# The Diary Keepers Cottage...2012



## Ninja Kitten

The Diary Keepers Cottage..

Memories of my life has been 
Written upon pages of books,
and the odd sheets of paper that
I've scattered about 
To gather dust through the years. 
Thoughts that have great meaning 
To me; history that I share with humanity...
all that I was and why; 
perhaps, all that I've become 'til now. 
Deeds in words come from my soul, 
With heartfelt expressions of my creativity...
I share a moment of laughter...tear stains 
This portrait, I've painted unto an open diary......

A beautiful house left with nothing but its memories inside...Trunks and trunks full of diaries and sheets of paper all bound in brown paper and tied with string..diaries of a life time..

Splored with perjury saint..thumbs up for this one ide say, brilliant little find and throughly enjoyed..Hope you enjoy her as we did.....








Trunks scattered here and there ..holding up beds..piled in corners..containing diaries of a womans life...





































































































Address has no bearing on the location before you think ive lost the plot..i just love the writing...







































​


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## UEP-Wales

Wow! Very nice in shots and a great report as always! Love the glasses shot!


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## perjury saint

*Diary Keepers Cottage*

*I'd like to be as eloquent and poetic as NK on this one but its just not me, suffice to say I feel very VERY lucky to have stumbled upon this beautiful, crumbling little gem.
It has been an honour to rifle through the memories that have been left here.
Best splore yet!!
Hope my pictures can hold their own against yours NK...​*































































































*As always, thanks for looking...​*


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## explorer101

wow looks like a great place! how do you find places like this!?

L x


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## Silent Hill

I'm lost for words :wideeyed: Unbelievable find. Many thanks for sharing this remarkable explore.


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## Wakey Lad

Pretty special that! Cracking report


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## Fury161

Cracking report and find.


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## skankypants

Amazing find,hope it stays like this for years to come,great report.


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## Judderman62

can I just say




FUCK ME


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## Judderman62

that is a bit nice


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## Bones out

You little beauties, thats rather special.


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## Boatbird

Wow that is totally amazing, I'd be seriously tempted to tell a museum or something about it so it gets looked after.. but want to keep it all to myself too!


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## Ha.zel

Wow, that is just amazing! I can't quite believe it!  
Well done on finding such a wonderful place!


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## rectory-rat

That is a true treasure, it really is. And beautifully photographed by you both. The social history value of some of those contents is enormous, sadly so too is their capital worth which will no doubt be their final downfall. Many thanks for sharing your experience 

~RR


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## gingrove

I can't see that stamp album lasting long before some scumbag steals it!  first class pictures and a great write up!


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## UE-OMJ

Absolutely awesome. Just brilliant.


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## tattooed

Totally awesome!


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## flyboys90

What a find,an absolute treasure trove.Thanks for sharing both.


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## krela

Just incredible.


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## RichardH

Oh my, oh my, oh my. My pulse is actually racing after looking through those pics.

Have you thought about contacting the National Archives? I think they would be VERY interested in such a large collection of personal diaries and letters belonging to one individual.


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## adedownunder

one of the best posts ive ever seen on here, amazing congratulations


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## eggbox

Amazing find; well done.


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## sonyes

Wow......beautiful place, what a find! Fantastic pics from you both, my personal fav is the doll pic, love it!


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## SNAKEBITE

Do you know the history behind the house?

It looks as though it has laid empty for a number of years.

Those diaries would make an excellent book, "the normal life of someone you have never heard of".
I cannot believe those memories are gone forever.


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## TeeJF

Oh I do like this place. Well done you two!


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## Lucky Pants

Fantastic pictures from you both , yet another special location ,well done .


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## Ratters

Excellent  Both of you 

Thanks for sharing this


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## Priority 7

Absolutely stunning set of images from both of you and a real little gem of a place...


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## Stussy

That is an amazing find! A total rarity and it could be a little museum by itself! Its seems so personal and touching in a way with all the diaries! Thank you for sharing, excellent photos and what a report!!!

