#stanta

"Hey, the kids are asleep, right? Who wants to sit on Stanta's lap, eh?"

"NOT YOU, SOOS!"

Gerard Stamp, OUT OF BOUNDS TO TROOPS - Tottington (watercolour, 2015)

The 14th-century church of St Andrew has stood empty and surrounded by barbed wire fencing since the Second World War, when the village of Tottington (along with three others and 30,000 acres of Norfolk breckland) were requisitioned to form the military training area now known as STANTA.

The roof of the church is clad in blast-proof sheeting, installed to protect the structure. The original pantiles and carved wooden pews are stored inside, ready to be restored if the village is given back to the public.

In October 2009, a veteran born in the village was buried after permission was granted by the Ministry of Defence. It was the first burial in the churchyard for more than fifty years.

One of the shattered windows of St Andrew’s Church, Tottington, Norfolk, largely cut off from the rest of the world since 45 square miles of Norfolk countryside (the Stanford Training Area) was requisitioned for military training in 1942. St Andrews is one of four churches which still sit inside the battle training area, much of it used for live firing. Access is only possible on special tours (I went with the Norfolk Churches Trust) when the guns go quiet during the lambing season. More from Tottington below and reports from the other three churches to follow.

Simon Knott, from All Saints, Stanford

The 12th-century church of All Saints has stood empty since the Second World War, when the village of Stanford (along with three others and 30,000 acres of Norfolk breckland) were requisitioned to form the military training area now known as STANTA.

The roof of the church is clad in blast-proof sheeting, installed to protect the structure. The original pantiles are stored inside, ready to be restored if the village is given back to the public.

First Photos of Paras on Ex Yellow Assault

3 PARA Conduct Live-Fire Exercise at STANTA

The MOD has released the first photographs of the British Army’s Parachute Regiment on Exercise Yellow Assault.

C Company, 3rd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment (3 PARA) is on a live-fire battle camp at the Stanford Training Area (STANTA) in Norfolk.

Exercise Yellow Assault focuses on 3 PARA’s core infantry skills of fire and manoeuvre. The training…