West Tofts
village
St Mary's Church, West Tofts
West Tofts is located in Norfolk
West Tofts
West Tofts
Location within Norfolk
Population0 (2001 Census)
OS grid referenceTL 8360 9301
Civil parish
District
Shire county
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townTHETFORD
Postcode districtIP24
UK Parliament

West Tofts is a deserted medieval village in the civil parish of Lynford, within the Breckland district, in the county of Norfolk, England. It is within the Stanford Training Area, an army training area.[1] In 1931 the parish had a population of 332.[2] On 1 April 1935 the parish was abolished and merged with Lynford.[3]

St Mary's Church is a Grade I listed building[4] with chancel and south chapel designed by A. W. N. Pugin c.1850 for the Rev. Augustus Sutton. The village was emparked in the 18th century.[5] Records dating back to 1391 indicate human settlement at West Tofts.[6] Earthworks at West Tofts indicate the presence of a former rectory or similar country house along with its gardens and parkland. Built before 1797, the West Tofts country house was constructed to replace Caston Hall. It subsequently became the rectory, but was demolished after the Second World War, though a wall dating from the 19th century, used as part of its vinery, is still standing.[5]

The village became officially deserted when it was taken over by the British Army in 1942 during the Second World War, becoming part of the much larger Stanford Battle Area, an infantry training area that is still in use. The area of the former village, now known as West Tofts Army Camp,[7] and most of the parish are within a prohibited area owned and controlled by the Ministry of Defence (MoD). Public access is not allowed without special permission from the Army.

A 500,000-year-old stone hand axe which contains a Cretaceous bivalve mollusc, Spondylus spinosus fossil shell incorporated, was found here in 1911. It is now in the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology at Cambridge.[8][9][10]

Army camp

A camp was known to exist at West Tofts before 1935 to house refugees from Belgium. In 1935, the Ministry of Labour, a department of the UK Government, started construction of a labour camp of Nissen huts to house unemployed workers from the north of England, at the same time becoming an army camp. Two Second World War-era air raid shelters were also constructed.[7]

References

  1. ↑ Speck, Gary B. (1998–2017). "Guide to the Ghost Towns and Deserted Villages of Great Britain". Freepages.RootsWeb.com. Moreno Valley, CA: Gary B Speck Publications, RootsWeb.com. Retrieved 22 August 2023.
  2. ↑ "Population statistics West Tofts CP/AP through time". A Vision of Britain through Time. Retrieved 20 December 2023.
  3. ↑ "Relationships and changes West Tofts CP/AP through time". A Vision of Britain through Time. Retrieved 20 December 2023.
  4. ↑ Historic England. "Church of St Mary (Grade I) (1077249)". National Heritage List for England.
  5. 1 2 "West Tofts deserted medieval village and site of great house – Norfolk Heritage Explorer, NHER number: 5149". Heritage.Norfolk.gov.uk. Norfolk Historic Environment Service, Norfolk County Council. 2007–2023. Retrieved 22 August 2023.
  6. ↑ Blomefield, Francis (October 1805) [written c. 1736]. "An Essay Towards A Topographical History of the County of Norfolk: The Hundred of Wayland: Thompson". Fersfield, Norfolk: William Miller, London. pp. 366–373. Retrieved 22 August 2023 – via British History Online.
  7. 1 2 "West Tofts Army Camp – Norfolk Heritage Explorer". Heritage.Norfolk.gov.uk. Norfolk Historic Environment Service, Norfolk County Council. 2007–2023. Retrieved 22 August 2023.
  8. ↑ "Artist unknown : Handaxe knapped around a fossil shell, West Tofts, Norfolk, England". NasherSculptureCenter.org. Dallas, Texas: Nasher Sculpture Center. n.d. Retrieved 22 August 2023.
  9. ↑ Moore, Mark W. (n.d.). "Acheulean Handaxe". StoneToolsMuseum.com. University of New England, Australia: Museum of Stone Tools. Retrieved 22 August 2023.
  10. ↑ "1916.82/Record 2". Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology. Retrieved 12 December 2023.

Further reading

Media related to West Tofts at Wikimedia Commons

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