Out of 10, i'd defo give it 15.


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## GEMTX

Outstanding!!!!!!!!!!


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## muppet

stunning nuff said


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## birdinanaviary

Aaaaaah man that is epic absolutely 
Absolutely epic....... I give my derphouse nickname back you two can have it 

Amazing pictures I hope to god it stays special


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## Fury161

Again it's a truly amazing find. All that history of what seems like one persons life in that house. From the outside it does not look that old. I can't stop looking at the photos, stunning.


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## pablo73

wow!!! the trunk shot is lovely


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## night crawler

Brilliant but I can't help thinking this suff should be in a musium just as it was found.


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## LairdOfLochaber

I'm a history professor who has also docented at a museum & served on a board that preserves a historic church. In all sincerity, I recommend that this cottage & its contents be reported as soon as possible to institutions who have the capacity to look after it. The National Trust and the Victoria & Albert Museum spring to mind. The contents are a perfect time capsule, rather like the Sir John Soane Museum, but the addition of the vast amount of preserved personal papers, diaries, and photos make it far more. This could well be a new national treasure. A portrait of its time. It must be saved, intact, if it is to stay meaningful, and I'd say it has the potential to become a major cultural attraction.


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## LairdOfLochaber

Wonderful pictures also.


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## LairdOfLochaber

It's a Victorian King Tut's tomb.


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## st33ly

A real amazing find! Thanks for sharing this gem


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## Pen15

"Stunning !"

Two great sets of images and what a quality find.

I hope it doesn't go downhill like Potters Manor.

Well done to you both


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## Dawnwarrior

Absolutely Brilliant In Every Way.


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## Ninja Kitten

thankyou all for your lovely comments..i assure you that this place will never become a tourist attraction witin any communities.. all who ask will get the same answer..its not a case of being selfish and not sharing ..but im sure youl understand what implications a place like this could have if the location were named..ive seen it happen soooo many times...so i am glad you have all enjoyed her through our photos as much as we did..


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## Ninja Kitten

LairdOfLochaber said:


> I'm a history professor who has also docented at a museum & served on a board that preserves a historic church. In all sincerity, I recommend that this cottage & its contents be reported as soon as possible to institutions who have the capacity to look after it. The National Trust and the Victoria & Albert Museum spring to mind. The contents are a perfect time capsule, rather like the Sir John Soane Museum, but the addition of the vast amount of preserved personal papers, diaries, and photos make it far more. This could well be a new national treasure. A portrait of its time. It must be saved, intact, if it is to stay meaningful, and I'd say it has the potential to become a major cultural attraction.



i completly understand where you are coming from and ive seen many places that hold treasures like this...but at the end of the day we have to remember that they are owned by somebody and they are 9 times out of 10 in my experience totally aware of the contents..but for personal reasons prefer to keep it as it is...a difficult one to get your head round i know...but just the way it is im afraid  thankyou for your lovely comments.


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## Lurkingwitch

Humungous respect! Has to be one of the best reports on here! Thank you for sharing!


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## Sshhhh...

Wow!!What a find!! Fantastic place, well done to both of you and great pics


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## Janey68

Wow what a place!!!!! Love it love it love it!!!!

Well done. I so enjoyed those pics. So sad to think it's all there and she is gone......


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## whitelaw

A magnificent find, beautifully documented, and full of what this site is about, atmosphere. How can one look at those old photographs without wondering how those people fared in life? That leads us to the furniture - whose chair? What happened to them? The old puschair parked upstairs one day never to be touched again - why? Did its little occupant die? Or merely outgrow it? 

Fabulous - thank you so much.


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## Melorac

I am speechless...and believe me that is a first!!

Stunning shots from both of you, a real treasure trove. Well found and thanks for sharing.


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## perjury saint

*Many thanks for all the lovely comments you lot! 
Right, best get out there and find another one... *


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## Ace247

Yeah just awesome find, thanks for sharing guys...


