The village of Imber in Wiltshire

Requisitioned by the army in World War II - now part of the Salisbury Plain British army training range

When the army took control of Imber in 1943, for the U.S. Army, the villagers left on condition that they could return when hostilities were over. The army renaged on their promise.

Past and present websites
The Imber chat forum http://www.gilest.org/291.php3
Ruth Underwood's 'Forever Imber' http://www.active.uk.com/foreverimber
Army Training Estate http://www.army.mod.uk/ate/public/salisplain.htm
Bob Meades' Imber page http://pages.zdnet.com/bobmeades/id4.html
Aerial photograph of Imber http://www.multimap.com/
Map of Imber http://www.multimap.com/

Access to Imber: general information

Roads across Salisbury Plain are generally open over Christmas, New Year, Easter and during August.

The Army - allows access to Imber 50 days in every year.

Easter: roads through Imber usually open.

August: this is the longest period during which Imber is accessible.

Christmas: roads through Imber are generally open for the two weeks through Christmas and into the new year.

Access to Imber 1: Churches Conservation Trust

St Giles' Church - services generally take place at 10am on New Year's Eve.

For further details please contact:

St Giles Church, Imber, local volunteer:
Neil Skelton 01722 744640

The Diocese of Salisbury
Church House, Crane Street, Salisbury, SP1 2QB.
Email: enquiries@salisbury.anglican.org
Website: http://salisburyanglican.org.uk
Tel: 01722 411922

Churches Conservation Trust
1, West Smithfield, London, EC1A 9EE.
Email: central@tcct.org.uk
Website: http://www.tcct.org.uk
St.Giles' Church: http://www.visitchurches.org.uk/findachurch/st-giles-imber/?region=Wiltshire
Telephone: 020 7213 0660 (9.00am – 5.00pm Monday to Friday)
Fax: 020 7213 0678

Access to Imber 2: contacting the army

When contacting the army please encourage them politely to better inform the public, particularly at the main entrances to the range in Warminster and elsewhere, about what days the range is open.

Salisbury Plain Training Area
Westdown Camp,
Tilshead, Salisbury,
Wiltshire SP3 4RS
New telephone number (as of Spring 2010): 01980 674763

Old information 2002-2008
Telephone numbers: 01980 620819
Lt. Col. Fellows, Commandant of the Salisbury Plain Training Area (SPTA), took up his post on 1st April 2004.
Major Martin or Lt. Colonel (Rtd.) Nigel de Fouber, Westdown Camp 01980 674679

Access to Imber 3: if you have any trouble, with the army being vague, unco-operative or simply unobtainable...

Please contact Ruth Underwood
Contact details below

Ruth Underwood,
Forever Imber,
2, St John’s Grove,
LONDON, N19 5RW.
Tel: 0207 272 8500 Email: ruthunderwood@kitty123.fsnet.co.uk
website 'Forever Imber' http://www.foreverimber.org.uk/

Campaigning organisations

Forever Imber

Dedicated to local peace campaigner and founder, in 1961, of the Association for the Restoration of Imber, Austin Underwood. Austin died on Easter Sunday 11 April 1993.  Ruth Underwood's 'Forever Imber' website