A Village not to be Forgotten

In 1943 the Army needed land to train their troops, especially against tanks.  Under a blanket of secrecy the government commandeered the small village of Tynham and surrounding areas on the Dorset coast between Lullworth and Kimmeridge, and forced the villagers to relocate, with just 1 months notice.  Despite promises to the landowner and inhabitants, the village was never returned, and today the area remains an active army firing range.  However, following intense lobbying in the 1970-80s, the site is now open most weekends, which includes parts of the South Coast Path. 

Of the village itself, only the Church, Schoolhouse (the school closed in 1932) and parts of the adjacent farm are intact following restoration - the rest of the buildings are barely standing shells with vegetation threatening to take over.   The evidence is that daily life was fairly basic: apparently most houses did not have running water, but depended on a tap next to the church, and the village fairly remote. Still, it was home to those that lived there, and from the number of people visiting, their "sacrifice" means it should not be forgotten.