Camelot Theme Park - Chorley - June 2020

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Jenal Urbex

Member
Joined
Apr 30, 2020
Messages
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Location
Preston, UK
History
Camelot Theme Park was a theme park in Chorley, Lancashire that operated from 1983-2012. The theme park was based around the story of "Camelot, King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table". Rides at the park included Knightmare, Whirlwind, The Dragon Ride, Excalibur 2 and The Galleon. They also performed Jousting performances which the area that they took place in also still exists to this day. Camelot Theme Park first opened in 1983. It was a family owned park for its first 3 years of operation. In 1986 it was bought by "The Grenada Group" who also owned two other defunct theme parks known as "American Adventure Theme Park" in Derbyshire which closed in 2006 and "Grenada Studios Tour" in Manchester which closed in 1999. It was owned by the Grenada Group for 22 years until it was bought by a company named "Prime Resorts". By the late 1990s Camelot was slowly declining in visitors and only had 500,000 visitors throughout the full season. This further dropped down to 336,204 in 2005. In August 2006, Camelot received joint bottom place for the healthy food available in a competition. By February 2009, Prime Resorts announced that Camelot Theme Park would not reopen for the 2009 season due to being in receivership. However, this was not the end of Camelot. In March 2009, Lavendar Hotels bought the hotel that operated alongside Camelot. By April 2009 there was an announcement that a buyer had been found for Camelot and that the park would be reopening in May 2009. By this point Camelot had been bought by a company called "Story Homes" which was a housing company based in Carlisle and were running Camelot on a lease to Knights Leasure. In 2010 Story Homes made plans on how they would be closing the park permanently after two more operating seasons to develop new houses. As a result, on 2nd September 2012, Camelot Theme Park served its last operational day but the public were not informed until 4th November 2012 when Story Homes announced that Camelot Theme Park would not be returning for the 2013 season.

Explore
During this exploration we noticed that security had tonned down significently to what it once was. Once we gain access to the old theme park we see all of the old crumbing buildings and the rusty old track to the old "Dragon Flyer" ride. Here are some of the pictures that we took during our exploration of the old theme park. We managed to cover the vast majority of the site, however we didn't go near the castle entrance as there was a security van parked right outside it and we didn't want to take the chance of them spotting us.

The pictures that I took inside the park

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One of the old barns at the farm section of the park

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Another one of the old buildings half way between where "The Knightmare" used to be and the farm is.

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The inside of the old castle playhouse.

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The main big tent where performances used to take place.

1717515_85251fcda4b2a8bbec73628b56fd4317.jpg


Part of the track to the old "Dragon Flyer" hidden in the trees.

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Walking on the old "Dragon Flyer" track.

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The old "Magic Spell" shop that was within the park.

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The "King and Queen" stand that was towards the back of the jousting arena.

1717523_669c5dfc1620aa31a15e54931b722700.jpg


The audience area for the jousting arena from a distance.

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The old games area of the park with the jousting arena in the background

1717527_2c42b9e51ed82009e33bb23654dec4ad.jpg


The old food court with the performance area and ghost train to the left.

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An old burnt down alley way with a high up section of the dragon ride and the games buildings to the back.

1717531_2040a04216fb8ecd9156342080a00fcd.jpg


The start of "The Pendragons Plunge" ride.

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The old and overgrown queue line to "The Pendragons Plunge"

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The ride entrance for the old "Whirlwind" ride that is now located at Skyline Park, Germany.
 
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Love this place Some nice pics been a couple of times over the years still not been in. How is security now?
 
I cant believe they haven't flattened it, surely its costing more in security that it would cost to do that!
Never been there myself & though everyone slates it you have done a decent job of covering it. Well done
 
Nature seem to not be able to hold back, the green is definitely overtaking - eagerly. Must have been fun when it was up and going..
 
Wow, thanks for sharing this incredible journey through the history of Camelot Theme Park and your exploration. It's like stepping back in time, and those pictures capture the nostalgia perfectly. It's bittersweet to see the old buildings and tracks. However, I'm sure you can see similar buildings at other big amusement parks. Still, it's a unique adventure!
 
Here are three You Tube videos by Adventure Me. In three parts it shows the Camelot Theme park today and how it used to be by showing "then" pictures.



Just flat ground now, the roller coaster - where is it?
 
