?

?

Wednesday 19 February 2014

Ex-Latvian Consulate

  Pemberton House Farm was the home of Howard Pym - who was appointed the United Kingdom’s honorary consul to the Kingdom of Latvia in 2005. It has stood, abandoned for some years now and is currently under some controversy as there are plans to build a 48-bedroomed rehabilitation centre which is not popular with the villagers.

The Charnock Richard centre is planned for derelict Pemberton House Farm (the ex-Latvian Consulate building) Its users would include people with alcohol and drugs dependencies and mental
illness.

And so as this controversy continues, it means that people who enjoy Urbex can visit this bizarre building to inspect its exterior.



 
 
This is the most peculiar house that I've ever been inside. In its day it would have been the height of chic, as this lobby hints at, with marble and a monochrome design but sadly, it is now a damp, stinking mess. There are so many roof tiles missing that years of rain-leakage have ruined the remaining carpets into a sodden, stinking mess.
 
 
 
 
Several "guests" have left their mark with air rifle shots at the many glass doors around the place.
 

 
With all that broken glass underfoot, we proceeded with caution to the kitchen.  
 
 
 
Just in case anyone fancied some typing, there were not one but two word-processors!
There was also evidence of Junkies, but thankfully they had removed their needles. And so onto the swimming pool.
 
 
The pool had not been drained and the stagnant water had a pungent smell about it. The discarded objects in the pool were stuck in a dark film which had developed on the upper layer of water. Oddly, there were children's water aids amid the empty beer cans.
 
 
 
 
 
 
Deciding to skip the Jacuzzi on this visit, we headed to the adjoining room for a game of snooker . . .
 
 
Unfortunately, some inconsiderate visitor had left broken glass on the baize!
 
 
What would Ronnie O' Sullivan say about this?!
 
 
 
 
 
 
So we went up a spiral staircase that resembled football goal-netting to a weird little granny flat.
 
Anyone fancy some fondue?
 
 
 
 
It was truly bizarre in that all the furniture had gone, but all sorts of other things: magazines, paperwork, receipts, pots, clothing, toys etc. were abandoned as if a midnight flit had been done.
 
 
 So, back down the staircase . . .
 
 

 
 
To find another staircase. This one was a fine wooden one, with the carpenter's receipt lying on one of the stairs. I wonder if he had been paid?
 
 
 
  
 
Upstairs were several bathrooms and some bedrooms. All the toilets were taped up. Why so many bathrooms?
 
 
 
The bedrooms were littered with pamphlets, clothing and stuff . . Which makes one start to wonder - hat sort of person lived here?
 
 
 
The former resident obviously liked cars . . .
 
 
 
 
And possibly horses?
 
 
And maybe Christmas?
 
 
 
Someone who has a penchant for fine ales?
 
 

 
And a music lover?
 
 
 
 
 
The place could do with a spring clean . . .
 
 
 
 
They seemed to like books, albeit children's books . . .
 
 
 
Cliff Richard's record was discarded outside, among the leaves . . .
 
 
 

2 comments: