# Crawford Priory, Cupar, March 2008.



## spacepunk

After much faffing about and almost getting caught, a mile hike eventually led me to Crawford Priory near Cupar in Fife. I spotted this on flash earth so decided to give it a go. The facades are all intact with some great features but the insides are unexplorable due to fallen masonary and rotting stuff. I ripped my clothes, got poked in the ear by a branch, almost lost a testicle, got shat on by several crows and lost a battery. Had a great explore though.

The first view.






Amazing pillars.





Fantastic arches.





Unexplorable innards.





Mesh.





Greenery taking over.





Shame this is not a more substantial site.





Main entrance.





Chimneys.





Detail.





Just couldn't get in.


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## Foxylady

Fantastic place! Absolutely love that main entrance. Don't blame you for not trying to get in...looks well dodgy with all that fallen stuff. Really nice explore.

Cheers


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## spacepunk

Really tried my best, but 20 yards in, it just wasn't feasible. Looked great on flash earth though. Oh well, at least that's that's another one of the list. Going out again tomorrow, don't know where, stay tuned.Cheers.


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## Goldie87

Some nice pics there, its a fantastic looking building


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## spacepunk

Must've been awesome in its' prime. 
Why these places are left to ruin is beyond me.


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## smileysal

What a gorgeous building, this must have been beautiful in its prime. It's such a shame to see places like this just left to rack and ruin. I don't think i'd have attempted to get in there either with all that fallen masonry. Great pics, love the main door, and all the stone work, etc. its beautiful.

Cheers,

 Sal


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## reddwarf9

Echo Sals comments, it seems criminal to allow such a great building to get in that state, any idea when it was built?


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## spacepunk

Herer's some brief history of the place..It was built in 1758 by The Earl of Crawford and passed down thru his family. It has 2 different styles of Gothic and the main porch was built in 1921. It has lain derelict since 1971 when the cost of running the place became too much for the present owner.
It has been described as 'The most important Gothic Priory in Scotland'.
So why has no-one had a shot at restoration.


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## boxerheaven

beautiful place lovely photos


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## cookiebizkit

look realy nice shame about being poked on the ear


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## spacepunk

I was more upset at losing the re-charagable battery.
If anyone visits this site, it's a green Duracell.


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## Smellycat

Here's a couple of photos of Crawford Priory in its Glory day


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## RichardB

Here are another couple.

Link1

Link2

This is literally within walking distance of my house, I think I'll go and have a look once autumn sets in and the vegetation dies back a bit. I imagine the approach will involve wading through 4' nettles at the moment.

According to the blurb on one of my picture links it became a ruin within 60 years of being built


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## zimbob

Tis well worth a look, *Bryag* and I visited at the end of April, wasn't too overgrown then, link below:

http://www.derelictplaces.co.uk/main/showthread.php?t=4759&highlight=crawford

There's a few nice architectural bitties inside too...


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## foz101

Big shame. Also RichardB, i'm only maybe 10 mins away from here, 5 if I put the right CD on  Let me know if you're up to anything interesting and i'll try to do the same.


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## RichardB

Will do. This is definitely on my "to do" list.


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## dittohead

RichardB if you go, try to avoid the houses at the left. There is a guy who is very much a nosey neighbour who comes to investigate as soon as he hears anyone about.

ps. If you find a canon lens cap it's mine


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## zimbob

dittohead said:


> RichardB if you go, try to avoid the houses at the left. There is a guy who is very much a nosey neighbour who comes to investigate as soon as he hears anyone about.



We drove straight up to the stables, went through the gate, and the guy who lives in the old gatehouse-type place was out in his garden. We got chatting to him, explained what we were up to, and he was sound 
He has a problem with gangs of 'yoofs' going in and drinking and damaging the place, which apparently happens at night, but not with folk who have a genuine interest taking pictures he said


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## dittohead

zimbob said:


> We drove straight up to the stables, went through the gate, and the guy who lives in the old gatehouse-type place was out in his garden. We got chatting to him, explained what we were up to, and he was sound
> He has a problem with gangs of 'yoofs' going in and drinking and damaging the place, which apparently happens at night, but not with folk who have a genuine interest taking pictures he said



Fair enough. I just hid when i saw him


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## foz101

Dittohead looks like an unruly youth though, so he prob would've got chased away


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## dittohead

foz101 said:


> Dittohead looks like an unruly youth though, so he prob would've got chased away



The cheek of it!


