Today is a beautiful sunny day, so why am I in a dingy corridor in the depths of ruin? Simple, I am stepping totally out of my comfort zone following the footsteps of the Urban Explorers with Tom(?), William Cheung and Tony Dudley.
I’m in a Victorian Asylum, the air is acrid, the floor below my feet precarious and the light spilling from holes in the roof is creating huge contrast problems for photography.
The building, Denbigh’s lunatic asylum, was closed in 1995, and when we visited it was in a bad shape but still worth photographing. Since our visit it’s been vandalised much more, looted and set on fire and is now beyond renovation.
I climb the clock tower on a very iffy circular stair case seemingly held together with pigeon poo and wandered around many areas of the site, at the time guarded but he must have been asleep!
The potential health risk from the pigeon poo, asbestos and flaking lead paint compete with the risk of being arrested for being in a building I’m not supposed to be in, but the thrill to explore and, in my case, the last chance to see and record some amazing architecture in its sad final state of dilapidation, tips the balance.
A fabulous experience and I can see why so many people enjoy the hobby of urban exploration.
Here’s a selection of photographs documenting the visit.
Marvellous, creepy and atmospheric. Excellent job, mate.