Tottington, Norfolk
| Tottington | |
|---|---|
 Saint Andrew Church in Tottington. | |
| Area | 13.12 km2 (5.07 sq mi) |
| Population | 0 (2001 Census) |
| • Density | 0/km2 (0/sq mi) |
| OS grid reference | TL895955 |
| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | THETFORD |
| Postcode district | IP24 |
| Police | Norfolk |
| Fire | Norfolk |
| Ambulance | East of England |
| UK Parliament | |
Tottington is a deserted village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. It is situated some 10 km (6.2 mi) north of the town of Thetford and 40 km (25 mi) south-west of the city of Norwich.[2]
Name
Tottington means "hill of a man called Totta", from the 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.
History
Tottington has an entry in the Domesday Book of 1085[1]. 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.
Evacuation
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 Battle of Normandy in 1944). Villagers were said to be happy to give up their homes to help the British War effort.[2]. It was reported that at the public meeting when the evacuation was announced there was cheering.[2]
Legacy
However at the close of World War II, former villagers were never allowed to return to their homes by the War Office. This was because most of the inhabitants of Tottington were not landowners. Most of the residences were tied cottages belonging to Walsingham estate. Few of the houses had running water and none of the properties had electricity.
Since evacuation, the village and its parish remain within the Ministry of Defence's Thetford infantry training area. Access is not allowed without special permission. [3]
The Parish Church of St Andrew
The church is situated at the northern end of the village[2]. 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 the village is given back to the public. The outside of the church 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 given by the Ministry of Defence. It was the first burial in the graveyard for more than 50 years. [3]
Governance
The civil parish has an area of 13.12 km2 (5.07 sq mi) and in the 2001 census had no inhabitants. For the purposes of local government, the parish falls within the district of Breckland.[4]
References
- ^ Ordnance Survey (1999). OS Explorer Map 229 - Thetford in the Brecks. ISBN 0-319-21861-9.
- ^ Rootsweb.com (1998–2006). Ghost Towns/Deserted Villages of Great Britain. Retrieved 17 February 2006.
- ^ Office for National Statistics & Norfolk County Council (2001). Census population and household counts for unparished urban areas and all parishes. Retrieved 2 December 2005.
External links
- Information from Genuki Norfolk on Tottington.
- Information from NorfolkChurches.co.uk on the Stanford Battle Area and its deserted villages and churches.