Mockingbird's soft spot explore!
So I think anyone who explores has this problem, if you can call it a problem... that one place you love and keep going back to, well this Manor is mine. Over the last couple of years I have visited and watched the slow decline/decay of this place but being as it was a very sunny sunday, I ventured off with my boss and his wife to share with them my soft spot, camera back from repair and ready to explore!!!
I first took pictures of this place with a small handheld, which actually was my stepping stone into documenting with pictures, I had not since taken anymore until today, feeling more adventurous I used a mixture of lenses to spice the place up a bit more. It was a really relaxed explore, I know in the past people have had run ins with the onsite owners/slight trouble, but they have often waved and nodded at me as I walked around, today was exactly the same a simple "good morning" as we approached and once inside I soon realised that the manor has seen its final days, it seems they have tried to restore it but given up all together and now waiting for it to crumble to its doom, the structure forcing the manor to decline more over the years but now its to far gone to save.
As we walked across broken floors and small beams many doors slammed in the wind, which I was used to but my boss and his wife was not, as we approached the main attraction the stained glass window, I explained that the former owners where Scottish and the crest/clan motto on the stained glass meant to them "We can, and we will, do better", another simple meaning is I Aspire To Greater Things. (hence the title, I gave this place). The rooms are more dangerous than before with many falling in floors and strips of wood missing, leaving drops below the attic is not approachable anymore sadly, no matter the places decline I will forever have a soft spot for it.
In the past the manor estate was owned by the RAF who later burnt it out (reasons unknown) and soon a jeweller turned-property developer, brought the estate and decided to turn it from an empty shell to something more grand (which failed). He suffered eye problems through his childhood and having to quit the jewellery business (due to inflammation of his eyes often) he began to raise enough money through hard work and determination from his 1,500 acres of land and home to finally begin his own charity for the partially and fully blind for adults over 16, developing many homes across England to care and look after the blind (which run successfully today), it is said that during this stage he lost his sight for a few months due to his chauffeur accidentally shooting him in the eye at a shooting party, when his eyesight regained he vowed to make his charity work, an constantly gave his life to building properties, once he had enough money, he sold up his home and himself and his wife moved to London to continue the charity work, he passed away in 1935 his wife passed in 1951 they did not have any children.
The estate and Manor is currently owned by a family who work and live almost next door, they have employed people to stay on site with them and manage the farm, yet many areas of the land remain derelict and disused, the farms current owners cannot afford to continue with any repairs of the manor or some outbuildings so the manor sits and waits battling the weather and whoever may come across its beauty, while the empty barns and hay towers collapse around this striking manor, as the stained glass crest states - "We can, and we will, do better" or "I aspire to greater things" we can only think this was his intention with the charities and life, yet this meaning does not represent the state of the manor, as its demise is certain...
Slightly picture heavy but enjoy!
IMGP4625 by urbexmockingbird, on Flickr
IMGP4710 by urbexmockingbird, on Flickr
IMGP4709 by urbexmockingbird, on Flickr
IMGP4678 by urbexmockingbird, on Flickr
IMGP4652 by urbexmockingbird, on Flickr
IMGP4673 by urbexmockingbird, on Flickr
IMGP4671 by urbexmockingbird, on Flickr
IMGP4688 by urbexmockingbird, on Flickr
IMGP4687 by urbexmockingbird, on Flickr
IMGP4666 by urbexmockingbird, on Flickr
IMGP4660 by urbexmockingbird, on Flickr
IMGP4663 by urbexmockingbird, on Flickr
IMGP4649 by urbexmockingbird, on Flickr
IMGP4645 by urbexmockingbird, on Flickr
IMGP4644 by urbexmockingbird, on Flickr
IMGP4700 by urbexmockingbird, on Flickr
IMGP4654 by urbexmockingbird, on Flickr
IMGP4637 by urbexmockingbird, on Flickr
IMGP4648 by urbexmockingbird, on Flickr
IMGP4698 by urbexmockingbird, on Flickr
IMGP4632 by urbexmockingbird, on Flickr
IMGP4714 by urbexmockingbird, on Flickr
Thanks for looking everyone!
