The "ghost village" of Tyneham, and 7,500 acres of surrounding heathland and chalk downland around the Purbeck Hills, were commandeered just before Christmas 1943 by the then War Office (now MoD) for use as firing ranges for training troops. 225 people were displaced, the last person leaving a notice on the church door:

"Please treat the church and houses with care; we have given up our homes where many of us lived for generations to help win the war to keep men free. We shall return one day and thank you for treating the village kindly."

This measure was supposed to be temporary for the duration of World War II, but in 1948 the Army placed a compulsory purchase order on the land and it has remained in use for military training ever since. Though littered with scrap used as targets, and subject to regular shelling, the land has become a haven for wildlife as it has been free from farming and development. In 1975, after complaints from tourists and locals, the Ministry of Defence began opening the village and footpaths across the ranges at weekends and throughout August. Many of the village buildings have fallen into disrepair or have been damaged by shelling and in 1967 the then Ministry of Works pulled down the Elizabethan manor house, though the church remains intact, and has a stained-glass window by Martin Travers. The church and school house have since been preserved as museums. In 2008, Tyneham Farm was reopened to the public and conservation work there is ongoing.

Tyneham Valley was evacuated during the second world war and for the next forty years the abandoned kiosk was left to its fate, hidden under the shade of self seeded trees and disappearing under the sea of undergrowth which had consumed most of the village.

In the early 1980's, prolonged protest and campaigning resulted in the public being granted increased access to the Army Ranges. In 1983 the kiosk was restored as part of a massive clear up programme but with the incorrect K1 roof decor.

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Make:	NIKON CORPORATION
Model:	NIKON D300
Exposure:	0.033 sec (1/30)
Aperture:	f/11.0
ISO Speed:	200
Focal Length:	24 mm
Lens:	24.0-70.0 mm f/2.8