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## escortmad79

Might have to add that on the to do list!


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## RichardB

I have a date in mind, fairly soon. 

I'd be happy to have company but I don't have a PM facility yet. I'll keep on posting and if I haven't broken through the barrier by the end of the week I'll post an email address.

While I'm there I'll keep my eyes peeled for a lens cap, a battery and a testicle.


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## spacepunk

I'm thinking of going back for another visit soon mate to retrieve my battery ( I can live with one testicle), so will be in touch.:yes:


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## RichardB

Woohoo! I'm a regular member! I have PM facility now.


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## Duart

*Crawford Priory - Visit*

Hey Guys, I am a new memebr her, and would love to visit some of the place with members, I am a pro photographer by trade and would be happy to take pics, but mainly would like to meet members in the North East of Scotland, I am in Aberdeen. let me know cheers.as I am sure you


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## RichardB

foz101 said:


> Big shame. Also RichardB, i'm only maybe 10 mins away from here, 5 if I put the right CD on  Let me know if you're up to anything interesting and i'll try to do the same.



Spot the difference, other than the condition.

I went on a reconnaissance mission recently in preparation for a proper explore. It's not for the faint hearted! I fought my way through the brambles and stuck my head in the window and I can see why you would choose not to go in.


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## spacepunk

Did you find my battery?


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## RichardB

I only went up to the window and back out but I did look. I thought I'd spotted it but it was a green cartridge case.


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## Bryag

"Big Girls Blouses" that is all I can say! "Big. Girls. Blouses."

For a full internal photgraphic report look no futher than here http://www.derelictplaces.co.uk/main/showthread.php?t=4759&highlight=crawford

Bryag and Zimbob.....inside Crawford Priory......So you don't have to be


Seriously, this is not a safe place to explore. Do not go alone. They may nevery find your corpse


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## lost

Is it that bad? I've always found shells of buildings pretty safe to explore. At least you can see how bad they are.


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## Bryag

lost said:


> Is it that bad? I've always found shells of buildings pretty safe to explore. At least you can see how bad they are.



It is quite bad, but as long as you are sensible, and do not stay in th e same place for too long you should be OK. The problem is much of the masonry is ready to collapse, and should you stumble and lean on the wrong part, you may just end up with everything that was above you, on top of you.

That being said, I would go again. It is "dodgy" but not necessarily life threatening (if you are sensible), but I was serious when I said it is not a solo venture, as there are quite a few areas which are very insecure, and if some of those blocks fell. you would have no hope without support.

Take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but putrified, rotting corpses (and a rather fine DSLR!)


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## RichardB

The trouble is that most of what was once ceilings, roof, floors, wall coverings etc. is now piled on the ground floor, at least in the room I looked into.

I'm going to try and get in touch with the friendly local historian and see if he can tell me a bit more of the history. He's published a [ame="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Old-Cupar-Paula-Martin/dp/1840330368/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1224015930&sr=8-2"]book[/ame] and I think there's a picture of CP in it.


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## Bryag

See below


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## Bryag

RichardB said:


> The trouble is that most of what was once ceilings, roof, floors, wall coverings etc. is now piled on the ground floor, at least in the room I looked into.
> 
> I'm going to try and get in touch with the friendly local historian and see if he can tell me a bit more of the history. He's published a book and I think there's a picture of CP in it.



I refer you to my previous statement!


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## escortmad79

RichardB said:


> The trouble is that most of what was once ceilings, roof, floors, wall coverings etc. is now piled on the ground floor, at least in the room I looked into.
> 
> I'm going to try and get in touch with the friendly local historian and see if he can tell me a bit more of the history. He's published a book and I think there's a picture of CP in it.



Picked up a fascinating book in a charity shop in Edinburgh on Saturday entitled Scotland's Endangered Houses by Marcus Dean & Mary Miers.
The book dates from 1990, is now discontinued, there are none on ebay & the only other copies I can find are on Amazon UK (£50 used) & Amazon USA (2 copies @ £105 each!)
I paid a lot less than any of those prices!

Inside the book are some pictures of Crawford as it was inside, as it was in 1970 when it still hadd all the glass, the roof was still on & there was a greenhouse along from the entrance hall & as it was in 1989 with boarded up windows downstairs & the majority of the roof appearing to still be in place.

