Welcome
to Forlorn Britain, throughout modern Britain hidden
among the shadows of retail superstores and executive housing
developments,
are a number of buildings who's glory days have past. In
many cases abandoned
and all but forgotten these relics of the past hold
the secrets of who we once were and how we once lived and
worked.
For the most
part most people chose to ignore their unsettling presence
and get on with there everyday lives without giving them
a second thought,
But for me they have always held a strange fascination.
This web site is an attempt to document some of these unique
buildings and recapture their past. Over the past year
I have had the opportunity to visit and photograph a number
of
these time capsules across the country from vast foundry's
to tiny cinemas. I hope the photographs presented here will
re kindle memories of them at their best. If you do have
any stories to share about the buildings presented here please
get in touch we would love to hear them.
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Elizabeth
Shaw Chocolate Factory,
Bristol
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When
Edward Packer opened his chocolate company in the 1880's
it was one of many chocolate makers in the city of Bristol
In 1903 the company moved to its new home in Greenbank
which was home to low cost popular chocolates for many
years. The factory was revitalised in the 1960's and became
home to Elizabeth Shaw, but outsourcing brought
an end to 103 years of chocolate making in 2006. |
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Carrock
Wolfram Mine, Cumbria
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Carrock
wolfram mine is one of only two mines in the Britain which
solely mined wolframite, an important mineral in the production
of armour plate and artillery shells. The mine dates back
to the 1850's but its busiest days were during the first
world war feeding Britain's armaments industry. Abandoned
for nearly 60 years it was reopened in the 1970's for one
last fling until it was finally closed in 1981 it now lies
quiet and still. |
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Cane
Hill Hosptial, Coulsdon
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Cane
Hill Hospital is possibly the most famous asylum in the
country, nearly every urban explorer has made the pilgrimage
to the "Hill". The hospital welcomed its first
patient in 1883 and it served the people of south London
for 109 years finally closing in 1992. Since then the hospital
has lain derelict and abandoned. It's position in the London
green belt has made redevelopment tricky but demolition
work has recently begun. |
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RAF
St Twynnells, Pembrokeshire
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RAF
St Twynnells was constructed as a ground control intercept
radar station as part of the ROTOR project during the early
1950's. The station never became fully operational and
the entire ROTOR network was obsolete by the 1960's leaving
the site surplus to requirements. After closure the site
was returned to the ownership of a local farmer and has
revered to agricultural use ever since. |
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