Government Animal Testing Lab, BBSRC

On the way back from my RAF Upwood exploration i found this little jem of a site.

Its soon to be redeveloped for.....wait for it......a mixed developement of housing.......so get in while you have a chance.

Just on the outskirts of StIves in Cambridgeshire, is Houghton Grange, Former Government Biological Research Lab, now moved to the Infamous Palbright site.

The Exploration starts with a Recce of the perimiter where i discover this very old looking caravan...


Next up is the Coach House , part of the Houghton Grange Estate Buildings


The impressive looking Front Entrance,Houghton Grange


1960s Lab Block built next to Houghton Grange Old House


Random Overgrown Shot


Random Lab Block Shot


Inside Random Lab , High Biological Security Here, The Meters are Manometers, they measure the Air pressure in the room, it measure negative and posotive pressure, next up are Fan speed controllers to control air pressure in room(Lab), and lastly on the control panel is a unit warning when the underground waste water tank is full, this has to be boiled before being released into drain network.....


Inside the Lab working area, there are about 100 of these on site, it has its own internal staff toilet,so you dont leave the room for a leek.


Same lab showing view of AirLock sample hatch and peep nole to outside world


Still in the same Lab, the only way in is through a shower cubicle, you have to shower on the way in and on the way out.


I seem to have developed a nasty cough(bird like) only joking........Now a shot of the staff canteen


Run out of picture hosting space.........lots more to see........well worth a look........about 100 Acres in all

Looks good, is the manor still in use?

The old manor house is emptey.It has a bit of vandalism to the back,You can reach the manor house by going through the labs, labs have no power, but there may be a movement sensor in old manor house.

You must get into the manor!

Round the back of the manor house it looks like this...








I did not hang around this area as this is the area security check, and pikey scum had been destroying paraphet and stealing led form gutters,shitheads.

Excellent find, Sm. Interesting labs and that manor house is a lovely building. Be great if you can find a way in, but if not then at least it's safe from trashing.
Love that caravan; rather quirky.

Cheers for those.
Foxy

Great find, and great photo's. Could you see what was in that caravan?

Pip

The Caravan was missing its door, but inside was looking ok, still fitted with old gas lamps, and a bookshelf with some old books in it.

Interesting...

I used to drive past this site every day. There were always cars parked in the main drive, police dog training days, people living in the gatehouses.

There was some interest amongst urbexers a couple of years ago, but everyone got collared pretty quickly.

So, sounds like things have changed?

Well done getting those shots. First time I've seen a report from there.

Incidentally, as you came from Upwood and down to St. Ives, I assume you drove past the old Wyton photographic factory. Is that still there? Last time I drove past they were putting a new road in.

All the best,
Simon

Great stuff Shads
If it is dooable without being too risky, go for the Manor House. Bet that there's some lovely details inside. I do like the style of that place -looks a bit like Lutyn's interpretation of Arts & Crafts.
The labs just creep me out. Takes guts to look around a place like that me thinks! Well done -some good pics too
That old caravan looks very twee with those leaded windows -reckon it would make a great mobile UE command centre for Krela

Lb

Simon said:

Interesting...

I used to drive past this site every day. There were always cars parked in the main drive, police dog training days, people living in the gatehouses.

There was some interest amongst urbexers a couple of years ago, but everyone got collared pretty quickly.

So, sounds like things have changed?

Well done getting those shots. First time I've seen a report from there.

Incidentally, as you came from Upwood and down to St. Ives, I assume you drove past the old Wyton photographic factory. Is that still there? Last time I drove past they were putting a new road in.

All the best,
Simon

Click to expand...

Hi Simon,
The gate house still has people living in it, i parked on the other side of the road and walked down a side farm track to avoid the gate house.
Lots of buildings are now accesable and have not been re-borded.
Look out for little black stick on swipe cards, KEEP away from these, this is where security clock in.
If you keep off the main drive i think you will be OK.
RAF Wyton has now completed the new road to the old factory, so i assume new houses are planned.

shadowman said:

Hi Simon,
The gate house still has people living in it, i parked on the other side of the road and walked down a side farm track to avoid the gate house.
Lots of buildings are now accesable and have not been re-borded.
Look out for little black stick on swipe cards, KEEP away from these, this is where security clock in.
If you keep off the main drive i think you will be OK.
RAF Wyton has now completed the new road to the old factory, so i assume new houses are planned.

Click to expand...

Thanks - I need to rephotograph the old photographic factory - my original 2002 shots are rubbish. Apparently it's quite a unique structure and so it needs a better historical record.

Ever thought of having a look at Wyton's bomb store? It's just on the north west side of the roundabout on the A141.

All the best,
Simon

so who looks after the gardens

the directors of the site should be whipped publicly for leaving places like that to rot, then made to pay for repairs themselves

wow these places don`t come up much, creepy places...what ever happened to huntingdon life sciences..great pics thats a must explore !

Thanks for sharing pics,cool stuff.

Sorry to dredge up an old thread, but does anyone know the status of this place, it looks amazing! I cant seem to find anywhere if work has started or not.....

Tam x

caravan must be worth a few bob if its not too rotten

Cool report. I always think these places are quite sinister. I only found out the other week that theres an animal testing place just out of Derby but its very live

Houghton Grange

Hi everyone, I joined just to see the photo's of this beautiful place. Im lucky just to live down the road from this on the old RAF Wyton housing estate.
Are there any more photos of the house?
It is now up for sale as a development site, for houses and the old house to be turned into apartments, one is going to have my name on it!

Houghton Grange

I've always wandered what this place was as i drove by!!!

If you gut want to see it i would got really soon as i noticed a "FOR SALE" sign:icon_evil for posh flat's ect....

If anyone's up for it, im in!!