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## Mars Lander

Amazed again, damn you both haha, how the blazes did you find this baby, its odd how the exterior is so unlike the interior, brilliant images as per usual from ye all


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## Jet48

Absolute stunning find those pictures are magic. Would make a great film set. Thanks for posting


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## Hazypoo

Only one word WOW


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## scribble

Great documents. That house looked as though it would have been a cosy little billet.


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## strider8173

yet again your locations and pictures amaze me. these places r great.. so sad that all this histroy is forgot. please keep finding these beauitful wonders.


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## fizzy

Omg Fantastic find, but would it be a good idea to get some of this stuff to the museum or national archives like someone on here mentioned. Too many treasures here to just leave behind, as it could be only a matter of time before some scumbag either finds and steals or sets the place on fire...Those diaries are fantastic, even the trunks they are stored in are a treasure in themselves :eek

Thanks for a fantastic share 

I know of a similar place to this (not as old or as preserved) the lady had died and all the stuff was in there for years untill some kids burnt the place down...hope this never happens here


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## mrtoby

incredible


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## TranKmasT

I'm way too jealous to give any positive criticism...........


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## TranKmasT

............actually awesome!


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## Krypton

thats absolutly fantastic


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## Lolpeacock

So, so sad


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## the_man_1984

I'm lost for words. What a fantastic find.


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## Romford Reject

gingrove said:


> I can't see that stamp album lasting long before some scumbag steals it!  first class pictures and a great write up!



I'm new to all this lark...what is the score on taking items from places. Surely better if they were looked after than left to rot


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## krela

That would be theft, and in the UK is a criminal act.


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## Romford Reject

But if it quite obviously vacant? Seems such a shame that all those personal effects will never be returned to their owners or relatives


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## perjury saint

Romford Reject said:


> I'm new to all this lark...what is the score on taking items from places. Surely better if they were looked after than left to rot



*That is VERY much frowned upon!!!! *


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## UE-OMJ

Romford Reject said:


> I'm new to all this lark...what is the score on taking items from places. Surely better if they were looked after than left to rot



At least you asked, and we can steer you in the right direction 

Absolutely never take anything.

As the saying goes, 'take nothing but photos, leave nothing but footprints, kill nothing but time'

(or something like that  )


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## UE-OMJ

UE-OMJ said:


> As the saying goes, 'take nothing but photos......



Lol, and that doesnt mean the ones you find hanging on the walls


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## Romford Reject

UE-OMJ said:


> At least you asked, and we can steer you in the right direction
> 
> Absolutely never take anything.
> 
> As the saying goes, 'take nothing but photos, leave nothing but footprints, kill nothing but time'
> 
> (or something like that  )



Cheers, at least I know and will abide by the code. Thanks for putting me in the picture (see what I did there?)


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## krela

Romford Reject said:


> But if it quite obviously vacant? Seems such a shame that all those personal effects will never be returned to their owners or relatives



That would be theft, and in the UK is a criminal act.

Vacant does not mean unowned, it still belongs to somebody.


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## Romford Reject

krela said:


> That would be theft, and in the UK is a criminal act.
> 
> Vacant does not mean unowned, it still belongs to somebody.



Thanks! Just wanted to know, like I say, new to all this


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## SNAKEBITE

I remember when I was a kid and wanted to pick some wild flowers and couldn't understand why I wasn't allowed.

My dad explained that if everybody picked them there would be nothing left for other people to look at!

Sorry, not trying to be patronising, it was just something that springs to mind and makes me smile when I think of things like this!


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## playerone

Ninja Kitten said:


> thankyou all for your lovely comments..i assure you that this place will never become a tourist attraction witin any communities.. all who ask will get the same answer..its not a case of being selfish and not sharing ..but im sure youl understand what implications a place like this could have if the location were named..ive seen it happen soooo many times...so i am glad you have all enjoyed her through our photos as much as we did..



great pictures though tragic (and interesting that the word selfish should be mentioned) that no heritage organisation etc etc will ever get to know about these and the potiential that could be as mentioned of a snap shot in time of what ever place it may be..