It was built on the Southern bank of the River Eden to replace Crawford Lodge, a Palladian Villa of 1758.
Crawford Priory despite it's name has no connection with the church, it was built by Lady Mary Lindsay Crawford, woman who never married, was largely eccentric & lived with a menagerie of animals including birds, dogs, a tame fox & an ancient deer!
The priory was designed by architect David Hamilton who designed the earlier part of the house in 1809. Two years later James Gillespie Graham was employed to aggrandize the building which he did with the addition of the castellated block.

In 1869 the Priory was inherited by the 6th Earl of Glasgow in need of complete renovation.
He doubled the accomodation & constructed a tall gothic tower (Demolished in the 1970s due to its dangerous condition).
William Little designed a large private Episcopal chapel on the first floor adjacent to the tower.
With the death of the 2nd Baron Cochrane of Cults in 1968 the building again required restoration but instead it was abandoned.
At the time the book was written, the son of the 2nd Baron Cochrane of Cults lived nearby but had no plans for Crawford Priory.


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## foz101

escortmad79 said:


> Inside the book are some pictures of Crawford as it was inside, as it was in 1970 when it still hadd all the glass,



Scan scan scan scan!

I also heard it had become redundant because of the prohibitively high cost of fuelling the place as it was all coal fired and got through some ungodly amount of coal per year. I'll try to confirm.


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## escortmad79

Haven't got a scanner


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## foz101

Awww man! Give it to me, I'll scan it!


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## escortmad79

Not the greatest quality as it's a photograph taken by camera phone of the pics in the book but you get the general gist

Outside view:





Gorgeous ceiling detail




THAT staircase:


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## spacepunk

Good effort. Thanks man.


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## wolfism

Dear me, to think I went more than halfway up that staircase … then thought better of it.


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## RichardB

I still want to explore Crawford Priory if anybody's interested. It will probably be early in January or possibly between Christmas and New Year.


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## zimbob

RichardB said:


> I still want to explore Crawford Priory if anybody's interested. It will probably be early in January or possibly between Christmas and New Year.



I'm up for another look, I'll be down over the Festive too


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## RichardB

Sounds good  I'm sure Mrs B will be delighted to get me out of the house for a while by then.


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## escortmad79

I'd love to visit Crawford too at some point


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## zimbob

RichardB said:


> Sounds good  I'm sure Mrs B will be delighted to get me out of the house for a while by then.



Could be a plan then 

I'll be available Boxing Day onwards I reckon, still unsure as to my Hogmanay plans, if it's Paris I'll need to leave around the 29th, but any time in between there is good for me 

EDIT - I'm sure *Escortmad*'ll be welcome along too


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## spacepunk

A sunday or a Monday is best pour moi.


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## escortmad79

I'll be in Devon visiting my parents from Boxing day until 2nd Jan!


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## RichardB

I might have to do 2 visits then


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## foz101

I've found some more info about this place. All old newspaper articles like this:






Quite a few other articles, and search facility. Go to http://access.gale.com/newstrial/ click 'access now' and use the password 'british'. You can search through the old newspaper articles. Quite a bit on Crawford, although quite a few about how the hounds meet there.


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## Bryag

wolfism said:


> Dear me, to think I went more than halfway up that staircase … then thought better of it.



Same stair, different aspect


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## wolfism

Your structural calculations must be less conservative than mine, then.


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## Bryag

wolfism said:


> Your structural calculations must be less conservative than mine, then.



Probably, but it just had to be done. Beside, I reckoned the sturdy bannister would help support my weight along with the tons of rubble already in situ


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## wolfism

You have to hope ... but my background means that I know about a thing called "progressive collapse" ... which is difficult to put out of your mind once you're aware of it.


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## zimbob

*bump* 

Are folk still up for having a nosey here (or anywhere else interesting in the Kingdom..) over over the Festive?

I'm down on Christmas Eve, off to France on the 30th


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## THE EGGMAN

shame to see buildings left to rot like this - looked some place in it's day too......

I'd love to take a look round it


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## escortmad79

zimbob said:


> *bump*
> 
> Are folk still up for having a nosey here (or anywhere else interesting in the Kingdom..) over over the Festive?
> 
> I'm down on Christmas Eve, off to France on the 30th



Would've done but I'm heading to Devon on Boxing day!


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## foz101

zimbob said:


> Are folk still up for having a nosey here (or anywhere else interesting in the Kingdom..) over over the Festive?
> 
> I'm down on Christmas Eve, off to France on the 30th



As mentioned before, I'm gonna be pretty much housebound, but I have your number so If I can, I'll let you know.

