Urban Exploration: A Trilogy of Failures II
We are Urban Explorers, we are not vandals. We take nothing besides photographs and leave nothing but footprints.
On Boxing day, I earmarked three venues to visit all in the space of around 2 miles. With three I could hardly fail on all of them, right?
The title is a little misleading I will admit, although as a sequel to Urban Exploration: A Trilogy of Failures it is similar.
Urban Exploration Target #1 – Star Paper Mill
I got this information from www.28dayslater.co.uk, though the report was a few years old. They rarely tell you where these places are so you need to cast a beady eye with Google Maps, and so with all the clues I figured I had found it.
The gates to where I thought the Paper Mill was were firmly bolted closed but it looked like there were cars and activity going on up the lane. Maybe they had flying cars and had used their aviation skills to get in?
Not to be deterred the maps showed me that my target was close to the Leeds/Liverpool canal, so I got on the tow path and started walking and walking and walking more. A splashing sound startled me and a bloke in a canoe came sailing by and wished me a Merry Christmas.
He took off quickly and I was looking at a solid metal green fence with spiky bits on the tops thinking this was a bad idea. There was no sign of any derelict mill either, just a modern one with smoking chimneys.
The most annoying part was the half mile walk up the canal. Bah, waste of bloody time! I went back half jogging past a few dog walkers that gave me strange looks and got back in my car. I then noticed the road I was parked on, ‘Star Road’.
I had the correct place, but the old mill had put on its Harry Potter invisibility cloak and wasn’t having any of it or has been demolished!
Urban Exploration Target #2 – An Abandoned Vicarage
My new policy is to not go and look for places when the last report is five years old. The building in this old article is quite distinctive, the problem being it’s no longer there!
There is a St John’s Vianney Church, but it’s a modern building, still used and full of ‘keep away’ signs. Perhaps they are for the likes of me who’s searching for ghost buildings.
Here’s a snap of a real derelict church that was yet another of my recent failures. Being sealed tight means it’s off limits. I bet there were some good photography opportunities in there but it was not to be that day.
Urban Exploration Target #3 – Feniscowles Hall
My last target was not a true UrBex location, more a ruin. Still undeterred I parked up in a very posh area in my white car that is more black due to the amount of shit and dirt covering it. I don’t like to draw attention to myself, if you see what I mean 😊
Looking at maps I determined there was a river in the way, and a big gate stood in front of me with spiky tops. It was a case of being skewered and soaked vs finding another way in.
Common sense got the better of me and so I ventured into the small lanes and rambling country houses area on the other side of the hall.
Dumping the car, I started walking down a lane and saw a closed gate with a dirt lane that led to my target. A couple were walking toward me with a dog. Was this going to be a complete failure again?
‘Hello’, I said cheerily…. (keep it friendly)
‘Is this the route to Feniscowles Hall?’
‘Yes, but there’s no public right of way’…
Their tone was not angry or protective, a good start.
‘I’m looking to take some photographs; would that be OK’…. (I’m not a mindless shithead graffiti spraying vandal honest guv...)
‘You can jump over and go down, many others do’, replied the bloke with the dog quite cheerily.
‘Merry Christmas and thanks’’, I retorted jumping over the gate.
Well that went well, I was full of beans and thinking it wasn’t a complete waste of all my time.
Around 500 yards further on was another gate, this one had some barbed wire. A very poor attempt at keeping people out I thought. One strand of wire will do very little.
Vaulting over the gate with incredible agility I started down the hill and on approaching the ruin noticed some more people. Photographers and more than one; so it’s not just me who’s completely insane.
As I said, Feniscowles Hall is not UrBex and there’s very little left of it. It was a case of making the most of a bad trip.
The hall was built in 1808 and nature has overtaken the grounds in a big way.
Only part of the walls remain and some are completely gone. There is no sign of a roof, and entry to the cellar areas have been blocked off for safety.
The morning mist had almost burnt off and so any ‘ghostly snaps’ were not going to happen though it didn't stop me from trying.
I noticed there was a bridge over the river so I could have used this entrance if I was happy with my body being full of bloody spikes. The original entrance was connected to the main road I originally started on.
