Urban Exploration
Welcome to derelicte
A website documenting derelict buildings throughout East Anglia, and sometimes beyond... (East Anglia is quite small and devoid of dereliction!)
Here are some recent additions to the website. You can find a full list of locations on the reports page.
RAF Box (Rudloe Manor site 1)
Where? Rudloe, Wiltshire. Comments 3. Posted 28 May 2009.
I can't begin to explain what this site was for. Wikipedia says the following...
The Rudloe Site was formerly RAF Rudloe Manor, which was established during the Second World War as a non-flying station for administrative and command & control purposes. It was home to HQ Number 10 Fighter Group, RAF Regional Command, Headquarters RAF Police & Security Services, No 1 Signals Unit, Controller Defence Communications Network and 1001 Signals Unit. By 1998 it had become mostly administrative, housing the RAF Provost and Security Services, which dealt with security and criminal investigation services, the Defence Communication Services Agency, while the detachment of 1001 Signals Unit of the RAF remained. It closed as an operational site in about 2000.
The base has two main buildings - a manor house and a purpose-built operations building. There are several smaller, newer buildings scattered around the site too.
Fletcher Convalescent Home of the Norfolk & Norwich Hospital
Where? Cromer, Norfolk. Comments 2. Posted 22 May 2009.
The Fletcher Convelescent Home opened on 25 April 1893 and closed 105 years later (in 1998). Since closure the buildings have been subject to numerous planning applications, none of which have been successful. While it's fate is decided, the building continues to deteriorate.
The building is number 10 in the Victorian Society's "Top Ten Endangered Buildings" list of 2008.
Read full Fletcher Convalescent Home of the Norfolk & Norwich Hospital article here
St Michaels Hospital - Aylsham
Where? Aylsham, Norfolk. Comments 0. Posted 18 May 2009.
Starting life as Aylsham Union Workhouse, the impressively imposing building was built in the 1840s. In 1930 it became a Public Assistance Institution and then St Michaels Hospital. The main building closed in 2005. Tiny bits have been demolished since, making way for a road for the new housing estate on the grounds.
This is definitely a case of "don't judge a book by the cover" - outside looks awesome. I've seen photos of this hospital when it was empty in 2007. I wish I went then - it was full of bits like signs, lights, plaster on the walls (!), and even an XRay machine. The building is now totally stripped out.
Framlingham Mill
Where? Framlingham, Suffolk. Comments 1. Posted 8 May 2009.
Framlingham Mill was owned by J. Bibby Agriculture and closed in 2005. It was a feed mill - meaning it made feed for animals such as pigs. Production and workers were moved to the company's mills in Bury St Edmunds and Wolsingham.
Had a quick explore of the main building - a hot day mixed with tons of pigeon crap doesn't make for pleasant exploring!
Ipswich Waterfront Mills
Where? Ipswich. Comments 5. Posted 4 May 2009.
Ipswich's waterfront once boasted a huge selection of mills, all of varying sizes. Several have been demolished, some converted into flats, and two remain empty. But not for long, they will soon be flats too.
HMS Osprey / RNAS Portland
Where? Portland, Dorset. Comments 1. Posted 30 April 2009.
HMS Osprey was one of the Navy's helicopter airfields. It closed in 1999. Most of the base has been demolished. An HM Coastguard heliport remains, as does the old main building. This contained the control tower, operations room, met office and communications centre. There are plans to turn this building into a hotel.
Sandhill Park Hospital
Where? Taunton, Somerset. Comments 3. Posted 20 December 2008.
Sandhill Park was built in 1720 and was lived in until 1913.
In 1919 the Somerset County Council bought the house and converted it into a home for handicapped children. During WW2 it was used as a hospital/camp by the American Army. After the War it reverted to use as a hospital for handicapped children.
HMS Royal Arthur
Where? Corsham, Wiltshire. Comments 4. Posted 18 December 2008.
HMS Royal Arthur was one of the Royal Navy's shore establishments - similar to HMS Ganges but on a smaller scale. The site at Corsham opened in 1947 after moving from Skegness (the Butlins holiday camp was used during WW2). The Corsham site finally closed in 1993...
A few years ago there was "news" that the site would be converted into retirement homes - nothing seems to have happened with that plan though. Nowadays it sits empty, and seems to be a practice ground for Bristol/Bath's graffiti artists.
I didn't get many photos of the buildings, maybe I'll revisit in the future...
Cambois Railway Depot
Where? Northumberland. Comments 2. Posted 15 November 2008.
Cambois railway depot was a thriving depot up until the mid 1990s. The locomotives based there were mainly used by the nearby power station, which required huge amounts of coal trains to feed it. The power station closed and trains were no longer needed. Thus the depot was no longer needed either...
Last year all of the railway track in the yard was removed. All that remains is the old depot shed, a grounded railway van, a few pre-fabricated offices and a million tyres.
Tyneside Signal Box
Where? Gateshead. Comments 0. Posted 13 November 2008.
Tyne Yard, on the outskirts of Newcastle was once one of the largest railway yards in the country. A decline in the railway freight system meant the yard was drastically downsized. This signal box controlled the yard and much of the nearby mainline. Electrification and re-signalling of the mainline in the 1980s finally meant that this huge signal box was no longer required.
