Tales of the Urban Explorer: Horncliffe Mansion (Burnt)
After a tip from @mender1 that a bunch of twats had torched Horncliffe Mansion I checked the local news sites to see that it was true.
Sadly this is the case, and I felt a re-visit appropriate to see how bad the damage was and how accessible the building now is. A week after the incident I figured would be a good time.
Too early and it may still be smouldering with fire-fighters trying to extinguish the embers, too late and it may get fencing erected around it rendering it inaccessible once again.
I was fortunate enough to gain access to this celebrity Urbex location earlier this year and managed to get inside with a sheer stroke of luck.
I had seen what it looked like BEFORE this atrocity happened.
It was a shitty rainy evening when I pulled up outside the old mansion and from the roadside, I couldn't see any difference. Having visited twice, before I knew the easy access way and walked up to the side of the house.
It was apparent from 100 yards that there had been many changes from my last visit. Where there were windows, there were none.
The top door was the hall area and looking into this room revealed an ornate fireplace. It is still visible but scorched almost beyond recognition. The floor has completely collapsed revealing a lower floor.
The intricate decoration on the walls painted in cream, gone.
Stepping on to the burnt planks was not going to happen and I was alone on this visit. One slip and it would have hurt. Lowering myself down was also something else I figured foolhardy.
The fire must have been particularly ferocious at this window arch. The bottom of the inside had been completely burnt away.
The front door is still barred but the blue spray paint painted by vandals had melted away, likely by the intense heat.
That side door was begging me to go have a look. Strange that it was open wide like that as though someone had prised it open.
The room was previously in a state of collapse but now contained an even more unstable floor. The view upward from the same point yields the sky. There nothing left up there.
The door on the left is where we walked months ago. This room was also collapsed at that time, but the cellar below was once in complete darkness.
We dared not go upstairs on our last visit due to squashy floors. That part of this manor house is now lost forever. I now have regrets about not climbing the bannister to get a view of the upper areas.
The graffiti was not there last time. Bad Wolf came after we did. Was he the arsonist?
A new way in presented itself, but as I had no light, was alone and it looked extremely creepy, I declined.
What can I say? It’s a crying shame Horncliffe has been burnt in this way. Was it an insurance job?
Who knows, but considering it’s been on the market for years with no interest then I wouldn’t discount it.
I see no reason to return to Horncliffe Mansion. It will either be left in this state or someone stupid enough to buy it will renovate it costing them millions.
The burning does not change its status of being a protected building. Without the express permission of the local council, it can't be torn down or demolished.
As it stands, it's an absolute death-trap that I would not walk in to.
That is unless access is gained via the basement. There’s always that dark hole to explore if you are really desperate.
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Man, that's heartbreaking.
Especially as I had been before and got in. It was creepy as hell but I wasn't alone that time. Another one 30 miles away got torched recently. It's like there a bunch of these dickheads going around and doing it for fun.
You didn't have your amazing sunstar glare machine!!? Outrageous.
And bad wolf... bad!
It was in the car, but doing creepy holes going downwards alone.. is a big no!
I can imagine. One slip and yeek!!
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Very cool shots. That must have been one heck of a fire. It consumed nearly everything that was made of wood. Happy Tuesday Slobber.
Yes, the wood always goes first. I wasn't going in alone on those fragile timbers!
That is a massive shame.
Made me curious to check out what it looked like when it was still in use....
Such a pity a building will most likely be lost forever.
I have seen those pictures before. That was 2009 at the latest. The conservatory was the first thing to go.
It's no coincidence that year was the great recession. It has been empty since then.
It would be interesting to visit some of the urbex places on a regular basis (maybe quarterly for a few years) to document their decay and make it into a timelapse...
I have done a couple of revisits, but usually when there's a report that I can get to parts I couldn't reach before.. (sounds like a Heineken commercial).
I was going to say take a bear with you next time, but that is the wrong brand of lager...
Another great adventure. Sad to see it in that condition.
I'm running out of places to explore around here. I'll be doing a trip to Bradford when @goblinknackers get's his arse in gear. There's lots over there, a city of ruins.
Something tells me you'll be back but with a flashlight and a partner. The newly found entrance to the basement has your name on it... Desperado!
LOL, probably not.., I don't think I'll get far as that likely takes into the cellars which will now have collapsed timbers within.
What a tragedy. Thanks for documenting it with your beautiful (if melancholy) photos.
Dickheads with petrol 🙄
That is such a shame.
I’m itching to know what he basement is like now though...
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Wont need lighting for part of it. We explored it all last time, though it will be rather different now.
This is a crying shame indeed.
It bothers me to see these ornate structures vandalized. Really says something about the state of humanity doesn't it?
I get quite a creepy vibe seeing the current state, and I'm not so sure we'll see this restored, at least not in this lifetime. Anyone who would restore this to live in, might want to watch a Stanley Kubrick flick.. Turn the other way, there is something evil in there now.
This is a bit off topic for the post, but do you collect MTG cards?
It's unlikely it will be restored now, unless the owners significantly reduce the price. It's bee on the market for years.
I used to buy/sell, but now I just sell or try to.. the bottom has fallen out of the market.
Yeah it sure has :(
I sold off a massive collection about 6 months ago, and saved 4 of the rarest ones.
If anything changes, let me know and I'll show you what I have. I'll likely just hold onto them unless I can get Steem for them.