Feniscowles Hall was a little anti-climactic just because there was so little of it left. It must have been a grand building once and here’s a link which shows what it looked like when inhabited.
On leaving I noticed what was once some outbuildings, maybe stables but they were in such a bad state that I missed them initially.
The other blokes were still there taking even more photographs as I left. After a friendly goodbye I left and proceeded up the hill back to my car.
In the next invigorating episode, I’m targeting yet another abandoned mill, a spooky mansion and an abandoned football ground.
Other articles in the ‘Urban Exploration’ series:
Urban Exploration: Brodock Ltd, The Old Paper Mill (Failed)
Urban Exploration: Urban Exploration: Workhouse Farm
Urban Exploration: Urban Exploration: Hellifield Abandoned Train
Urban Exploration: Extwistle Hall
Urban Exploration: Huncoat Power Station (Demolished)
Urban Exploration – A Trilogy of Failures
Urban Exploration: Holdings Country Pottery
If you found this article so invigorating that you are now a positively googly-eyed, drooling lunatic with dripping saliva or even if you liked it just a bit, then please upvote, comment, resteem, engage me or all of these things.
I actually loved the visit to Feniscowles Hall. The prime reason being that this was significant construction that nature is redeeming all by itself. I love that it happens that way.
There are two abandoned hogans that are quite close to each other in Painted Desert National Park. It's a bit of a walk, and you need a permit to make it, but they are prime examples of two different ways of honoring the past.
One site is Navajo and one Zuni. The Navajo family returns to the site once per year and does the necessary work to preserve and protect it so that their ancestors can return to it at any time.
The Zuni family comes each year to observe and honor their ancestors by seeing that the site is returning to nature. The do nothing in the way of preservation.
Both are deeply significant sites to the respective clans. They could not be treated more differently.
Thanks for sharing your Christmas adventure!
I did some internet research on this one. It was quite the elegant home in its day. It seems odd the owners and heirs eventually just walk away from something like this. Maybe the maintenance gets too overwhelming. Or modernizing it would be be too expensive. Still, there's something sad and haunting about it. Even in its present condition.
Very interesting I'd imagine to just stand there and "feel" the place. (Better though w/o other people milling around, jumbling the energy.) Kind of an "if these walls could talk" sensation.
I wonder if any of the previous tenants ever visit. I've got several I plan to haunt. When the time comes. :-)
There wasn't a lot of atmosphere TBH. I mean you could hardly go inside. I thought the place was really old being in this state, its just been neglected for longer than that some of the others I have done.
Haha You had me laughing with the fly car, and the invisibility cloak!
I think Feniscowles Hall is beautiful! I personally like the buildings being overtaken by nature more than the others. You got some really lovely shots there too!
Haha... is it common that the run down places are marked wrongly? I guess if the information is out of date you can't help it!
I do like the photos of the last place though, really quite some stunning photo moments there!
They don't exactly tell you if the place has been demolished, and when. Its info that could be really useful but is rarely present.
Especially if you turn up on the day it is being demolished!
I try and do my homework, I think I'm improving on that area!
Wow, that's too bad that the first two didn't work out for you. Did you talk to the other people at all besides a quick hello? Just curious what they were doing there besides taking pictures. Maybe you will have better luck next time!
Just some hello's and morning's, not much else. One had a kid with him, and at that point I knew they were fellow photographers. Holding DLR's gives it away.. Yes, I have had little luck recently, I need to get more bullish at this.
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Yeah that church may have had some great pics in it. Too bad really.
I think it is amazing in the last set how nature is slowly but surely reclaiming her own.
So happy the ruins worked out ... stunning! Those framed windows look like art pieces from a museum.
Yes, not exactly UrbEx, but I had to come away with something!
One out of three is better than none out of three :) Mind if I have a tinker with some of your photos in Lightroom?
Go ahead mate!
Those places were something back in their day. It is strange to me how this is something that is hidden. There must be a lot of land for the government to let these ruins stand.
It looks haunted.
It is out of the way and not really visible from the road. Most of these places are in private ownership. I keep away from government property as that has trespassing implications.