History:
Around four years ago I spotted a ‘For Sale’ sign on this place while driving past. Despite the grass being cut earlier that day we decided to have a wander up to the building itself for a look. It was mint: Chairs and tables set for dinner. A menu in a glass case adjacent to the door displayed the finest cuisine, and wines for 1500 euro a bottle.
I done what I usually do when I see an expensive round of drinks coming and made a sharp exit... thinking “One day I’ll ‘splore you”
Historic ‘in use’ photo
Four years later and three passes of the Google Streetview car later, there’s still ‘For Sale’ signs outside (albeit a different agent). Google also revealed that it shares its garden fence with a live hotel, we book a room and set off.
Arriving an hour before sunset, we ditch our bags and wander back across the lawn. The building is now derelict, with doors missing and most windows smashed and hanging off their hinges. It’s a sorry sight. I look down and notice the lawn is still immaculate and recently cut. How odd.
The rooms were trashed, but still showed glimpses of the former opulence.
While we were there we saw two people coming across the lawn to the house. A quick judgement on their relaxed hipster clothing prompted us to quietly make our presence known to them as not to spook them.
One of them looked at me and laughed “Oh, you’re UrbanX”. I really have to get a less distinctive haircut. We chatted for ten minutes, they wanted to film a music video there so were checking it out.
I was tired from the travel and the light was fading, so there was nothing left to do except climb to the roof and crack open a cold one to watch the sunset.
Around four years ago I spotted a ‘For Sale’ sign on this place while driving past. Despite the grass being cut earlier that day we decided to have a wander up to the building itself for a look. It was mint: Chairs and tables set for dinner. A menu in a glass case adjacent to the door displayed the finest cuisine, and wines for 1500 euro a bottle.
I done what I usually do when I see an expensive round of drinks coming and made a sharp exit... thinking “One day I’ll ‘splore you”
Historic ‘in use’ photo
Four years later and three passes of the Google Streetview car later, there’s still ‘For Sale’ signs outside (albeit a different agent). Google also revealed that it shares its garden fence with a live hotel, we book a room and set off.
Arriving an hour before sunset, we ditch our bags and wander back across the lawn. The building is now derelict, with doors missing and most windows smashed and hanging off their hinges. It’s a sorry sight. I look down and notice the lawn is still immaculate and recently cut. How odd.
The rooms were trashed, but still showed glimpses of the former opulence.
While we were there we saw two people coming across the lawn to the house. A quick judgement on their relaxed hipster clothing prompted us to quietly make our presence known to them as not to spook them.
One of them looked at me and laughed “Oh, you’re UrbanX”. I really have to get a less distinctive haircut. We chatted for ten minutes, they wanted to film a music video there so were checking it out.
I was tired from the travel and the light was fading, so there was nothing left to do except climb to the roof and crack open a cold one to watch the sunset.