# Bridon Wire Works - April 08.



## ThenewMendoza (Apr 13, 2008)

Havoc and I first visited the sleepy hamlet of Ambergate, Derbyshire in September last year, we had a couple of leads up that way and Bridon Wireworks was one of them (the other was Stevenson's Dyers, well worth a look btw).










When we visited back then most of the manufacturing sheds were very doable and made for a decent set of pics, so as me an SmileySal were in the area we thought we'd pop in for a chilled out mooch around.




It was getting on for fairly late in the afternoon when we arrived and much to our surprise a further building had opened up, so we were straight in. I don't think either of us expected quite what we actually found.









Although the building itself wasn't huge, well, not compared to the wire making sheds, it was absolutely stuffed with labs and offices, all full of paperwork and scientific equipment. I didn't know which way to turn there was so much to look through.









Sadly, due to the fact that we spent so long in this one building, it was dark by the time we exited, so the pics of the manufacturing sheds are from last year lol.

Old school typewriter, nice.














I enjoyed this place first time round, it's even better now.



















What it's all about, wire...




A good 'un just got better.

TnM


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## havoc (Apr 13, 2008)

Nice work guys, First time we done this I liked the place, think a return trip is on the cards now after seeing the labs


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## smileysal (Apr 13, 2008)

Those labs and offices were amazing, so much paperwork in nearly all of the rooms, filing cabinets totally full up with it all. heaven.

And the labs, how many tubes, bottles etc were in there. I need to go back too, as my camera decided it didn't want to work at all in there.  So another visit is definitely on the cards, and hopefully, very, very soon 

 Sal


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## johno23 (Apr 13, 2008)

As always TNM brilliant pictures and interesting stuff,good work


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## ashless (Apr 13, 2008)

Aaaahhh, nice!  Top stuff, love the glass bottles and stuff


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## smileysal (Apr 14, 2008)

Here's a few of some of the outside of the buildings. its a huge place, and we only did one section, definitely have to go back soon to do all the rest.

Liked the area we walked through, except it was pitch black on the way back to the car, so ended up hanging onto TnM so I didn't slip down the steep slope in the river below  


























On the way down to the Wire Works, we saw this row of 4 cottages. Quaint little places they were, here's some of the inside of one of them.






Very old fashioned cupload, (with a huge spider living in it, wanted a better pic of this till i saw that, so i ran lol)





Loads and loads of books in one of bedroom cupboards. Books on biology, plant anatomy  and stuff like that. very interesting though. 





Lovely biscuit tin lid





The tiny but quaint kitchen





Cupboard in the former lounge





Jam anyone?





Lovely fireplace





And the last one from me, i love this lamp joined on the top of a magazine rack.





It was pitch black when we left here, and late, and had to go and pick little miss up and get home. So will be going back again soon I hope.

Cheers,

 Sal


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## Foxylady (Apr 15, 2008)

Wow, that site looks huge...and so much stuff!!!  Liked the little cottage too. Good work guys and please go back again...would love to see more of it.


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## wolfism (Apr 15, 2008)

The labs look superb – great to see so much intact glassware. The wire-making sheds are properly weathered, too.


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## BigLoada (Apr 15, 2008)

Great stuff lads. The scientific gear is always good to see. Love the light and contrast in those pictures.


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## ThenewMendoza (Apr 15, 2008)

BigLoada said:


> Great stuff lads.



Sally, is there something you want to tell me?

TnM


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## smileysal (Apr 15, 2008)

I'm a girl


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## ThenewMendoza (Apr 15, 2008)

smileysal said:


> I'm a girl



I can vouch for that. BigLoada, this is for you. 




TnM


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## BigLoada (Apr 15, 2008)

Hahaha! I guess I asked for that! Serves me right for not reading the thread properly. No offence intended


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## smileysal (Apr 15, 2008)

lol, none intended lmao. that was funny 

cheers,

 Sal


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## BigLoada (Apr 15, 2008)

I blame it on that 8 pack of McEwans Export. I can never read properly after having that, its most peculiar


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## dodge (Apr 15, 2008)

Googlecat confirms this is an A+ explore


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## sqwasher (Apr 15, 2008)

I work for the company who own these buildings (although i work for them in North Yorks) & got a bit of a look around (whilst helping set up new production lines) not long after the Litchfield Group bought the site. It is HUGE! Though i've not been down for a couple of years i understand they are re-furbishing all the buildings with time. There's a derelict 'large' house on the site too,good to see some pics of it.


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## smileysal (Apr 17, 2008)

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooh please could you pm either me or TnM with the whereabouts of the large house too please. The guys (Pete and Nigel at the Derby Warehouse) told us about a huge house, but they'd both been drinking quite a bit, so we just agreed with them. oooooooops will have to apologise to em now then lmao.

Cheers,

 Sal


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## Rob (Jul 9, 2008)

This is the "Big old house" its called "Oakhurst".


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## smileysal (Jul 9, 2008)

ooooooooooooh cheers Rob, that house looks awesome. Have to go back now and have a look at this.

Thanks again,

 Sal


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## nursepayne (Jul 10, 2008)

Oackhurst house looks amazing!Has anyone explored it ?
Those labs are some find!


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## The_Revolution (Jul 10, 2008)

nursepayne said:


> Oackhurst house looks amazing!Has anyone explored it ?
> Those labs are some find!



A couple of times, it's in a bad way, lots of fire damage. My photos were rubbish but my fellow explorers did better (here & here)

The labs are really interesting - so much stuff left behind


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## Rob (Jul 10, 2008)

To be honest I didn't notice any fire damage just rotten timbers. The interior of the house at the rear seems to have completely collapsed. It seems a bit of a weird place. Built around an old stone farmhouse the most solid part of the structure, It has been added to over the years quite extravagantly especially the timber framed facade. I have tried researching the history of the place on the Internet but have drawn a blank. Unfortunately the place is beyond restoration and awaits the bulldozers.





















































Rob...


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## smileysal (Jul 10, 2008)

ooooooh, that's made me want to go and have a look at it even more now. I'll have to hassle TnM to take me there lol. I want to get more pics from the wire works themselves as well. 

Cheers Rob,

 Sal


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## The_Revolution (Jul 11, 2008)

Rob said:


> To be honest I didn't notice any fire damage just rotten timbers.
> 
> I have tried researching the history of the place on the Internet but have drawn a blank. Unfortunately the place is beyond restoration and awaits the bulldozers.



My mistake; confusing the damage with somewhere else.

The only thing I've been able to find out was that the house was built for the owner of the wireworks; Richard Johnson. Someone did tell me that the building is listed and has been up for sale for £1 for a while.


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## Shhhh (Jul 12, 2008)

Lol. Ace pics. If that was true then you could buy your own abandonned relic for a quid. Anyone can afford that. Let me know in good time if you go back to those wireworks. I want to see them. I don't care if its pushing an 80 mile round trip. Be a good day out.


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