I might have a window on the 5th Jan, but I presume you'll either still be supping chardonnay and smoking gitanes, or will be back to the snowy northern regions by then?


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## RichardB

I'm still up for it, and/or any other places.


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## RichardB

Well, I've been now with Zimbob. On the way there we were talking about all the stuff people have lost there, only for me to lose my lens cap after the first picture. It turned up later in my jacket pocket, though it definitely wasn't there when I looked the first time. 

It's not too bad once you're in and you've accepted that you'll be walking on three floors' worth of debris. I took pictures but I don't think they really show anything that hasn't been seen before so I'll just post a couple here.

The stairs.







Some tiles at the bottom of the stairs.






If anybody else wants to see it let me know. I'm happy to go again


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## escortmad79

I'm still up for visiting at some point (Back from Devon now)


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## escortmad79

foz101 said:


> Scan scan scan scan!
> 
> I also heard it had become redundant because of the prohibitively high cost of fuelling the place as it was all coal fired and got through some ungodly amount of coal per year. I'll try to confirm.


Visited yesterday & got speaking to the chap who lives in the gatehouse & he said it used 100 tonnes of coal per year to heat!

Bearing in mind that in todays market, coal is priced at around £275 per tonne, it would set you back £27500 a year to heat the place!!


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## jacquelinej61

*Crawford Priory falling down.*

The main reason it is so dilapidated is it had a fire go through it in the 1960's or 70's.... Before that it was inhabited. I cannot remember the details exactly but I think about 2/3 of the building was severely damaged.
My mother has photos of her father there somewhere around 1900 or perhaps a little earlier. He was a guest of his Uncle the Marquiss of Tullabardine who owned the property at that time. He enlisted under The Marquiss who led The 2nd Scottish Lighthorse. He stayed at Crawford Priory while on leave as he was first generation Australian a long way from home. It is such a shame that it has fallen apart. If it were possible to raise the money required I would restore it. Lady Mary Lindsay Crawford who was the last resident owner had the stone work added to the original Crawford house. My grandfathers name was Crawford. Lady Mary also owned a nearby coalmine so heating the house was not an issue to her. We plan to visit Scotland in the future.A visit to Crawford Priory is top of the list. I don't think we will be there in the near future though. Something that is on the drawing board way off in the future. We would also like to gather some contacts to catch up with while we are there.


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## Foxylady

jacquelinej61 said:


> We plan to visit Scotland in the future.A visit to Crawford Priory is top of the list...



That must be very sad and frustrating for you to see it in the condition it's in now...especially from so far away. 
Thankyou very much for sharing your family's history with us, Jacqueline. It's not only interesting but puts things in perspective when you learn something about the people who once lived in the places we love to explore. And welcome to DP, btw.


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## jacquelinej61

*Hi Zimbob and Foylady*

Thanks to you both for responding to me. No doubt you are all very familiar with how this site works. It is an amazing site with so many interesting posts...but for me I have no idea how it works and imagine it will take me some time to work it all out as it is unlike anything I have used before.
Perhaps I gave the impression of lots of knowledge of Crawford Priory, its actually very limited. I learned a little from my mother basically what was in my post. My mother lost her father when she was 12 years old and she has missed him all her life. He had promised to tell her and her siblings the family history when they were a little older. She was incredibly excited to know all of it but since he was gone so soon just never happened. She has always wanted know the details of what would have been family history and it has become like family secrets as it is so hard to trace the details and know you have it right as families all seemed to have the same names and so difficult to sort it all out.
My interest is fueled by her interest and also those old photographs of her father at Crawford Priory captured my interest from when I was very young. Whenever I went home I had to see them until she couldn't remember where she put them. I'm sure she still has them and when they turn up I will be copying and posting here.
Zimbob I would love to see any other photographs you have of C/P.


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## Keep out!

spacepunk said:


> Must've been awesome in its' prime.
> Why these places are left to ruin is beyond me.



Here Here.

It's a national disgrace this happens. I'm disgusted.


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## Jaytee

*My ancestors lived at Crawford Priory*

I was very pleased to see the recent photos of Crawford Priory. In the early 1900s, my paternal grandfather was chauffeur to Lord Cochrane at the Priory and my grandmother was cook there. My father and his sister were brought up there. Are the ruins still standing? I have some photos of that period if anyone is interested.


