# Gaynes Park Mansion - Epping - 12/2007



## LittleMadam (Apr 20, 2008)

In December My other half and me headed off on a roadtrip of Essex with places i had researched, Gaynes Mansion was the final visit of the day and the best by far. We walked through a wooded area to see a looming gothic mansion.

The only information i can find on the place is it was built in the 19th century and is owned by Albany UK who are (I believe) awaiting planning permission to turn this stunning place into flats and stripping it of all its little charms.

Access was almost impossible, we nearly gave up, with a bit of perseverance and after taking photos of the exterior, with resident amusing gargoyles we were in! For one second we crapped ourselves, the lights were on all over the place, but it was all boarded up - weird.

It looks like it was once some kind of Jewish school where people stayed. The library was beautiful, the staircase amazing and WOW!!!

Pics are courtesy of Steve my other half


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## LargePig (Apr 21, 2008)

Very nice! I love the look of this place.

Looks like you had a good day for it too!


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## Foxylady (Apr 21, 2008)

Wow, what a beautiful gem! See what you mean about the staircase! Love all the odd little decorative bits too. Very nice.


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## LittleMadam (Apr 21, 2008)

Thanks guys,

It really is a gem, I love it dearly!!! The weather was perfect, but fading fast, we have not since had such good weather or such luck getting in! 

Foxy - yeah, it had some weird little reminders of it's past use, and we have never been to a derelict place to find the chinaware still intact LOL


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## Foxylady (Apr 21, 2008)

Tamasine said:


> ...we have never been to a derelict place to find the chinaware still intact LOL



That amazed me too, seeing your pic of that. Reminded me of some of the abandoned potteries.


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## madmare (Apr 21, 2008)

What a lovely old place - and suprisingly intact!


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## artwork-rebel (Apr 22, 2008)

It's so good to see it not vandalised! I love the interiour decor too! Looks like a truely amazing place!


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## LittleMadam (Apr 22, 2008)

Thanks A-R, the feeling we got when we found a way in and saw the place was amazing, a real rush!


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## DJhooker (Apr 22, 2008)

Very nice place!


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## smileysal (Apr 22, 2008)

ooooooooh I absolutely love this place. I love the outside, and that staircase is gorgeous. Love all the pics, but the staircase one has to be my favourite. 

Excellent work Tam,

Cheers,

 Sal


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## Ghostyxx (Apr 24, 2008)

Fantastic pics, all of them!

It's places like this that make me wish I was rich, so I could buy them and restore them!

This is such a beautiful place! I think I'm in love

Love and happiness!
Ghostyxx


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## VeeEight (Apr 29, 2008)

Ditto ^^^

That is a stunning place! top notch piccies..

Yours, extra quid on the lotto this week..


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## Philb (May 11, 2008)

*Wow...*

This place is absolutely top notch - completely amazing. 

The outside is superb - the architecture is awesome.




















As Tam pointed out - the gargoyles are superb. However, that staircase does take an awful lot of beating though...






First time that I've ever really seen a good ceiling rose and chandelier. 






The library is impressive - and if you look top left you'll see some seats where people could sit, so I'm guessing this is maybe where the school assemblies were held.






Decisions, decisions.. upstairs or through the door....






Some of the room are in pretty good nick






But some of the stairs and doors are not....






Obligatory bath/loo shot






What kind of person would paint their room this colour???






Or this?






Up onto the third floor it starts to get very attic like:






Just loved this - birds nest in a bath!






Not everywhere was in good repair:











This was just brilliant - a stone circular staircase, which was *really* tight.






Obligatory arty shot






And finally back down the stairs and out!






Mega points to Tam for finding this one!


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## Foxylady (May 11, 2008)

Great to see more photos of this gorgeous building, Philb. Really like seeing the outside shots and those chimney pots are to die for. Nice one!


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## Newage (May 13, 2008)

*What a view*

it was a good day philB, thought I'd add a few more pictures.

Cheers Newage


















Don't you just love stone steps, heheheheh


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## murk11 (Aug 8, 2008)

*HI There*

I use to work up there doing general maintance in 1984 for few months, lovely building
At the time it was used for an Authodox Jewish School with a few flats on the top level,
There are specimen trees in the Gardens, big pond
Such a shame the place has got into this state,


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