Tyneham Unravelled
Tyneham and the surrounding area have been inhabited since the Iron Age. However, in December 1943, six days before Christmas, the village was evacuated for military training ahead of the D-Day landings. Although the villagers expected to return, the area remains an active military training ground and has prepared troops for numerous assignments, including the current defence of Ukraine. It is also a popular tourist destination, treasured for its history, nature, and tranquillity, and attracts approximately 180,000 visitors each year.
Tyneham Unravelled illustrated panorama
In 2021, colleagues from Portsmouth University, with the generous support of the Ministry of Defence, ran a public engagement event in Tyneham to understand the lasting appeal of the village. Using maps, drawings, and postcards, visitors were invited to share what they thought, felt, and valued about the village and its heritage. Common words used included sadness, eeriness, nostalgia, and sacrifice, alongside reflections on the lifestyle of the villagers. Visitors also valued the current qualities of the site, describing it as peaceful, tranquil, and magical.
The comments rarely reflected on the village’s essentially feudal nature at the time of the evacuation or the challenges faced by some villagers who worked in service, on the land, or at sea. Few noted the broader context of the permanent evacuation (World War II and the Cold War), or recognised Tyneham's role in preparing troops for the D-Day landings.
The artwork - a 2.5m long scroll - and model have been developed in response to these conversations and aim to represent some of the layered stories and histories of the site—stories of habitation, loss, bravery, and recovery. They have been created to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of WWII and to honour the sacrifices made at Tyneham, nationally, and globally.
The illustrated panorama is entirely hand-made using printing, painting, and collage to capture fragmented stories, hidden narratives, and time. These processes allow the heritage of the site to be revealed in a non-linear manner—assemblages of social, cultural, and political stories.
Plate One
This plate depicts Tyneham village centre and its proximity to the sea. The village was essentially operated on a feudal system and many of the residents were employed by the Bonds, the landowners, as farm labourers or fishermen - the techniques that would have been family to the medieval monks who had lived in the area.
The plate also depicts local marine craft, including the pleasure steamer Victoria, and vessels that were engaged in WWII and the D-Day landings. Other features include a message left on the church door when the villagers left; Flower’s Barrow, an Iron Age fort; a protest banner by John Gould who campaigned with others to return to the village, and Winston Churchill who visited the training camp at Tyneham.
Plate Two
This plate depicts the centre of Tyneham village, highlighting key buildings such as Tyneham Rectory, St Mary’s Church, Tyneham School, Laundry Cottages, Post Office Row, and Tyneham Farm—overlooked by the landowners' former home, Tyneham House. Many of these sites feature interpretive panels created by graphic designer Lynda Price, who worked with the Ministry of Defence over two decades to help preserve the village’s heritage and tell the stories of the Tyneham residents.
At the time of the evacuation, most buildings in Tyneham had no gas, electricity, or running water, and residents often walked miles for supplies. Other features reflect the village’s agricultural roots, Roman artefacts and remains, and ancient paths and waterways connecting Tyneham with Corfe and Wareham. Today, the area’s rich natural environment continues to flourish, supporting diverse wildlife and plant species.
Plate Three
This plate shows the remains of Post Office Row and former residents: George Richards and his sister Mrs. Manktelow, Meg Ritchie with her donkey, and Helen Taylor with her dog Spot; Helen began working at Tyneham House at 14. During WWII, German aircraft flew overhead, and one resident, Peter Wellman, recalled a dramatic dogfight above the fields. A 1943 edition of the Radio Times is included as it was an essential source of information and entertainment.
As motorcars brought tourists and new job opportunities, change was beginning to reach the village. After the 1943 evacuation, many residents resettled nearby, including at Tyneham Close in Sandford, where they finally had electricity and running water.
In later years, the village was used as a filming location for Comrades (1987), where a sycamore was symbolically replanted as the Martyrs’ Tree. Tyneham remains rich in natural and cultural heritage. Its woodlands—home to oaks, ash, and sycamores—still support diverse wildlife and flowers like viper’s bugloss and wild garlic. An ammonite represents the area's ancient geological history.
