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Coordinates: 52°31′28″N 0°47′31″E / 52.52441°N 0.79189°E / 52.52441; 0.79189
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{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}
{{Infobox UK place
{{Infobox UK place
| official_name=Tottington
| official_name=Tottington
| static_image = [[Image:Tottington Church.jpg|240px]]
| static_image_name = Tottington Church.jpg
| static_image_width =
| static_image_caption =Saint Andrew,Tottington, Norfolk
| static_image_caption =St Andrew's Church in Tottington
| country=England
| country=England
| region=East of England
| region=East of England
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| area_total_km2 = 13.12
| area_total_km2 = 13.12
| os_grid_reference=TL895955
| os_grid_reference=TL895955
| coordinates = {{coord|52.52441|0.79189|display=inline,title}}
| latitude=52.52441
| longitude= 0.79189
| post_town=THETFORD
| post_town=THETFORD
| postcode_area=IP
| postcode_area=IP
| postcode_district=IP24
| postcode_district=IP25
| dial_code=
| dial_code=
| constituency_westminster=[[South West Norfolk (UK Parliament constituency)|South West Norfolk]]
| constituency_westminster=[[South West Norfolk (UK Parliament constituency)|South West Norfolk]]
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| shire_county=[[Norfolk]]
| shire_county=[[Norfolk]]
}}
}}
'''Tottington''' is a deserted [[village]] and [[civil parish]] in the [[England|English]] [[county]] of [[Norfolk]]. It is situated some {{convert|10|km|abbr=on}} north of the town of [[Thetford]] and {{convert|40|km|abbr=on}} south-west of the city of [[Norwich]].{{ref|osexp1}}
'''Tottington''' is a deserted village and [[civil parish]] in the [[England|English]] [[county]] of [[Norfolk]]. It is situated some {{convert|6.2|miles}} north of the town of [[Thetford]] and {{convert|25|miles}} south-west of the city of [[Norwich]].{{ref|osexp1}} Any population at the 2011 Census was included in the civil parish of [[Thompson, Norfolk|Thompson]].

==Name==
Tottington means "farm/settlement of Tota's people" or perhaps, "farm/settlement connected with Tota".<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://kepn.nottingham.ac.uk/map/place/Norfolk/Tottington|title=Key to English Place-names}}</ref>

==History==
==History==
Tottington has an entry in the [[Domesday Book]] of [[1085]]<ref>The Domesday Book, Englands Heritage, Then and Now, Editor: Thomas Hinde,Norfolk page 186 ISBN 1858334403</ref>. In the great book Tottington is recorded by the name of totintune. The main land holder being Ralph FitzHelwin. The survey also states there are fifteen mares.
Tottington has an entry in the [[Domesday Book]] of 1086.<ref>The Domesday Book, England's Heritage, Then and Now, Editor: Thomas Hinde,Norfolk page 186 {{ISBN|1-85833-440-3}}</ref> In the great book Tottington is recorded by the name of ''Totintuna'', meaning "the town or settlement of Tota's people".<ref>[[Eilert Ekwall]], ''The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Place-names'', p.478.</ref> The main land holder was Ralph FitzHelwin. The survey also states there are fifteen mares. [[Samson of Tottington]] was [[Abbot of Bury St Edmunds]] from 1182 to 1211, and Thomas of Tottington filled the same role from 1302 to 1311.

