Tyneham facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tyneham |
|
|---|---|
 Tyneham St Mary's Church – 2009 |
|
 Tyneham
|
|
| Population | 0 (2001 Census) |
| OS grid reference | SY885805 |
| Civil parish |
|
| Unitary authority |
|
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | WAREHAM |
| Postcode district | BH20 |
| Police | Dorset |
| Fire | Dorset |
| Ambulance | South Western |
| EU Parliament | South West England |
| UK Parliament |
|
Tyneham is a ghost village in England. It was left empty in 1943 and is located in the south of Dorset, near Lulworth on the Isle of Purbeck. Today, no one lives in Tyneham. It is now part of a larger area called Steeple with Tyneham.
Contents
Where is Tyneham?
Tyneham village is found near Worbarrow Bay on the famous Jurassic Coast. It's about 6 kilometers (3.7 miles) south of Wareham and 16 kilometers (9.9 miles) west of Swanage. The village sits in a hidden valley that runs east to west, between two hills called the Purbeck Hills.
To the north, you'll find Povington Hill (191 meters or 627 feet high) and Ridgeway Hill (199 meters or 653 feet high). To the south, there's a ridge above Gad Cliff that stretches from Worbarrow Tout to Tyneham Cap (167 meters or 548 feet high).
Visiting Tyneham
Tyneham can only be visited when the Lulworth Ranges are open to the public. These military training areas belong to the Ministry of Defence (MoD). They are used by the Army for training with tanks and other armoured vehicles.
It's very important to stay safe when you visit. There are warnings about explosives and unexploded shells. Visitors should always stick to the official paths and read any signs because of the military training.
Tyneham's History
Tyneham has a long history, going back to the British Iron Age. More than 30 ancient burial mounds, called barrows, have been found here. Some have been damaged by military shelling over the years. Evidence of Roman life has also been discovered, including places where people made salt, worked with shale, and used Purbeck Marble. There are also signs of a medieval village and old farming fields.
The village is mentioned in the Domesday Book, a famous survey from 1086. Back then, it was called Tigeham, which meant "goat enclosure." The church of St Mary, made of limestone, has been around since at least the 1400s.
The Village Becomes a Training Ground
Just before Christmas in 1943, a big change happened in Tyneham. The War Office (now the Ministry of Defence) needed the village and about 30 square kilometers (7,500 acres) of land around it. They wanted to use it as a firing range to train soldiers for World War II.
Because of this, 225 people had to leave their homes. The last person to leave put a special note on the church door. It said:
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.
The villagers were told this move was only temporary, just for the war. But in 1948, the Army officially bought the land. It has been used for military training ever since.
Tyneham Today
Even though the land is used for military training and has old targets, it has become a safe place for wildlife. This is because it hasn't been farmed or developed. In 1975, after people asked, the Ministry of Defence started opening the village and paths to the public on weekends and throughout August.
Many of the buildings in Tyneham are now ruins or have been damaged. The old manor house, which was very old, was mostly pulled down in 1967. However, the church of St Mary is still mostly standing. It has beautiful stained-glass windows and memorials. The church, the old school house, and a drinking fountain are all protected historic buildings. In 2008, Tyneham Farm was also opened to visitors, and work is being done to preserve it.
Tyneham in Books and Movies
Tyneham has been featured in several stories and films:
- In 1985, the village was used to film Comrades, a movie about the Tolpuddle Martyrs.
- It's the setting for the end of the book Angel's Share by Mike Ripley (2006).
- Tyneham appeared in an episode of Life After People, which looked at what happens to places when people leave them.
- The village is also the setting for the novel The Forgotten Village by Lorna Cook (2019).
Images for kids
-
Worbarrow Bay and Mupe Rocks behind a ruined house
-
Tyneham St Mary's Church - south transept
-
Tyneham School House
-
Tyneham houses - the shepherd's house, Post Office and telephone booth
See also
- Imber, another village taken over by the military in England.
- The Stanford Battle Area, which also contains villages used for military training.
- Povington Priory
- List of lost settlements in the United Kingdom
