# Crookham Court School, Berkshire - July & August 2014



## urban-dorset (Aug 14, 2014)

This is my first post with photos on here. 

Visited in July and then made a repeat visit in August. Unfortunately Crookham is quickly falling into disrepair. Vandals etc. have now smashed a lot of the upstairs windows and it's hard to see how the house will get through the winter without either being seriously trashed, or nature taking a complete hold. :-( However, in between our visits a fairly serious effort had been made to re-board the whole place to stop intruders.

When we were in there some other people arrived - preceded by a loud crash that nearly made us jump out of our skins! However, we didn't bump into whoever it was which was a shame really, as they were also taking photos (we think). Anyway, we weren't exactly going to seek them out and they didn't seek us out either! I think they hid until they thought we'd left and then, when we were outside, we saw one of them through an upstairs window. If you're reading this and it was you, come forward and introduce yourselves! 

First a bit of history (yes it's been done to death!) and then on with the photos.

*History*

Crookham Court School is on the former site of Crookham Manor house. Built around the start of 14th century and destroyed in 1543, Crookham House which was demolished around 1850. The construction of the current building started around this time and continued in two more phases over the next fifty years.

Since then it has served several purposes such as a manor house, a junior school and a school for children of people serving at Greenham Common. It was abandoned for some time after the US Air Force left the area, before being purchased in 1961 and used as a boarding school until its closure in 1989.

In the time leading up to its closure, and despite demands for an inquiry, parliament was told by the Department of Education that it was 'powerless to act' in the face of mounting stories of over 30 years of sexual abuse experienced at the boys boarding school by teaching staff after Michael Gold, the then new headmaster, blew the whistle. He barely received recognition for his efforts in finally bring justice for the victims and never taught again.

In the end it was the media and Esther Rantzen (investigating child abuse as a presenter on the BBC's "That's Life" programme) that finally brought an end to the years of abuse and the School was closed.


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## chazman (Aug 14, 2014)

well done,nice selection of pics.


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## mockingbird (Aug 14, 2014)

good report here, nicely covered and very well documented, not the usual type of shots either which is a nice change


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## DirtyJigsaw (Aug 14, 2014)

Nice report and shots. Im so surprised the mirror is still intact!! Im glad it is


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## krela (Aug 14, 2014)

That's a very nice first report. You have a good eye for a photo.


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## flyboys90 (Aug 14, 2014)

You,ve got some excellent photos thanks for sharing.


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## LENNY147 (Aug 14, 2014)

Looks like the old organ in that room has gone ??


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## urban-dorset (Aug 14, 2014)

LENNY147 said:


> Looks like the old organ in that room has gone ??


No, it was there, at the other end of the room. 

I only put 15 photos up - could have put a lot more on there, but I note that Krela asks us to put a max of 15 on the forum.


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## alex76 (Aug 14, 2014)

nice take of the gaff mate its got really bad since i was last there


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## UrbanX (Aug 14, 2014)

Awesome first report! Actually a lot better nick than I expected it to be! 
Cheers for sharing!


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## LENNY147 (Aug 14, 2014)

urban-dorset said:


> No, it was there, at the other end of the room.
> 
> I only put 15 photos up - could have put a lot more on there, but I note that Krela asks us to put a max of 15 on the forum.



Nice first report and location


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## Mikeymutt (Aug 14, 2014)

Excellent first report and great photos.it gives you the creeps in there that place.


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## urban-dorset (Aug 14, 2014)

Mikeymutt said:


> Excellent first report and great photos.it gives you the creeps in there that place.



Yes, one corridor in particular had a very 'heavy' feel to it and we both felt it at the same time - almost as if The House didn't want us to be there. Other rooms seemed almost welcoming in comparison. Weird.


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## Mikeymutt (Aug 14, 2014)

urban-dorset said:


> Yes, one corridor in particular had a very 'heavy' feel to it and we both felt it at the same time - almost as if The House didn't want us to be there. Other rooms seemed almost welcoming in comparison. Weird.



The red room with the mirror had the strangest feeling I thought.


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## LittleOz (Aug 14, 2014)

The old girl's certainly looking worse for wear, but at least the mirror has survived. Nice selection of shots.


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## urban-dorset (Oct 10, 2014)

Looks like Crookham may be preserved by West Berkshire Council:-

http://www.newburytoday.co.uk/2014/102991


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## HughieD (Oct 10, 2014)

Top-notch first post there. Thanks for sharing....


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## brickworx (Oct 10, 2014)

Love the purple decay shot. nice.


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