===Evacuation===
===Evacuation===
The village became deserted when it was taken over by the [[British Army]] during the [[World War II|Second World War]] as part of the [[Stanford Battle Area]], an [[infantry]] training area that is still in use today. The villagers gave up their homes as part of the war effort<ref name="norfolkchurches.co.uk">[http://www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/battlezone/battlezoneintro.htm] Information about the Evacuation</ref>. The War office needed a zone to train troops for the Battle of [[Normandy]], which eventually led to the end of the [[World War II|Second World War]] in [[Europe]]. The villagers evacuated willingly, and at the time it was reported that there was cheering at the public meeting at which the evacuation was announced, although this is conjecture.<ref name="norfolkchurches.co.uk"/> It has never become clear if the people involved were aware that they were never to return to their homes. It is the case that most of the inhabitants were not landowners. Many of the buildings were tied cottages belonging to the Walsingham estate. Few of the houses had running water and none of the properties had electricity. The land that surrounded the village was of a poor quality and the villagers struggled to make a living from it. Since the evacuation the village and the parish are within a prohibited area and access is not allowed without special permission from the Army.{{ref|desert}}
During the [[World War II|Second World War]], the village was taken over by the [[British Army]] when it was incorporated into the [[Stanford Battle Area]]. The military ranges were needed to prepare [[Allies of World War II|Allied]] [[infantry]] for [[Operation Overlord]], the invasion of [[Normandy]] in 1944. Though some villagers were said to be happy to give up their homes to help the British war effort,<ref name="norfolkchurches.co.uk">[http://www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/battlezone/battlezoneintro.htm] Information about the Evacuation</ref> the majority were less than enthusiastic with a number of heated village meetings and some refusing to leave the area.<ref name="BBC1">[http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/stories/62/a3258362.shtml] Breckland exodus - the forced evacuation of the Norfolk Battle Area 1942:Part 1</ref> This was the subject of a book written by Lucilla Reeve, one such person who refused to leave, under the pseudonym 'A Norfolk Woman' called ''Farming, on a Battle Ground''.<ref name="norfolkwoman">[http://apling.freeservers.com/Villages/MissReeve.htm] Lucille Reeve - Eastern Daily Press</ref>


However, after the war, the former villagers were not allowed to return to their homes by the [[War Office]]. Most of the inhabitants of Tottington rented their houses and farmed the land belonging to the Walsingham estates. Though they had been promised that they could return to their homes after the war, the government later reneged on the promise and bought the land, threatening Walsingham with a [[compulsory purchase order]].<ref name="BBC2">[http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/stories/07/a3258407.shtml] Breckland exodus - the forced evacuation of the Norfolk Battle Area 1942:Part 2</ref> As the majority of the inhabitants were not landowners, they received very little in compensation, were put into [[council housing]] and many lost their livelihoods. They continued to fight for many years to return to their homes and farmland but the beginnings of the [[Cold War]] and the need for dedicated training areas removed all chances of a return.
⚫
==The Parish Church of St Andrew==
⚫
Saint Andrews is situated at the northern end of the village<ref name="norfolkchurches.co.uk"/>. Today the roof of the church is clad in blast proof sheeting which was installed to protect the structure of the church. The original pantiles are stored inside the church ready to be restored, if ever, come the time this land is given back to the public. The outside of the church is surrounded by wire fencing designed to protect the church from the war games. In October 2009, it was reported that a burial had taken place in the churchyard after special permission had been granted by the military authorities, and that this was the first burial to have taken place there for more than 50 years.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/norfolk/8288457.stm Veteran buried in 'ghost village']<ref>


Since the evacuation, the village and its parish remain within the [[Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)|Ministry of Defence]]'s Stanford Training Area. Access is not permitted without special permission.{{ref|desert}}
⚫
The civil parish has an area of {{convert|13.12|km2|abbr=on}} and in the [[United Kingdom Census 2001|2001 census]] had no inhabitants. For the purposes of local government, the parish falls within the [[Non-metropolitan district|district]] of [[Breckland (district)|Breckland]].{{ref|osnncc}}


⚫
==The Parish Church of St Andrew==
==Place-name meaning==
⚫
The church is situated at the northern end of the village.<ref name="norfolkchurches.co.uk"/> The roof of the church is clad in blast-proof sheeting which was installed to protect the structure of the church. The original [[Pantile (roof material)|pantiles]] are stored inside the church ready to be restored if the village is given back to the public. The churchyard is surrounded by wire fencing to protect the church from the military manoeuvres.
Tottington means "hill of a man called Totta", from the [[Old English language|Old English]] personal name Totta ([[genitive]] ''-n'') + ''dun'' "hill". A record of the name as ''Tutindone'' in 1165 backs up this evidence. The -ington of the place-name is misleading; similar with [[Islington]].


