# Ushaw Seminary Oct 2015



## mookster (Oct 26, 2015)

Heading back from Scotland, first after the overnight stop and a slightly underwhelming breakfast (damn Greggs for being closed!) me and my companions hit a site I had wanted to see for some time but due to it's distance away had never gotten the chance to factor into a trip.

Ushaw College, a former Catholic seminary and Licensed Hall of Residence of the University of Durham, covers 400 acres in the village of Ushaw Moor in the UK. It was founded in 1808 by scholars from English College, Douai, who had fled France after that college had been closed during the French Revolution. Ushaw College had been affiliated with the University of Durham since 1968. Around a third of the site was closed off and abandoned some years ago, with the rest of the site continuing to be used as a seminary until 2011. Very soon after that the non-derelict buildings were taken over by Durham University Business School and the grounds are maintained by the Ushaw Charitable Trust.

OK it may not be anywhere near as grand or as large as it's sister seminary St. Joseph's further south but it is still quite impressive. Sadly the beautiful chapel has been comprehensively sealed from the inside by a massive steel plate but other than that it's a nice peaceful explore with some very dodgy floors in places and some friendly security horses keeping watch 




























































































Thanks for looking, more here https://www.flickr.com/photos/mookie427/albums/72157660297937346 ​


----------



## krela (Oct 26, 2015)

Not seen this one for a while. Thanks for posting. You've been busy again.


----------



## Mikeymutt (Oct 26, 2015)

Nice place that mookster..would not mind seeing that for myself


----------



## mookster (Oct 26, 2015)

krela said:


> Not seen this one for a while. Thanks for posting. You've been busy again.



I think once the chapel got sealed up people kind of stopped going, it's still a nice place for a wander but would be even better if the chapel wasn't welded shut!



Mikeymutt said:


> Nice place that mookster..would not mind seeing that for myself



Go for it! Long trek but would be a good one to include on a weekend trip.


----------



## smiler (Oct 26, 2015)

Shame the Chapel is barred but understandable though, Sound Job Mook


----------



## UEP-Wales (Oct 28, 2015)

Not a bad looking place, nice to see your view on it dude


----------



## mookster (Oct 28, 2015)

smiler said:


> Shame the Chapel is barred but understandable though, Sound Job Mook



Apparently before it was sealed up all the pews were dumped in a pile in front of the altar 

Short of someone driving a bulldozer into the place or taking some seriously heavy duty gear to the steel plate there won't be any way into the chapel for the foreseeable future!


----------



## Ollyndebz (Oct 28, 2015)

The swimming pool and the basement are pretty cool Aswell


----------



## DirtyJigsaw (Oct 28, 2015)

Not seen or heard of this one before. Very nice. My type of place this.


----------



## Geordielad (Oct 30, 2015)

mookster said:


> I think once the chapel got sealed up people kind of stopped going, it's still a nice place for a wander but would be even better if the chapel wasn't welded shut!
> 
> 
> 
> I think they doing the chapel up mookster that why it shut


----------



## ImmortalShadow (Nov 1, 2015)

Ollyndebz said:


> The swimming pool and the basement are pretty cool Aswell



There's a swimming pool and basement? Now that I didn't know! Twice I've been and neither times I knew that.

Good stuff, Mookster


----------

