a training camp for allied soldiers in 1943. Peter Wellman was the last surviving resident of the village, he has now sadly passed away from Pneumonia. He managed to make one final trip to his old home before his passing. Villagers were promised they could return when the war was over but were never allowed. On his last visit to the 'ghost village' Peter said: "We had no electricity, no mains gas and no running water – we had to pump that from near the church. There's a tap there now. 10 10 "I remember going to the beach and fishing and we often had mackerel. We were happy until we got moved out." The eerie ruins of the village are still on MoD land but they are open to the public for most of the year. When Tyneham was abandoned, a single note was left by a local asking the arriving soldiers to take good care of the village. Some of the villagers settled into newly built homes in the nearby town Wareham. Not one resident ever returned to the village after the war, leaving it a spooky ruin. 10 10 A public inquiry, several protests and a number of campaigns to bring the residents home have been launched over the years. These have all been unsuccessful with a compulsory purchase order being issued and the village remaining the property of the MoD. Many of the old buildings have been deemed uninhabitable, crumbling over the years. The school and the church have been converted into museums to teach the public about the villager's sacrifices. Eerie photos show bits of the village frozen in time with old posters still hanging in the phone box. 10 10 10 Peter Wellman is survived by his two children, his two grandchildren and his three great grand children. Peter's daughter Lynne spoke of her fathers love for his lost home saying he visited regularly. Peter worked on a farm for 36 years before moving into a job in the clay industry where he stayed until retirement. He said he would have liked to see residents return to the village one day. history buffs.
Telegraph
13-05-2025
- General
- Telegraph
Last surviving resident of D-Day ghost village dies aged 100
The last surviving resident of a ghost village evacuated for use in D-Day training has died aged 100. Tyneham, Dorset, became known as the 'village that died for England' after its residents were evicted so it could be used to train Allied soldiers. Peter Wellman, born in 1924, was the last remaining person born in the abandoned coastal settlement before he died in April. In 1943, 250 residents of the village and nearby farms were evacuated so it could be used to practise house-to-house combat before the Normandy landings. They were promised they could return once the war was over but they were never allowed back, and the village remains under the ownership of the Ministry of Defence to this day. Mr Wellman's primary school and church have been left as time capsules from the period. On his last visit to the village, in 2024, the great-great-grandfather recalled growing up without electricity and running water. He said: 'We had no electricity, no mains gas and no running water – we had to pump that from near the church, there's a tap there now. 'I remember going to the beach and fishing and we often had mackerel. We were happy until we got moved out.' He added: 'They were told they could come back but they were never allowed.' Mr Wellman's ancestors had lived in the village for generations and he was the last person to speak with an authentic Tyneham valley voice, which has a rich Dorset burr. He left the village at the age of 14 and worked on a farm for 36 years before switching careers to the clay industry. Lynne, Mr Wellman's daughter, said: 'Dad always loved Tyneham and he visited regularly until he had a fall a few years ago. He was delighted when we took him back last year. 'He loved talking to people there and telling them about the village and what life was like. He moved out of Tyneham before the war due to work, but not far away. Then in 1943 everyone was forced out. 'He had been living happily in Swanage and died peacefully in his sleep after suffering from pneumonia.' The village is now a tourist attraction that is open 160 days of the year. Elise Neville from James Smith Funeral Directors, part of the Douch Family Funeral Group, who is arranging the funeral, said: 'Peter is the last living link to the village of Tyneham and with him departs a piece of history. 'So many of the small communities in and around the Isle of Purbeck have families who go back many generations, and Peter is one of them. It is a great privilege to arrange Peter's funeral.' His funeral will take place in Corfe Castle on May 22.
Daily Mail
13-05-2025
- General
- Daily Mail
Last resident of WWII 'ghost village' that was evacuated ahead of D-Day and has been frozen in time ever since dies aged 100
The last surviving resident of the 'ghost village' of Tyneham in Dorset has died aged 100. Peter Wellman made a final visit last year to see the abandoned coastal village where he was born and brought up. The 'village that died for England' was evacuated just before Christmas in 1943 so soldiers could practice house-to-house combat manoeuvres ahead of D-Day. Around 250 people from Tyneham and the valley farms were forced out. Although they were promised they could return after the war, they were never allowed back. The land is still owned by the Ministry of Defence, which allows the public to visit the village for 160 days of the year. The school that Mr Wellman went to and the church at which attendance was mandatory have been restored, but the rest is decaying with time. Mr Wellman, who was born in Tyneham in 1924, passed away from pneumonia on April 29 in Swanage, not far from his boyhood home. His daughter Lynne said: 'Dad always loved Tyneham and he visited regularly until he had a fall a few years ago. He was delighted when we took him back last year. 'He loved talking to people there and telling them about the village and what life was like. 'He moved out of Tyneham before the war due to work, but not far away. Then in 1943 everyone was forced out. 'He had been living happily in Swanage and died peacefully in his sleep after suffering from pneumonia.' On his last visit to Tyneham, Mr Wellman recalled his childhood: 'We had no electricity, no mains gas and no running water - we had to pump that from near the church. There's a tap there now. 'I remember going to the beach and fishing and we often had mackerel. We were happy until we got moved out.' Mr Wellman, whose family connections to Tyneham go back many generations and whose grandfather was the shepherd, attended the charming single-room school. The school closed in 1932 due to dwindling pupil numbers. It is now a museum where visitors can learn about the area's history. The school's closure meant Mr Wellman spent several years attending another school by bus before he had to leave Tynenham for good. At 14, he started work on a nearby farm where he stayed for 36 years and then he had a job in the clay industry until retirement. Many of the villagers enjoyed long lives, a fact which Mr Wellman put down to the lifestyle. He said: 'Fresh air is the main thing and hard work with a good heart and a contented mind. That's how you live.' In 1943, the villagers were told with just a month's notice that they had to leave and would be relocated elsewhere. Sunday school teacher Helen Taylor pinned a hastily-scribbled note on the church door, reading: 'Please treat the church and houses with care. 'We have given up our homes where many of us lived for generations to help win the war to keep men free. 'We shall return one day and thank you for treating the village kindly.' In a compromise move, villagers were allowed to return to be buried in the churchyard if they had lived there before the evacuation. The last such person was Dorothy Grace Grant, who passed away in 2015. The church itself re-opened in 1973. Mr Wellman said he didn't regret leaving the village because there was little there for younger people, but would have liked the residents to return. He said: 'They were told they could come back but they were never allowed.' Mr Wellman recalled watching a dogfight in the sky above the fields he was working in during the war, and waving at the Spitfire pilot who downed an enemy plane. The village was owned by the Bond family, who lived in the grand Tyneham House that is now mostly gone. They were resistant to modernity, meaning life in the village in 1943 was much like it had been a century earlier. After a campaign led by the late Dorset historian Rodney Legg to allow the residents back, the MoD in 1975 permitted people to visit what was left, and it has become an increasingly popular place for day trippers and tourists. The permission came two years after former villagers calling themselves the 1943 Committee cut through barbed wire and re-opened the old post office for ten minutes until they were stopped by wardens. Mr Wellman was also the last person to speak with an authentic Tyneham valley voice, which has a rich, velvety Dorset burr. The a widower had two children, two grandchildren, three great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren. Elise Neville from James Smith Funeral Directors, part of the Douch Family Funeral Group, who is arranging the funeral, said: 'Peter is the last living link to the village of Tyneham and with him departs a piece of history. 'So many of the small communities in and around the Isle of Purbeck have families who go back many generations, and Peter is one of them. It is a great privilege to arrange Peter's funeral.' His funeral will take place in Corfe Castle on May 22. D-Day: Huge invasion of Europe described by Churchill as the 'most complicated and difficult' military operation in world history Operation Overlord saw some 156,000 Allied troops landing in Normandy on June 6, 1944. It is thought as many as 4,400 were killed in an operation Winston Churchill described as 'undoubtedly the most complicated and difficult that has ever taken place'. The assault was conducted in two phases: an airborne landing of 24,000 British, American, Canadian and Free French airborne troops shortly after midnight, and an amphibious landing of Allied infantry and armoured divisions on the coast of France commencing at 6.30am. An LCM landing craft manned by the U.S. Coast Guard, evacuating U.S. casualties from the invasion beaches, brings them to a transport for treatment. An accurate figure for casualties incurred by V Corps at Omaha on 6 June is not known; sources vary between 2,000 and over 5,000 killed, wounded, and missing The operation was the largest amphibious invasion in world history, with over 160,000 troops landing. Some 195,700 Allied naval and merchant navy personnel in over 5,000 ships were involved. The landings took place along a 50-mile stretch of the Normandy coast divided into five sectors: Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword. The assault was chaotic with boats arriving at the wrong point and others getting into difficulties in the water. A US Army medic moves along a narrow strip of Omaha Beach administering first aid to men wounded in the Normandy landing on D-Day in Collville Sur-Mer. On D-Day, dozens of medics went into battle on the beaches of Normandy, usually without a weapon. Not only did the number of wounded exceed expectations, but the means to evacuate them did not exist Troops managed only to gain a small foothold on the beach - but they built on their initial breakthrough in the coming days and a harbor was opened at Omaha. They met strong resistance from the German forces who were stationed at strongpoints along the coastline. Approximately 10,000 allies were injured or killed, including 6,603 American, of which 2,499 were fatal. Between 4,000 and 9,000 German troops were killed - and it proved the pivotal moment of the war, in the allied forces' favour.