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## prettyvacant71

Adore the photos!!...fab processing! 

Wot a fascinating find....so much history just left behind i wonder wot the story is???

thanks for makin us all extremely jealous!!!!


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## darbians

NKs shot of the trunks is a beauty.
This is amazing. How do you both find these places!
I think you are really antique dealers and use items on location.
Just joking by the way.


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## spooksprings

Why Why did you include the address of this house?! Please save some of this somebody!!


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## perjury saint

spooksprings said:


> Why Why did you include the address of this house?! Please save some of this somebody!!



*Look again!! The location is nowhere to be seen...*


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## Ninja Kitten

spooksprings said:


> Why Why did you include the address of this house?! Please save some of this somebody!!



did you read the title report..its called diary keepers because of the diarys over the years kept there...lol!


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## constantined

Dear Ninja Kitten and Perjury Saint,

I thought the HMS Plymouth report was immense and was the best I'd ever seen on DP for an interesting subject. I liked that one a lot, but I think you two knew that already too.

However you lovely people have upgraded and lifted the bar by another tier with this report.

My true description of your report and visit is EPIC! 

I personally hope you have the chance to continue going back here in the future and researching it more in your own time, maybe finding more about this person's/people's history? 

I fully support your decision in a not releasing your information to others and reporting these items to museums and archives.

Remember museums and archives have a tendency to store items away/forget they exist as they are not a "exciting exhibit for the public" for tens of/sometimes even a hundred years in their locked vaults...before someone perhaps looks for them or accidentally "discovers" them again! 

So you will have the same scenario here that no-one gets to see them either!

I'll be contentious in what I'll say but I think you two have made the best decision of all. 

It's best they get left in their own correct historical surroundings and I am not a religious man but I pray that no useless member of society desecrates this location. As such I hope it stays this way until nature claims the property back and items left behind for good.

Thanks you so much again for sharing this place with us all.

Take care out there. 

C


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## vmlopes

Top work.......enough said


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## whitelaw

Literally, a lifetime of memories in that house. "Take only pictures, leave only footprints", it may well be - but some historian needs to get in here and catalogue this lot. I think there may well be some historical information of importance in this house.


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## PROJ3CTM4YH3M

wow theres so much history in this place! great report and brilliant photos thanks for sharing


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## Edge Wear

Stunning, simply stunning.

A stupendous find and the photos you've both taken are AMAZING.

This one's going to stay with me for some time I suspect. 

Well done!


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## Ninja Kitten

whitelaw said:


> Literally, a lifetime of memories in that house. "Take only pictures, leave only footprints", it may well be - but some historian needs to get in here and catalogue this lot. I think there may well be some historical information of importance in this house.



all the contents belong to someone...we have to remember this...so weather she is left to nature to reclaim her or the items removed by the owner then what will be will be...im just very lucky to have seen it all


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## Ninja Kitten

constantined said:


> Dear Ninja Kitten and Perjury Saint,
> 
> I thought the HMS Plymouth report was immense and was the best I'd ever seen on DP for an interesting subject. I liked that one a lot, but I think you two knew that already too.
> 
> However you lovely people have upgraded and lifted the bar by another tier with this report.
> 
> My true description of your report and visit is EPIC!
> 
> I personally hope you have the chance to continue going back here in the future and researching it more in your own time, maybe finding more about this person's/people's history?
> 
> I fully support your decision in a not releasing your information to others and reporting these items to museums and archives.
> 
> Remember museums and archives have a tendency to store items away/forget they exist as they are not a "exciting exhibit for the public" for tens of/sometimes even a hundred years in their locked vaults...before someone perhaps looks for them or accidentally "discovers" them again!
> 
> So you will have the same scenario here that no-one gets to see them either!
> 
> I'll be contentious in what I'll say but I think you two have made the best decision of all.
> 
> It's best they get left in their own correct historical surroundings and I am not a religious man but I pray that no useless member of society desecrates this location. As such I hope it stays this way until nature claims the property back and items left behind for good.
> 
> Thanks you so much again for sharing this place with us all.
> 
> Take care out there.
> 
> C



thankyou for those lovely words...and i assure that untill someone else locates her on an off chance the only two people that know about her are me and PS and it shall stay that way