So I think anyone who explores has this problem, if you can call it a problem... that one place you love and keep going back to, well this Manor is mine. Over the last couple of years I have visited and watched the slow decline/decay of this place but being as it was a very sunny sunday, I ventured off with my boss and his wife to share with them my soft spot, camera back from repair and ready to explore!!!
I first took pictures of this place with a small handheld, which actually was my stepping stone into documenting with pictures, I had not since taken anymore until today, feeling more adventurous I used a mixture of lenses to spice the place up a bit more. It was a really relaxed explore, I know in the past people have had run ins with the onsite owners/slight trouble, but they have often waved and nodded at me as I walked around, today was exactly the same a simple "good morning" as we approached and once inside I soon realised that the manor has seen its final days, it seems they have tried to restore it but given up all together and now waiting for it to crumble to its doom, the structure forcing the manor to decline more over the years but now its to far gone to save.
As we walked across broken floors and small beams many doors slammed in the wind, which I was used to but my boss and his wife was not, as we approached the main attraction the stained glass window, I explained that the former owners where Scottish and the crest/clan motto on the stained glass meant to them "We can, and we will, do better", another simple meaning is I Aspire To Greater Things. (hence the title, I gave this place). The rooms are more dangerous than before with many falling in floors and strips of wood missing, leaving drops below the attic is not approachable anymore sadly, no matter the places decline I will forever have a soft spot for it.
In the past the manor estate was owned by the RAF who later burnt it out (reasons unknown) and soon a jeweller turned-property developer, brought the estate and decided to turn it from an empty shell to something more grand (which failed). He suffered eye problems through his childhood and having to quit the jewellery business (due to inflammation of his eyes often) he began to raise enough money through hard work and determination from his 1,500 acres of land and home to finally begin his own charity for the partially and fully blind for adults over 16, developing many homes across England to care and look after the blind (which run successfully today), it is said that during this stage he lost his sight for a few months due to his chauffeur accidentally shooting him in the eye at a shooting party, when his eyesight regained he vowed to make his charity work, an constantly gave his life to building properties, once he had enough money, he sold up his home and himself and his wife moved to London to continue the charity work, he passed away in 1935 his wife passed in 1951 they did not have any children.
The estate and Manor is currently owned by a family who work and live almost next door, they have employed people to stay on site with them and manage the farm, yet many areas of the land remain derelict and disused, the farms current owners cannot afford to continue with any repairs of the manor or some outbuildings so the manor sits and waits battling the weather and whoever may come across its beauty, while the empty barns and hay towers collapse around this striking manor, as the stained glass crest states - "We can, and we will, do better" or "I aspire to greater things" we can only think this was his intention with the charities and life, yet this meaning does not represent the state of the manor, as its demise is certain...
Slightly picture heavy but enjoy!
IMGP4625 by urbexmockingbird, on Flickr
IMGP4710 by urbexmockingbird, on Flickr
IMGP4709 by urbexmockingbird, on Flickr
IMGP4678 by urbexmockingbird, on Flickr
IMGP4652 by urbexmockingbird, on Flickr
IMGP4673 by urbexmockingbird, on Flickr
IMGP4671 by urbexmockingbird, on Flickr
IMGP4688 by urbexmockingbird, on Flickr
IMGP4687 by urbexmockingbird, on Flickr
IMGP4666 by urbexmockingbird, on Flickr
IMGP4660 by urbexmockingbird, on Flickr
IMGP4663 by urbexmockingbird, on Flickr
IMGP4649 by urbexmockingbird, on Flickr
IMGP4645 by urbexmockingbird, on Flickr
IMGP4644 by urbexmockingbird, on Flickr
IMGP4700 by urbexmockingbird, on Flickr
IMGP4654 by urbexmockingbird, on Flickr
IMGP4637 by urbexmockingbird, on Flickr
IMGP4648 by urbexmockingbird, on Flickr
IMGP4698 by urbexmockingbird, on Flickr
IMGP4632 by urbexmockingbird, on Flickr
IMGP4714 by urbexmockingbird, on Flickr
Thanks for looking everyone!
Last edited:
