By Alex Jones
EERIE PHOTOS show a mysterious one-hundred-and-fifty-year-old mansion abandoned over a decade ago – but with the beds neatly made, lights still on, and a wall scrawled with ANTI-SEMITIC graffiti.
Fascinating photographs of the derelict family home, located in Lincolnshire, include an old wooden TV set with a hastily sprayed swastika and the bizarre message, ‘It’s a Jew’ on the wall behind it; a fully furnished sitting room with boarded up windows; and a creepy nursery with stuffed animals tucked away into a stained cradle.
The remarkable property, which cannot be specifically named or located for fear of further vandalism or theft, was recently visited by an urban explorer known as FreakyD who was amazed to find the property in such a relatively untouched state.
“When we found this building it looked so overgrown and abandoned we fully expected the inside to be the same but peeking through the shutters we couldn’t believe the lights were still on,” said FreakyD.
“Having a quick look around the building it was obvious from dated items that the house had been untouched since 2008. Walking into the little girl’s room, beds were made, lights were on and the sunlight was shielded by the ivy growing over the windows, you felt a very eerie atmosphere. The whole house appears like the family had just vanished without a trace, a family home full of life had, in the blink of an eye, been frozen in time.”
According to FreakyD, the house was used as a rectory for many years and the present building has been in place since approximately 1870. The Rectory served a small village which had very prominent links with the mining industry.
Although any urban exploration involves a level of danger, FreakyD believes that his hobby allows people to see into a world that would otherwise fade into nothingness.
“Urban exposers often get a bad name being mistaken as vandals or thieves,” they said.
“We have no interest in damaging the properties we explore or taking things, we actually care more than most that they remain untouched for others to enjoy.
“Most buildings I explore are large industrial buildings where the business has closed the doors for good or gutted homes which have been left to rot but this building is different. There are little personal items that haven’t been taken, clothes still lie folded in the drawers, even the electric toothbrush had battery life left. I can’t imagine why this house was left and why there has been no effort to maintain it, mothballed and forgotten about. It’s bizarre.
“Despite a small area of water damage the house is in very good condition, especially to say it has been left for over a decade.
“The one downside to buildings that still have power is you need to be wary of exposed live cables.”
Although the house itself was peculiar – with an ornate spiral staircase circling into the games room and an array of musical instruments dotted around – it was the familial touches which left the daredevil photographer “emotional”.
“The house is filled with letters between family members and friends, photographs from celebrations, crafts made by the children and countless other items that make it a very typical family home,” said FreakyD.
“Notes left out from small children in scrawled handwriting with heartfelt love letters to their parents really give this abandoned home character – and a lot of emotion.
“With so much left untouched for so long this house is like exploring a time capsule, one that only a handful of people have seen. I really hope this property remains hidden from people who wish to disrupt this amazing building and hopefully will be content in seeing my pictures.”