Plate Four
This plate centres on Tyneham School, overshadowed by Hitler’s rise and the coming war. Opened in 1860 and closed in 1932 due to falling enrolment, children were taught by Mrs. N. Pritchard and Winnie Bright, who travelled from Kimmeridge by motorcycle. Now Grade II listed, the building houses an exhibition curated by Lynda Price, offering a glimpse of pre-war village life. Overhead, a Spitfire—used in D-Day training—links Tyneham to global events, while the moon symbolises time, perspective, and Earth’s fragility, as described by astronaut Frank White’s 'Overview Effect.'
The bombing of St Paul’s Cathedral places Tyneham within the wider context of the Blitz, which killed over 43,000 civilians and displaced 1.5 million, mostly children. St Mary’s Church, with 13th-century origins, held its first post-evacuation service in 1979, attended by former residents, the Wellman sisters. Nearby, a ceremonial oak marks the 1911 coronation of George V.
The Fossil Forest, east of Lulworth Cove, reveals a prehistoric submerged landscape. Tyneham’s natural surroundings remain rich in wildlife, from deer and badgers to rare orchids and owls, symbols of wisdom in Western culture.
Plate Five
Tyneham House, located in Tyneham Wood, is shown at the centre of this plate, along with the lime tree avenue that lined its approach. Built between the 14th and 19th centuries, it was home to the Bond family for generations. It was demolished during military training and partly demolished - it remains in ruins and unsafe for public access.
The Bonds owned most of the village and surrounding land, employing many locals who lived in tied cottages—one is shown here for scale. They maintained close ties with villagers, funding the school and church and supporting community events. By the time of evacuation, work had already declined and some residents had moved away. When it became clear that no one would be able to return, the Bond family received £30,000 in compensation, while tenants were reportedly paid only for the vegetables in their gardens.
In August 1945, the U.S. dropped the first atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, ending WWII and beginning a new era of military strategy. Though Tyneham’s residents had expected to return, the site remained under military control due to its strategic importance during the Cold War and beyond. Depicted figures include members of the Bond family, WAAF personnel stationed at Tyneham House, and schoolteacher Winnie Bright on her Raleigh motorcycle.
Other elements reference the area’s past and present: a Lulworth skipper butterfly, a pliosaur fossil discovered in 2023, and the ongoing military use of the land—including training linked to the defence of Ukraine. And finally, an extract from T.S. Eliot's poem Four Quartets, published in full in 1943, explores themes of history, war, death, spiritual renewal, the human experience and the connections between past and present - both personal and historical:
‘Time present and time past
Are both perhaps present in time future,
And time future contained in time past.
If all time is eternally present
All time is unredeemable.
What might have been is an abstraction
Remaining a perpetual possibility
Only in a world of speculation.
What might have been and what has been
Point to one end, which is always present…’
T.S. Eliot Four Quartets (1943)
Public Consultation 2022 and 2025
Artists Book
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This artist's book depicts the village of Tyneham which was requisitioned by the MoD during the Second World War.
Tyneham Unravelled is a project involving a team of collaborators who aim to reveal the multi-layered histories and hidden stories of the site, using a range of creative methodologies - updates to follow soon.
Acknowledgements
This work has been informed by a number of people including: the authors, Patrick Wright, Robert Westwood, Dr Andrew Norman, and Rodney Legg; visitors to Tyneham; Lynda Price, graphic designer, who led the conservation and development of Tyneham from 1994 to 2019 and created the information panels at the village; and finally, the Ministry of Defence, in particular, to Major (Rtd) Tony Stirling for his appreciation of heritage and support of our endeavours and Major (Rtd) Mike Burgess.
https://tynehamvillage.org/flowers-barrow-a-timeless-beacon-of-dorsets-history/
Dorset History Centre
Researchers
Rachael Brown, Senior lecturer and illustrator, University of Portsmouth. Contact: rachael.brown@port.ac.uk,
Dr Tarek Teba, Associate Professor in Architectural Heritage, University of Portsmouth. Contact: tarek.teba@port.ac.uk
University of Portsmouth collaborators: In 2022 Dr Kremena Dimotrova, Dr Milena Metalkova Markova, and the University Of Portsmouth Heritage Hub and research assistants Atena Mayahi (photographer). In 2025 the University Of Portsmouth Heritage Hub, Aidan Haestier (model-maker), Megan Hughes (graphic designer), and thanks to Ginny Brown and Matt Sheard for their help at events, and for their encouragement.