Imber's ghost village opens just three days a year—here's why
Imber Village in the UK remains a ghost town, locked away from the public for most of the year. Once home to around 150 people, it was abandoned in 1943 when the British Army took over for military training. Today, visitors can only enter on a handful of days each year—Easter, Christmas, and August.
The village was evacuated in December 1943 to serve as an urban warfare training ground on Salisbury Plain. Residents were told they could return after the war, but that promise was never kept. Over time, Imber became a forgotten settlement, its buildings left to decay under Ministry of Defence control.
During one of the rare open days, TikTok user Carma explored the abandoned houses and the 12th-century Church of St. Giles. Her video of the visit, which included a parade of vintage buses and firing blanks from old artillery, drew over 85,000 views. Many viewers shared their own memories or expressed a desire to see the village for themselves.
Imber remains closed for now but will reopen for Easter and again in August. Exact dates are listed on the Imber Church website, offering a brief window to step back in time.
The village's occasional openings provide a rare glimpse into its past. With only three public access days a year, Imber stays a quiet relic of wartime history. The Church of St. Giles, standing since the 12th century, remains the only building consistently open to visitors.