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## jonney

Well since this thread has already been bumped...lol and I'm up that way quite a bit now I think I will have a look see next time I'm in Cupar. I wouldn't care I could have done this after my secret bunker trip last weekend


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## wolfism

Jaytee said:


> Are the ruins still standing? I have some photos of that period if anyone is interested.


Yes, the ruins are still standing, much as you see them in the photos.

We'd definitely be interested to see your historic photos, if you've got scans you can upload?


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## RichardB

jonney said:


> Well since this thread has already been bumped...lol and I'm up that way quite a bit now I think I will have a look see next time I'm in Cupar. I wouldn't care I could have done this after my secret bunker trip last weekend



Give me a shout next time you're coming up and I'll take you to it- and show you some related bits and bobs too if you're interested.


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## jonney

RichardB said:


> Give me a shout next time you're coming up and I'll take you to it- and show you some related bits and bobs too if you're interested.



Sounds like a plan mate. I'll let you know when I'm up there next. Probably be in the next couple of weeks as Mrs. Jonney is up there staying with friends at the moment so I'll no doubt get the job of bringing her back home


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## spacepunk

They (whoever they are) have planted big boulders at the entrance gate, so now you have to find somewhere else to park. While you are there you may as well visit the mausoleum, hidden in the trees, just up the road and Cults brickworks ain't to far away either(though that's prob a no go now). There are some limekilns and also some mines about 1/2 mile nearby in the vincinity, loads to see and do.


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## Jaytee

*Uploading pictures*

I don't know if it's my age, but I can't see how to upload pictures with a reply. Can anyone help please?


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## foz101

Jaytee said:


> I don't know if it's my age, but I can't see how to upload pictures with a reply. Can anyone help please?



You have to host pictures externally (photobucket, flickr, imageshack, your own webspace) then link to the images in the post. There is more info in the FAQ forum.


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## wolfism

Jaytee said:


> I don't know if it's my age, but I can't see how to upload pictures with a reply. Can anyone help please?


Not sure if there's anything on this site that goes into detail, but [ame="http://www.urbexforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=114"]this[/ame] may help.

If you go to www.photobucket.com you can open a free account, and upload photos to it. You can either resize them on your computer (using Photoshop, Picasa or some software like that), or get Photobucket to resize them for you. For forums, it's better to make them 640 pixels wide.

Once uploaded, you can copy the IMG code from the box underneath each picture in Photobucket (as explained in the link above) then paste in the code into your reply to a posting here. When you click the "Preview post" button below, you should see a photo appearing, rather than the code.

Hope this helps.


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## Jaytee

*Early photos of Crawford Priory*


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## Jaytee

*Crawford Priory photos*

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3502/3937119454_82bbe87256.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2518/3937138028_ca4d985d23.jpg


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## foz101

Jaytee said:


> http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3502/3937119454_82bbe87256.jpg
> http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2518/3937138028_ca4d985d23.jpg



Nearly there. Put



at the end of each picture URL and it will show them.


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## Jaytee

Thanks for all the help. I think I've got there in the end. 





This photo has "Approx 1915" written on the back by one of my parents.





This is from a postcard that my father sent to his father when he (my grandfather) was serving in France during the First World War. It says on the back that my grandfather carried it with him throughout the War.

I have two photos of my grandfather standing beside cars he drove. They may have been taken at Crawford Priory. I can upload these if anyone is interested.


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## escortmad79

Great pictures


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## JandChar

Here are a couple of pics i took of Lady Marys tomb. i was sickened to find out from one of the residents of the stables at Crawford priory that about 8 or so years ago some local kids smashed into the tomb and scattered Lady Marys bones around the surrounding woods.


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## foz101

Did you stick your camera through the hole? I did 

What's the building in the other picture on your photobucket btw?


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## JandChar

foz101 said:


> Did you stick your camera through the hole? I did
> 
> What's the building in the other picture on your photobucket btw?



Yeh of course! all you can see is the old gate though! the other building is Borley rectory.


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## RichardB

There are three coffins in there, all smashed, but I don't know who was in the other two. There's a sleeping bag on the shelf beside one of the coffins and there are tealights everywhere. 

I think it was more than eight years ago that it was vandalised. I first heard about and visited it in 1989 and I heard that somebody I vaguely knew had made off with one of the skulls. The hole in the wall was certainly there then.


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