# The Rookery Rocester



## burtonbrewery (Apr 26, 2011)

Hey all, 
This is my first report, so here goes. The Rookery is a large house consisting of four stories and aproximatley 20 rooms, built alot of sweedish pine. Origionally built in 1887 for the Hartley family, one of the richest clans in the midlands at the start of the 19thC, for many years it has been occupied by members of the bamford (JCB) family up until the late 1960's. Since then the house has remained empty. Comonly believed by some locals as being haunted, look below and you can see why, It is still owned by JCB and plans have been submitted to demolish the building and replace it. 

"A structural survey submitted with the application concluded that the structure is in such an unsafe condition that any form of refurbishment would be ‘uneconomic’, hence its proposed demolition and replacement.

In fact it was so unsafe that a full structural survey was not possible for Health and Safety reasons." Uttoxeter Advertiser

I was unable to get inside, and by the sounds of it I may have gone through a couple of floors. Anyway on with the photo's.

































I would have liked to have photographed near by woodseat hall but JCB's security wouldn't let me 

Cheers Burton Brewery


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## Foxylady (Apr 29, 2011)

Unusual looking building. Really interesting. Cheers for posting, Burton Brewery, and welcome to DP.


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## glass (Apr 29, 2011)

Is that the house on the hill overlooking the factory


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## gushysfella (Apr 29, 2011)

Pic #2 fantastic, film Amityville comes to mind


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## imyimyimy (May 10, 2011)

That looks EPIC ...


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## burtonbrewery (May 13, 2011)

glass said:


> Is that the house on the hill overlooking the factory



yes it is can be seen through the trees, would love to get inside but need a leg up and a strimmer lol


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## Senga (May 15, 2011)

Judging by pic #5, inside may look more like Jumanji. Is that a large vine coming _out_ of the roof and up the chimney? 

Thanks for the pics.


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## Snips86x (May 15, 2011)

Senga said:


> Judging by pic #5, inside may look more like Jumanji. Is that a large vine coming _out_ of the roof and up the chimney?
> 
> Thanks for the pics.



I was trying to work out where I'd seen this before and you've answered my question.


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## Senga (May 15, 2011)

anpanman said:


> I was trying to work out where I'd seen this before and you've answered my question.



Always nice to be of service, if inadvertantly.


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## sachastevenson (May 16, 2011)

Is this in Rochester, Maidstone, Kent?
Looks fab!


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## krela (May 16, 2011)

sachastevenson said:


> Is this in Rochester, Maidstone, Kent?
> Looks fab!



Rocester is not Rochester...


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## The Archivist (May 17, 2011)

krela said:


> Rocester is not Rochester...


Easy to see where the confusion comes from though. I misread it as Rochester the first time too. 

Sadly the local news says this has it's just been demolished. I suppose it was inevitable but it's still criminal that it was ever allowed to get into such a state.


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