Tottington, Norfolk

Tottington
Norfolk
St Andrew's Church in Tottington.
Location
Grid reference:	TL895955
Location:	52°31’28"N, 0°47’31"E
Data
Population:	0
Post town:	Thetford
Postcode:	IP24
Local Government
Council:	Breckland
Parliamentary constituency:	South West Norfolk

Tottington is a deserted village in Norfolk, which may be found some six miles north of Thetford and 25 miles south-west of the county town, Norwich.

Name

The name 'Tottington' appears to be from the Old English Tottan dun, meaning "Totta's hill" after and otherwise unknown chieftain or farmer. A record of the name as Tutindone in 1165 backs this up over the usual derivation of "ington" ("village of the family of").

History

Tottington has an entry in the Domesday Book of 1085. 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. 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

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

However at the close of Second World War, the former villagers were never allowed to return to their homes by the War Office. Most of the inhabitants of Tottington were not landowners, and rented the 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. As the majority of the inhabitants weren't landowners, they received very little in compensation were put into council housing and many had 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 Thetford infantry training area. Access is not permitted without special permission.

The Parish Church of St Andrew

The church is situated at the northern end of the village. 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 Second World War 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.

Outside links

("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Tottington, Norfolk)

• Information on Tottington, Norfolk  from GENUKI
• Stanford Battle Area and its deserted villages and churches - NorfolkChurches.co.uk

References

• Ghost Towns - Deserted Villages of Great Britain