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## perjury saint

Ninja Kitten said:


> thankyou for those lovely words...and i assure that untill someone else locates her on an off chance the only two people that know about her are me and PS and it shall stay that way



*Same as that...*


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## constantined

No problem Ninja Kitten and prejury saint,

Like I said its my opinion but it doesn't mean im right or the others wrong. I can see the other points of view.

But you been doing this game for a long while now and it comes across here in your final statement.



Ninja Kitten said:


> all the contents belong to someone...we have to remember this...so weather she is left to nature to reclaim her or the items removed by the owner then what will be will be...im just very lucky to have seen it all



That's the fact we have to remember whatever building we visit, be it a sketchy skag haven to a building like this we are merely visitors to them otherwise we are no better than the vandals and metal thieves!

I look forward to the next outstanding visit and report you two do. Yes I am jealous that you find such great places and all i can find is vandalised pubs at the current time in my personal time! 

Take care and stay safe out there

C


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## hnmisty

I wouldn't be surprised if I look in the mirror and have turned a bright green.

(rhetorical question!) How on earth do you find these places?! Bloody hell. I wasn't expecting much from the pic of the outside and then my mind got completely blown away. How on earth did you ever manage to leave? I'd probably still be there a month later 

It's tragic that this person's memories will be left to rot away- but again, diaries are personal even if the person who wrote them is long gone. I understand both sides of the problem, and I fully respect your decision. I just hope this place stays unheard of.


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## karltrowitz

Great Report. Thanks


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## smiler

I would have loved to have been with you on this explore, Thanks for the report and pics I enjoyed looking.


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## Stealthstar79

This report bought a tear to my eye!
Absolutely beautiful ...
Thanks!


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## void13

i think i may be speechless abolutly beautifull (i would spend weeks just learing who him/her was) whenever i normaly look at one of thes post i seam to spend most time thinkng oh that would make nice bangle or weird stepunk hat but i could never distub any thing from a place like this


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## Pixie_Suicide

This is effing stunning! Well done guys!

In all seriousness though, I work for the National Trust and we get tipped off and called out to places all the time. (I was at Carr Pitt Cottage in Norfolk, which seems to pop up a fair bit on here, only a few weeks ago!). 9 times out of 10 there's nothing worth saving but this is clearly not the case here. The items here could be of invaluable significance to historical research and should be looked at by an expert.

Everytime we are alerted about a place like this we do everything in our power to locate and contact the owner by working closely with local councils and housing officials and trolling local archives sometimes for weeks. When we do manage to contact the owner if it is their wish not to donate the building and / or its contents to us then we completely respect that. Quite often though people are pleased to hear from us because they simply did not have the time or (most often) money to arrange clearance of the property and have no ideas of the significance of the items.

Honestly, there would be no problem with you reporting this to NT as that way you can be assured that (owner permitting) this place will be preserved for generations exactly as it is and as it should be.

Please do PM me if you'd like any more info on our procedures and once again, well done for a cracking report and such gorgeous pics!


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## misuki

i totally respect the "take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints" rule usualy but honestly, as an archivist, i wouldnt have been able to leave all of these there. what a treasure!!!! at least, i would have read a big part of it and stay there way too long in fear that i miss something, in fear that the next time i come back, everything would be ruined. this is too perfect. thanks for sharring this diamond.


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## MrDan

That is what you call something special!


