2017

TL9097 : Peddars Way at Boston Plantation

taken 7 years ago, near to Thompson, Norfolk, England

Peddars Way at Boston Plantation
Peddars Way at Boston Plantation
The warning sign is part of the Stanford Training Area (STANTA).
STANTA

STANTA stands for STANford Training Area situated roughly TL 8495.
The area was established in 1942 when a battle training area was required and a 'Nazi village' established. Military exercises were already taking place in the area; tanks had deployed to Thetford in the First World War. The complete takeover involved the complete evacuation of the villages of Buckenham Tofts, Langford, Stanford, Sturston, Tottington and West Tofts. The occupants of the houses were all rehoused in the belief that they would be allowed to return after the war. However the site was so valuable to the military that they have taken up permanent occupancy.
The area was used during the run-up to the D-Day invasion and since then has hosted many exercises.
The battle area includes four historic churches; the one at West Tofts was restored by Pugin and a new "church" forms part of the specially constructed village of Eastmere. Eastmere was originally built to give soldiers experience of fighting on the northern European plains.
There is a short landing strip for Harrier aircraft at TL 8332 9704
As a live firing area, access is not allowed without special permission from the Army. In the main this is limited to a number of tours a year and compassionate grounds for former residents of the villages or their relatives.
The area forms part of the distinctive Breckland landscape region, a gorse-covered sandy heath which offers poor agricultural opportunities but farms are still active and sheep graze within its confines. Arguably, its use as a military training area has safeguarded a substantial archaeological landscape. It is the home of a wealth of rare species of flora and fauna already lost in other parts of the country. Parts of the training area are designated Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).
The battle area was used in the filming of many of the episodes of the TV comedy series, Dad's Army.

Peddars Way

The Peddars Way is a long distance footpath in Norfolk. It is 46 miles long and follows the route of a Roman road. It has been suggested by more than one writer that it was not created by the Romans but was an ancient trackway, a branch or extension of the Icknield Way, used and remodelled by the Romans. The name is said to be derived from the Latin pedester – on foot. It starts at Knettishall Heath in Suffolk (near the Norfolk-Suffolk border, about 4 miles east of Thetford), and it links with the Norfolk Coast Path at Holme-next-the-Sea.
Combined with the Norfolk Coast Path, it forms the Peddars Way & Norfolk Coast Path National Trail, one of 15 National Trails in England and Wales, and the two paths together run for 97 miles.
Wikipedia: LinkExternal link


Creative Commons Licence [Some Rights Reserved]   © Copyright Mat Fascione and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.
Geographical Context: Paths Defence, Military Flat landscapes Primary Subject: Path other tags: Long Distance Path Farmland Military Training Area Click a tag, to view other nearby images.
This photo is linked from: Automatic Clusters: · Peddars Way [10] · Stanford Training Area [2] ·
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Grid Square
TL9097, 15 images   (more nearby 🔍)
Photographer
Mat Fascione   (more nearby)
Date Taken
Sunday, 28 May, 2017   (more nearby)
Submitted
Wednesday, 7 June, 2017
Subject Location
OSGB36: geotagged! TL 903 971 [100m precision]
WGS84: 52:32.3367N 0:48.2853E
Camera Location
OSGB36: geotagged! TL 903 971
View Direction
Southeast (about 135 degrees)
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Image Type (about): geograph 
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