Left in a state of neglect and disarray, there's something about derelict buildings that can stir nostalgia and imagination of structures long past their prime. In an evocative new book, Abandoned Britain, photographer Simon Sugden showcases a treasure trove of wool mills, psychiatric wards and more edifices lost to time and, in some cases, reclaimed by nature. Keep reading to see the photos and spark your own curiosity...
A cluttered bedroom is among the photographs taken at this abandoned farmhouse in the small hamlet of Ousefleet, East Yorkshire. There's a vast amount of horse memorabilia throughout the house, as we can see from the painting above the bed's headboard. Another of Sugden's images captures a shelf cluttered with birdboxes, mugs and plants. There's something haunting about the furniture and decor still in-situ, suggesting that the owners may have fled suddenly...
Sugden photographed this disused glass factory in Doncaster, where we see a geometric pattern of colours, although somewhat faded. The Pilkington Glass Factory opened in 1922 and in its heyday it worked in collaboration with Ford in the US. It was ideally situated by a canal, making deliveries of coal and sand easier, but by 1966, the factory ran at almost half its capacity, following the introduction of technological advancements years earlier. In 2008 the site finally closed down and has remained abandoned since 2009.
Natural light floods into this disused university lecture theatre, with the other side of the hall shadowed by a tall, sweeping curtain. Sugden explored this once-educational institute, with its steep banks of seats, old-school overhead projector and half-faded scribbles still visible on the chalkboard.
There's certainly no diving allowed in this empty pool in Bradford, West Yorkshire. The Richard Dunn Sports Centre, complete with a slide and spectacular roof, closed its doors in 2019 and was even set aside as a standby morgue in 2020 (although thankfully it was never used). The 1970s site was marked for demolition, but in 2022 it received Grade II-listed status from Historic England.
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One of Sugden's favourite shots is this image of an abandoned wool mill in West Yorkshire. We can see industrial looms encrusted with dirt and dust with spots of colour from discarded bobbins (a reel for thread or yarn) scattered across the much-used floor.
An ominously empty Lancashire church stands devoid of worshippers, where rows of pointed arches are supported by columns to form the arcades. Pockets of natural light rush through the small stained-glass windows while in another of Sugden's photographs, we see a singular copy of the Bible with curled-up pages.
The lights are on but nobody's home at the Peter Black factory canteen in Keighley. The West Yorkshire site once manufactured shopping bags and shoes. The canteen remains remarkably pristine, with one row of square ceiling lights still switched on and natural light bouncing off the wiped-down tables.
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Small orange lamps and diagonal panels of natural light keep this deserted room in a Yorkshire council office alight, with swirls of blue and orange forming garish prints covering the carpets, stools and booths. The seating arrangements suggest that this was a sociable setting for larger groups where roars of conversation and laughter once filled the air. Now, it feels as if you could hear a pin drop.
There's no issue of queueing for a table at this abandoned roadside café. The drab-coloured flooring and tacky chairs are telling of its decades-old decor. Still not convinced? The wood-panelled walls and white ceiling ought to do it. Whoever signed off on the interior clearly didn't believe less is more...
Sugden's photographic journey continues through Bradford to this derelict Masonic Lodge. Immaculate green and white floral wallpaper line the stairwell and upper floor, while intricate balusters accompany the winding staircase. In another photograph of the Manningham site we see a broken (yet still beautiful) fireplace.
You can almost imagine how pristine and all-white this morgue used to be. Since it became disused, it's been frozen in time, with dirt and waste giving it an off-grey colour. Key items are telling of its past; we can still see shoes, equipment, a washbasin and even a table which bodies would've been rested on.
A sorry sight to see is this decaying bar at Royal Air Force (RAF) Church Fenton in Tadcaster, North Yorkshire. The ex-training airfield was constructed in 1937 but officially closed in 2013. Nature has slowly reclaimed the site and this bar would have once been filled with skilled British, American, Canadian and Polish RAF pilots during the Second World War. Another of Sugden's photographs depicts the gloomy water tower stairwell.
Pictured here is the grand interior of a room at Meanwood Park Hospital, a former psychiatric hospital in Leeds. Part of the site was converted into a housing estate in 1997, but this photograph shows the section that was clearly missed (possibly due to funding issues). Instead of new life transforming the space, this image shows a room reduced to faded decor, closed shutters and loose debris.
Once an exclusive health spa for footballers and celebrities, this Merseyside pamper site closed down in 2015. While it's set amid idyllic surroundings, sadly the same can't be said for the unkempt spa itself. Pictured here is a waterless pool (which was originally heated) with square tiles peeling from the ceiling and space cluttered with waste.
Regardless of whether you're afraid of heights, there's something undeniably spooky about this abandoned roller coaster ride. Pictured here is the aptly named Knightmare, which formed part of the Camelot Theme Park in Chorley, Lancashire. Once home to roller coasters and jousting competitions, the medieval-themed site was abandoned in 2012 but reopened in 2022 for a drive-through immersive experience. Crammed with crawling 'zombies' and scary movies shown on giant cinema screens, the last instalment of these spooky fright nights appears to be this October, so book your tickets soon, if you dare...
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All images were taken with permission from the book Abandoned Britain by Simon Sugden, published by Amberley Publishing, which can be purchased here.