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## NakedEye

Breathtaking! A gem. Would truly love to go there. Places with personal possessions are always amazing to see.....who lived there? Why did they leave it like that? So many questions...Truly amazing report. Well done.


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## Bugbug

Please tell a museum or the local archives . . . Someone who is not as considerate as you guys will enter that house and destroy that history . Please I implore in fact I beg . . Those photos are priceless in history and those diaries . . They are someones life/works and they may have kept them to record history x x please I know it is a great explore but too valuable not financially but historically to allow water damage x x


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## jerm IX

Wow. Just wow. I could spend a month reading through it all. Props.


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## MrDan

That copy of the Daily Mirror... from 1910?!


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## perjury saint

MrDan said:


> That copy of the Daily Mirror... from 1910?!



*Yep, the Watkins and Sayce receipt is dated 1910 too... *


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## chapmand

LOVE IT!! what more can i say 

excellent shots, loved this report, thanks for sharing


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## Andy Wipes

Just seen this & blown away! Fantastic location & your pictures do it more than justice; amazing. As others have said a museum could well be interested in this. It would be such a shame if it all just rotted away.


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## Seetim

I have recently joined this site. Totally understand your view of keeping the location "secret", and to be honest agree with you. Am fearful that if the location were known, within hours the magic of the place would be lost by the treasure hunters stealing. Great photos of an excellent find


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## sally11

Beautiful find. lovely pictures!


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## Minxy Pie

*The Diary Keeper*

Thank you for posting these - all the photographs I've seen of the interiors show real artistry and humanity. I'm not asking you where this is - but if anything you saw or read when you visited the cottage told you anything about the woman herself, then please do consider what some other people who have posted to compliment you on this "explore" have suggested, and take the information to the Local History Library and ask them to look into establishing ownership. Maybe she had distant relatives who would like to know about their heritage. People don't keep or store diaries so carefully unless they want their thoughts to be remembered when they've gone, and it would be a pity if vandals and thieves happened upon this place and erased all memory of her. I'm a TV producer for the BBC, and think this lady's story would make a superb documentary - not to mention you and all the other Explorers who have safeguarded and documented her legacy so tenderly. If you are able to point an historian in the direction of this person's identity, then please do put me in touch with them. (Once again, I stress I am NOT asking you for location details: I would not put you in that position, quite apart from it being against Forum rules - but if you want to check me out, I have been a Flickr contact of Phill D for several years...). Well done, once again, on this superb photojournalism!


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## Ninja Kitten

Minxy Pie said:


> Thank you for posting these - all the photographs I've seen of the interiors show real artistry and humanity. I'm not asking you where this is - but if anything you saw or read when you visited the cottage told you anything about the woman herself, then please do consider what some other people who have posted to compliment you on this "explore" have suggested, and take the information to the Local History Library and ask them to look into establishing ownership. Maybe she had distant relatives who would like to know about their heritage. People don't keep or store diaries so carefully unless they want their thoughts to be remembered when they've gone, and it would be a pity if vandals and thieves happened upon this place and erased all memory of her. I'm a TV producer for the BBC, and think this lady's story would make a superb documentary - not to mention you and all the other Explorers who have safeguarded and documented her legacy so tenderly. If you are able to point an historian in the direction of this person's identity, then please do put me in touch with them. (Once again, I stress I am NOT asking you for location details: I would not put you in that position, quite apart from it being against Forum rules - but if you want to check me out, I have been a Flickr contact of Phill D for several years...). Well done, once again, on this superb photojournalism!



All the contents as with many places we visit belong to some one...the owner has now removed almost all of the contents to safe keeping


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## missmardybum

Simply perfect! My only worry would be undesirables destroying all those memories!


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## Ninja Kitten

missmardybum said:


> Simply perfect! My only worry would be undesirables destroying all those memories!



Please read above...


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## krela

*headbutts the wall*

New people, whilst your input is welcome please don't come here thinking you're the first people to ever have had these thoughts, and please read whole threads before you jump on your bandwagons.

Thank you.


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