I think that this will be the last image from the series for a while. I need to have a slight change of subject. I’ve gone slightly stale with these so will be returning to some asylum images later this week I think.
This was probably the least remarkable room of the visit, however I really liked the chair facing the window with the door off to the right. I hoped that I could produce a dreamy image with some sort of ethereal feeling to it and I’m happy with the results.It also strikes me as an optimistic composition, something fitting to end on.
The house was built in 1870 for a local family and remained in the family until 1956 when it was sold to the present owner who was unable to afford the upkeep after a poor job on the roof that caused all of the damage to the upper floors.
He actually either lives, or until recently lived in a caravan next to the site. It was his documents and schoolbooks, that we found upstairs. A sad reflection of someone on hard time who no doubt wanted to keep the family house in which he grew up. The house was put up for auction in 2009 with a reserve of £640,000 which it failed to reach. The estimated repair bill was likely to be £1,000,000. The exterior is held together with scaffold and probably a lot of the ivy!
I also discovered that the house is due for demolition as its so rotten. However it is to be rebuilt to the original plans, so there will hopefully be a shiny new ‘Manor House B’ in the near future for another family to enjoy.
Click on the image for a larger version and full gallery.
Love how you played with the shadows and glowing sun light.
I know this room from another photo 😉 I really like the play on light with this. That window is pretty awesome as well. Great shot!
Good Lord, what an utterly emotional series, Mark, and your blog adds a major punctuation point on that today! As you know, I have a strong relationship with old heritage buildings. Your story is utterly heartbreaking to me, both on topic of the current owner and their plight with trying to maintain upkeep, and the house itself being left to decay… you can almost hear the memories in the walls there. I absolute love this picture my friend. The way the chair looks out the window, to me it almost looks as if the house itself sits and waits for someone with the resources required to bring it back to glory. Very sorry to hear of the impending wrecking ball on this home, very glad to hear that it will be rebuilt. What an absolutely profound series you have brought to us, it has changed me as a person and a photographer!
What an interesting post, you’ve certainly done your research, and it is as you say an optimistic composition – I really like this one.
Very soft. very nice! I hope it does get rebuilt. It would be a great full circle moment!
Definitely soft and dreamy…feel like I could just drift away into another world looking at this shot. Very nicely done!