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History
Camelot Theme Park was a theme park in Chorley, Lancashire that operated from 1983-2012. The theme park was based around the story of "Camelot, King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table". Rides at the park included Knightmare, Whirlwind, The Dragon Ride, Excalibur 2 and The Galleon. They also performed Jousting performances which the area that they took place in also still exists to this day. Camelot Theme Park first opened in 1983. It was a family owned park for its first 3 years of operation. In 1986 it was bought by "The Grenada Group" who also owned two other defunct theme parks known as "American Adventure Theme Park" in Derbyshire which closed in 2006 and "Grenada Studios Tour" in Manchester which closed in 1999. It was owned by the Grenada Group for 22 years until it was bought by a company named "Prime Resorts". By the late 1990s Camelot was slowly declining in visitors and only had 500,000 visitors throughout the full season. This further dropped down to 336,204 in 2005. In August 2006, Camelot received joint bottom place for the healthy food available in a competition. By February 2009, Prime Resorts announced that Camelot Theme Park would not reopen for the 2009 season due to being in receivership. However, this was not the end of Camelot. In March 2009, Lavendar Hotels bought the hotel that operated alongside Camelot. By April 2009 there was an announcement that a buyer had been found for Camelot and that the park would be reopening in May 2009. By this point Camelot had been bought by a company called "Story Homes" which was a housing company based in Carlisle and were running Camelot on a lease to Knights Leasure. In 2010 Story Homes made plans on how they would be closing the park permanently after two more operating seasons to develop new houses. As a result, on 2nd September 2012, Camelot Theme Park served its last operational day but the public were not informed until 4th November 2012 when Story Homes announced that Camelot Theme Park would not be returning for the 2013 season.

Explore
During this exploration we noticed that security had tonned down significently to what it once was. Once we gain access to the old theme park we see all of the old crumbing buildings and the rusty old track to the old "Dragon Flyer" ride. Here are some of the pictures that we took during our exploration of the old theme park. We managed to cover the vast majority of the site, however we didn't go near the castle entrance as there was a security van parked right outside it and we didn't want to take the chance of them spotting us.

The pictures that I took inside the park

View attachment 260762

One of the old barns at the farm section of the park

View attachment 260763

Another one of the old buildings half way between where "The Knightmare" used to be and the farm is.

View attachment 260764

The inside of the old castle playhouse.

View attachment 260765

The main big tent where performances used to take place.

View attachment 260766

Part of the track to the old "Dragon Flyer" hidden in the trees.

View attachment 260767

Walking on the old "Dragon Flyer" track.

View attachment 260768

The old "Magic Spell" shop that was within the park.

View attachment 260769

The "King and Queen" stand that was towards the back of the jousting arena.

View attachment 260770

The audience area for the jousting arena from a distance.

View attachment 260771

The old games area of the park with the jousting arena in the background

View attachment 260772

The old food court with the performance area and ghost train to the left.

View attachment 260773

An old burnt down alley way with a high up section of the dragon ride and the games buildings to the back.

View attachment 260774

The start of "The Pendragons Plunge" ride.

View attachment 260775

The old and overgrown queue line to "The Pendragons Plunge"

View attachment 260776

The ride entrance for the old "Whirlwind" ride that is now located at Skyline Park, Germany.
I remember having a wander round this place around 1984 or 85, when I lived in Stockport. I didn’t realise at that time it was newly opened. I have a vague memory that it could be accessed via a local road leading from the motorway services, which may well also have been owned by Grenada 🤔. Although it’s a long time ago so that might not be right lol
 
I remember having a wander round this place around 1984 or 85, when I lived in Stockport. I didn’t realise at that time it was newly opened. I have a vague memory that it could be accessed via a local road leading from the motorway services, which may well also have been owned by Grenada . Although it’s a long time ago so that might not be right lol
Wikipedia: "The site was used for a zombie horror experience attraction, Camelot Rises between February and April 2022. In March 2022, the Best Western Park Hall Hotel, formerly the Camelot Theme Park Hotel, permanently closed down. This has since left the entire Park Hall site empty and derelict.

In 1986, the park was taken over by the Granada Group and operated by them alongside its now-defunct sister parks American Adventure and Granada Studios Tour. In June 1998, the park was subject to a management buyout, in which the park went to Prime Resorts Ltd. Camelot had seen a downturn in attendance in later years, in 1995, Camelot's attendance was 500,000 visitors throughout the season."

Granada Motor Services started in 1962 and closed in 2001. It also had hotels. At one time it had 80% of all major service stations, but the Monopolies Commission it to sell off a large number of sites. That was when the decline began. So, YES, the motorway services on the local road probably were owned by Grenada.
 
Wikipedia: "The site was used for a zombie horror experience attraction, Camelot Rises between February and April 2022. In March 2022, the Best Western Park Hall Hotel, formerly the Camelot Theme Park Hotel, permanently closed down. This has since left the entire Park Hall site empty and derelict.

In 1986, the park was taken over by the Granada Group and operated by them alongside its now-defunct sister parks American Adventure and Granada Studios Tour. In June 1998, the park was subject to a management buyout, in which the park went to Prime Resorts Ltd. Camelot had seen a downturn in attendance in later years, in 1995, Camelot's attendance was 500,000 visitors throughout the season."

Granada Motor Services started in 1962 and closed in 2001. It also had hotels. At one time it had 80% of all major service stations, but the Monopolies Commission it to sell off a large number of sites. That was when the decline began. So, YES, the motorway services on the local road probably were owned by Grenada.
Thank you for your reply Hayman, my memory is working ok lol
 

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