Hepworth Refractories, Loxley Valley, Sheffield, South Yorks, April, 2023

1. The History
This place has been a pretty regular explore for me over the years so you can find the history bit on a previous report HERE

2. The Explore
A relaxed wander on a spring day last year. It was easy access to the whole site like it has had been for a number of years. I’ve been many a time here but keep returning, mainly for the ever-changing graffiti. The site is pretty trashed and there is nothing of particular interest bar the graff and the fact that it is Sheffield’s last extensive industrial wasteland.

3. The Pictures
Since I went, apparently, this place now off bounds, given the rather puzzling ramping-up of security. It’s had a tendency to get overlooked by many explorers but if you spend a bit of time here, you can get some good shots here. A number of people have shot music videos here too.

The buildings to the right of the access road, opposite the river:









And back over to the main factory buildings. Had glorious weather!







Nice bit of Colorquix hiding away here:





And on to the big spaces:






Always love Marrs’ work:





The light was really nice:





Always love a bit of Brayk:



A bit of original signage:





The big place cross the way is just vacuous and empty:



This one with the Brayk piece in is clever:







That's all folks!

That graffiti artist Brayk has been to RAF Syserton loads of his work around there.

Nice report, love the shot through the broken wall

"SUMP HIGH, LAGOON HIGH, RIVER PUMP" - don't go swimming in the river when the RIVER PUMP light is on.

HughieD said:

Nice bit of Colorquix hiding away here:

Click to expand...

We had a fan just like that - boy oh boy could that thing ever shift the air! We put it in a box on wheels to make a portable extractor and when you cracked it up you didn't dare stand in front of the bloody thing!!!

I'm loving that bit of urban art, it's class! Much nicer than seeing endless tagging by mindless scrotes! Reminds me a bit of the Yorkshire waterworks outside Sheffield. There was some classy art there. Trouble was as soon as something nice was painted the scrotes would come along and just tag over the top of it. So selfish!