The Thread of Abandoned Places

The good, well known racehorses that are capable of breeding (colts and mares) go into breeding programmes, but the slow ones and the geldings are neither useful nor wanted. If they're very lucky they go to a knowledgeable home to be retrained for other forms of competition (one of ours is now a successful dressage horse), or in a nice field as a companion at least (another of ours - mummy to the whole herd); if they're mildly lucky, they find a clean bullet; if they're unlucky, they go to the wrong type of home and get abused, turned into horses no one in their right minds would ever want and starve or end up in the food chain. Both of ours are the latter category. We rescued them from the jaws of death and rehabilitated them.

People in the racing industry are usually very good to their horses, but in some cases it is just that: an industry. For most racehorses, they have fantastic lives up to the point they're no longer a part of that industry. That's where it all falls apart. Some trainers move mountains to get good homes for their horses. Others don't.

Sorry about the rant. It's a subject very close to my heart. If I could, I would rescue them all. Maybe I should invest in that BluTac.
 
I've wondered about the water bowl. Is it something more modern, put there for dogs? Is it more historical, for people going to the chapel? Is it in case the volcano becomes live again? Or is it to make people ask what is the bowl doing here?

All the castles in Wales? What kind of time scale are we talking about?

And Venusian Broon, great take on the thread, loved it.


Oh, I'm taking my time around it; getting round every castle in Wales will take about two years I'm thinking - I'm not rushing! A helicopter is a good idea though, Steelyglint!
 
Interesting thread. Here's a link to a piece with photos of North Brother Island, New York:

Photos of the Mysterious New York City Island You’ve Never Heard Of

This one is particularly bleak:

Payne_NBI_Classroom%20Books%202.jpeg.CROP.original-original.jpeg
 
[GALLERY=media, 1946]Abandoned Places by Dave posted Jul 18, 2016 at 7:50 AM[/GALLERY]
He is another one. I think it is all that remains from an isolation hospital at the top of Devils Dyke, Sussex.
 
Here is another house. It is possible people are still living in part of it, so not completely abandoned. Varadero town centre, Cuba.

[GALLERY=media, 1953]House by Dave posted Aug 14, 2016 at 12:48 PM[/GALLERY]
 
[GALLERY=media, 2247]Abandoned House by Dave posted Aug 12, 2017 at 9:09 AM[/GALLERY]

This is another two houses I found between Woldringham and Caterham in Surrey. I thought the window frame lying by the door was a nice touch.
 
I don't have a picture of it, but my father's final home (he passed in 2008), just outside Horse Cave, KY, was a half mile from the most fascinating-looking old manor house. Once a part of a huge estate, the owner and descendants were slowly forced to sell off the property, until it sat on its final quarter acre.

The house was abandoned - and looked it. But, my what a palatial estate it must once have been! Had I the funds, I would have eagerly bought and restored the place as a bed-and-breakfast.

This church in Horse Cave was declared an historical site:

horsecavechurch.jpg


I show it for two reasons: 1) Round off the (left) side, and this church would be virtually the same basic design of the house I'm talking about, and 2) The home not declared an historic site is THREE TIMES the structure of this church!
 
For fans of 90s kids tv
Unfortunately as it's location became known it is obvious vandals decided to strike.
 
The pictures for Oradour Sur Glane are chilling. Thanks for the reference.
 
I love abandoned places, especially when nature is taking back over. My favourite is one of the most famous - the communist monument at Mt. Buzludzha (they blew the top of the mountain off to build it). It's incredible to wander around inside.



It was sad to see my old school in such a state - a lovely Victorian building (it's now been demolished and replaced with something ugly - even sadder), but there was location-appropriate graffiti:



Once called "the most polluted town in Europe" on the front cover of National Geographic - Copsa Mica in Romania. I was only there for a couple of hours, but I could still feel the pollution in my throat after I left - 20 years after these factories closed. The people who live there aren't allowed to sell any locally-grown produce outside of the area:



Another favourite was a big abandoned house in Scotland over a year ago - it was mostly in good condition - like someone had only just upped and left (despite evidence it was left about 5 years previously). I could easily have slept there for the night, and there was still running water (I didn't try the taps - there was a leak).

Ooh, and I just remembered Camelot Theme Park in the UK - that was fun!
 
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