# St Joe's Seminary - Dec 2012



## tank2020 (Dec 6, 2012)

Made a trip here at the spare of the moment, only had about an hours light left. Managed to see the old Chapel, but did not manage the rest of the main building. I think I will return in a group as it is believed that Squatters remain in the building, having not left since the school closed. Not that I am a "Fraidy Cat" or anything. This report rips the arse out of the chapel a bit !

There had been allegations that the school was used in the training and recruitment of terrorists. According to testimony from Al Qaeda suspects held at Guantanamo Bay, in 1997 and 1998, Abu Hamza and groups of around 30 of his followers held terrorist training camps at the school, including training with AK47 rifles and handguns, as well as a mock rocket launcher. In 2003 or 2004, the grounds of the school were used for an Islamic-themed camping trip, at which Omar Bakri Mohammed lectured. The trip, which was advertised by word-of-mouth, was attended by 50 Muslim men, most of whom were members of al-Muhajiroun. Bakri claimed the activities at the camp included lectures on Islam, football, and paintballing.

The buildings were formerly used as a ballet school. The Legat School of Ballet, formed by Nicholas Legat and his wife Nadine in London moved to the Marks Cross site in the 1950's and became residential. The ground floor of the main building holding academic lessons, the first floor housed two large dance studio and an art studio while the second floor attic was used for dormitories. The annex to the rear housed staff and senior pupils aged over 16. A third dance studio was housed in a wooden hut beside the rear driveway and several prefabricated buildings to the rear were used for academic lessons and dormitories. The church building was converted into a theatre, and other facilities such as a swimming pool and tennis courts were also provided. Many famous names from the world of ballet were associated with the school, including Eunice Bartell, Pearl Gaden, Anna Lendrum, Hans Meister and Laverne Meyer.








































































Some glancing shots of the rest of the place that I was to scared about, I mean couldn't visit as I was running out of light.
















Heres to next time!

Cheers


----------



## Mars Lander (Dec 6, 2012)

Great stuff you captured the chapel well, you got some great images of it

Your right to want to go back in numbers more than one, we had an ace time here but was aware of people all around us, when in kitchen there was a bucket of water with steam still coming out of it , then we heard a door open near us upstairs and all ran down a couple flights of stairs and out the place sharpish, there were loads of makeshift beds and i mean LOADS. its a great place tho theres a lab room with a skeleton in it but we didn't get to it.


----------



## UE-OMJ (Dec 6, 2012)

Ace. Looking forward to part two now


----------



## Priority 7 (Dec 6, 2012)

Love it tank some great DOF shots there


----------



## perjury saint (Dec 6, 2012)

*Bostin pix there!!*


----------



## Pen15 (Dec 6, 2012)

You capture the church well.

Loads to see here and yes the place is inhabited. As we found out............!


----------



## UrbanX (Dec 6, 2012)

You've always taken a good photo, but these are one step beyond! Just gorgeous & rich images. Had this at the tail end of my list for last weekend, purely because of the travellers. So kudos for doing it! Once again, fab shots!


----------



## birdinanaviary (Dec 7, 2012)

That's a good looking chapel brilliant pictures I love the little lens flare bits in some


----------



## Ninja Kitten (Dec 7, 2012)

cool report there...you have captured it really nicely...somehow we managed to find ourselves wandering round the grounds after wed seen it and came face to face with one of the squatters!! eeeeeeeeeeek!! missed loads here...i should go back really but dont tend to if ive done something once..but may just have to with this one..thanks for posting.


----------



## TeeJF (Dec 7, 2012)

Excellent place mate and the pix are well up to your usual standards!


----------



## Ramsgatonian (Dec 7, 2012)

It's always such a shame to see places with such brilliant workmanship in this state...

The photographs are interesting!


----------



## flyboys90 (Dec 7, 2012)

Great photos,thanks for sharing.


----------



## ZerO81 (Dec 7, 2012)

I initially thought it was the other St Joe's Seminary, the up-north version!

Really nice set of shots here, very atmospheric


----------



## whitelaw (Dec 9, 2012)

The sense of abandonment here is profound. These were places where men pursued their calling - and many did not make it to ordination. For those that did, there was the joy of ordination and the uncertainties that life as a priest offers. Therefore, these places were of hope, prayer, contemplation, and sometimes devastating failure.

Now, fewer and fewer are offering themselves, and the church itself has opened itself up to condemnation and ridicule. We only have three seminaries in the UK now - and soon, there will not be a need for them either.


----------



## abel101 (Dec 11, 2012)

nice set tank as many said, pictures are brilliant!
Always liked the look of this place


----------



## birdinanaviary (Dec 16, 2012)

ZerO81 said:


> I initially thought it was the other St Joe's Seminary, the up-north version!
> 
> Really nice set of shots here, very atmospheric



I thought that
Got all excited


----------



## tank2020 (Dec 16, 2012)

birdinanaviary said:


> That's a good looking chapel brilliant pictures I love the little lens flare bits in some



Yeah, not sure what was going on with the camera, a lot of the pics looked as if someone had spat on the lens, had to struggle to get some usable pics from this.


----------



## sweet pea (Dec 16, 2012)

amazing photos the feel you get just from the pictures!! i wouldent walk round this on my own!!! what camera do you use if you dont mindme asking?


----------



## tank2020 (Dec 16, 2012)

sweet pea said:


> amazing photos the feel you get just from the pictures!! i wouldent walk round this on my own!!! what camera do you use if you dont mindme asking?



I have Sony A77, I have a feeling I may regret saying it though on a public forum full with Canon and Nikon Lambs!


----------



## sweet pea (Dec 17, 2012)

haha i only have a fujifilm bridge camera i didnt see the point in an slr until i get to grips with it im looking to buy one soon now though!!!


----------