In October 2009, a World War II veteran who had been born in the village was buried in St Andrew's churchyard after permission for the interment was granted by the Ministry of Defence. It was the first burial in the churchyard for more than fifty years.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/norfolk/8288457.stm|title=Veteran buried in 'ghost village'|publisher=BBC News|date=3 October 2009}}.</ref>
==William Hancock==

William Hancock, 85, was the first person to be buried in Tottington for more than 50 years on Thursday October 1st 2009.
==Governance==
Soldiers suspended operations in the battle area while Mr Hancock, a World War II veteran, was buried in the village in which he was born.
⚫
The civil parish has an area of {{convert|5.07|mi2}} and in the [[United Kingdom Census 2001|2001 census]] had no inhabitants. For the purposes of local government, the parish falls within the [[Non-metropolitan district|district]] of [[Breckland (district)|Breckland]].{{ref|osnncc}}
The Reverend Bob Nichols, who conducted a service in the nearby village of Merton before the burial, said the funeral was the most unusual he had seen.
"It was a privilege to have been involved," he said. "The church at Tottington is effectively mothballed so the service had to be held in the nearest occupied village.
"But the military authorities agreed that the burial could take place in Tottington churchyard in accordance with Mr Hancock's wishes."


==References==
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Reflist}}
*{{note|osexp1}} [[Ordnance Survey]] (1999). ''OS Explorer Map 229 - Thetford in the Brecks''. ISBN 0-319-21861-9.
*{{note|osexp1}} [[Ordnance Survey]] (1999). ''OS Explorer Map 229 - Thetford in the Brecks''. {{ISBN|0-319-21861-9}}.
*{{note|desert}} Rootsweb.com (1998-2006). ''[http://freepages.history.rootsweb.com/~gtusa/britain.htm Ghost Towns/Deserted Villages of Great Britain]''. Retrieved [[February 17]], [[2006]].
*{{note|desert}} Rootsweb.com (1998–2006). ''[http://freepages.history.rootsweb.com/~gtusa/britain.htm Ghost Towns/Deserted Villages of Great Britain]''. Retrieved 17 February 2006.
*{{note|osnncc}} Office for National Statistics & Norfolk County Council (2001). ''[http://www.norfolk.gov.uk/consumption/groups/public/documents/general_resources/ncc017867.xls Census population and household counts for unparished urban areas and all parishes]''. Retrieved [[December 2]], [[2005]].
*{{note|osnncc}} Office for National Statistics & Norfolk County Council (2001). ''[https://web.archive.org/web/20170211032229/http://www.norfolk.gov.uk/consumption/groups/public/documents/general_resources/ncc017867.xls Census population and household counts for unparished urban areas and all parishes]''. Retrieved 2 December 2005.


==External links==
==External links==
{{Commons category|Tottington, Norfolk}}
*[http://www.origins.org.uk/genuki/NFK/places/t/tottington/ Information from Genuki Norfolk] on Tottington.
*[http://www.origins.org.uk/genuki/NFK/places/t/tottington/ Information from Genuki Norfolk] on Tottington.
*[http://www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/battlezone/battlezoneintro.htm Information from NorfolkChurches.co.uk] on the Stanford Battle Area and its deserted villages and churches.
*[http://www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/battlezone/battlezoneintro.htm Information from NorfolkChurches.co.uk] on the Stanford Battle Area and its deserted villages and churches.
*[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/norfolk/8288457.stm]


{{Civil Parishes of Breckland}}
{{Civil Parishes of Breckland}}


{{authority control}}
⚫
[[Category:Former settlements in England]]

⚫
[[Category:Former populated places in Norfolk]]
[[Category:Villages in Norfolk]]
[[Category:Villages in Norfolk]]
[[Category:Breckland]]
[[Category:Breckland District]]
[[Category:Ghost towns in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Ghost towns in England]]
[[Category:Civil parishes in Norfolk]]
[[Category:Forcibly depopulated communities in the United Kingdom during World War II]]

Latest revision as of 21:41, 7 October 2023

Tottington
St Andrew's Church in Tottington
Tottington is located in Norfolk
Tottington
Tottington
Location within Norfolk
Area13.12 km2 (5.07 sq mi)
Population0 (2001 Census)
• Density0/km2 (0/sq mi)
OS grid referenceTL895955
District
Shire county
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townTHETFORD
Postcode districtIP25
PoliceNorfolk
FireNorfolk
AmbulanceEast of England
UK Parliament
List of places
UK
England
Norfolk
52°31′28″N 0°47′31″E / 52.52441°N 0.79189°E / 52.52441; 0.79189

Tottington is a deserted village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. It is situated some 6.2 miles (10.0 km) north of the town of Thetford and 25 miles (40 km) south-west of the city of Norwich.[5] Any population at the 2011 Census was included in the civil parish of Thompson.

Name

[edit]

Tottington means "farm/settlement of Tota's people" or perhaps, "farm/settlement connected with Tota".[1]

History

[edit]

Tottington has an entry in the Domesday Book of 1086.[2] In the great book Tottington is recorded by the name of Totintuna, meaning "the town or settlement of Tota's people".[3] The main land holder was Ralph FitzHelwin. The survey also states there are fifteen mares. Samson of Tottington was Abbot of Bury St Edmunds from 1182 to 1211, and Thomas of Tottington filled the same role from 1302 to 1311.

Evacuation

[edit]

During the Second World War, the village was taken over by the British Army when it was incorporated into the Stanford Battle Area. The military ranges were needed to prepare Allied infantry for Operation Overlord, the invasion of Normandy in 1944. Though some villagers were said to be happy to give up their homes to help the British war effort,[4] the majority were less than enthusiastic with a number of heated village meetings and some refusing to leave the area.[5] This was the subject of a book written by Lucilla Reeve, one such person who refused to leave, under the pseudonym 'A Norfolk Woman' called Farming, on a Battle Ground.[6]

However, after the war, the former villagers were not allowed to return to their homes by the War Office. Most of the inhabitants of Tottington rented their houses and farmed the land belonging to the Walsingham estates. Though they had been promised that they could return to their homes after the war, the government later reneged on the promise and bought the land, threatening Walsingham with a compulsory purchase order.[7] As the majority of the inhabitants were not landowners, they received very little in compensation, were put into council housing and many lost their livelihoods. They continued to fight for many years to return to their homes and farmland but the beginnings of the Cold War and the need for dedicated training areas removed all chances of a return.

Since the evacuation, the village and its parish remain within the Ministry of Defence's Stanford Training Area. Access is not permitted without special permission.[6]

The Parish Church of St Andrew

[edit]

The church is situated at the northern end of the village.[4] The roof of the church is clad in blast-proof sheeting which was installed to protect the structure of the church. The original pantiles are stored inside the church ready to be restored if the village is given back to the public. The churchyard is surrounded by wire fencing to protect the church from the military manoeuvres.

In October 2009, a World War II veteran who had been born in the village was buried in St Andrew's churchyard after permission for the interment was granted by the Ministry of Defence. It was the first burial in the churchyard for more than fifty years.[8]

Governance

[edit]

The civil parish has an area of 5.07 square miles (13.1 km2) and in the 2001 census had no inhabitants. For the purposes of local government, the parish falls within the district of Breckland.[7]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Key to English Place-names".
  2. ^ The Domesday Book, England's Heritage, Then and Now, Editor: Thomas Hinde,Norfolk page 186 ISBN 1-85833-440-3
  3. ^ Eilert Ekwall, The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Place-names, p.478.
  4. ^ a b [1] Information about the Evacuation
  5. ^ [2] Breckland exodus - the forced evacuation of the Norfolk Battle Area 1942:Part 1
  6. ^ [3] Lucille Reeve - Eastern Daily Press
  7. ^ [4] Breckland exodus - the forced evacuation of the Norfolk Battle Area 1942:Part 2
  8. ^ "Veteran buried in 'ghost village'". BBC News. 3 October 2009..
[edit]
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