# Seaton Heights Hotel - Dec 08



## Foxylady (Dec 12, 2008)

I first visited this abandoned complex a year ago last April and I'd kept the name off the previous post due to circumstances at the time, but if anyone wants to see what it was like then, here is the link...

http://www.derelictplaces.co.uk/main/showthread.php?t=2596

The main reason I went up there was to check out some WW2 remains on site, as part of some research into the local Chain Home Radar system and I found some interesting things that I hadn't seen before. At the same time I had another good look around the hotel and leisure complex...well, it seemed rude not to!  This time I accessed some areas that I hadn't seen before, so it was all good. 

Access was by a different route today and began with the WW2 remains and some communication masts which are on the hotel grounds. One of the surprises was instead of just one large Anderson Shelter, there are two. And the other one was built into a hut. More about these and other buildings when I complete the research and post it up in the military forum.

















The front of the larger Anderson Shelter and the door, which looks to have been vandalised, although that's the only bit of damage I saw. Sadly, the old original handle and lock has now been replaced with a naff new one and a padlock.











Path leading to the fitness rooms and pool area.


























More coming up in a mo!


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## Foxylady (Dec 12, 2008)

The rear of the motel rooms building. Although I found natural deterioration through neglect, there was no sign of vandalism.






Hot! 






Funky ramp and railings.


























The garden climbing in.  































Next lot any sec now!


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## Foxylady (Dec 12, 2008)

Another outside corridor around the corner with an Eek! moment at the end. 






Reception with an unintentional self-portrait.
















Picnic bench and beer garden. Lol











Patio and pool area from the other side.
















Nice view, shame about the patio! Oh, and btw, you CAN see the sea...it's over there somewhere, between the sky and the land! 











Going out through the front entrance with a final look at the hotel complex and half a funky, rusty gate. 






I will be going back as there is still more to uncover regarding the hotel, as well as the WW2 remains. Plus, I saw an amazing tumulus on the way down the hill, which I didn't even know existed. It can't be seen from the road as it's in a hollow...something else to go back for!
Cheers


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## tonyque2 (Dec 12, 2008)

Hi Foxy 
Glad you managed to get back up here again - not sure how much longer it's going to be there! Remember Racals ??
Superb set of photos. Love the autumn colours, makes the hotel look really peacefull and picturesque.
Cheers Tony


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## Foxylady (Dec 12, 2008)

tonyque2 said:


> - not sure how much longer it's going to be there! Remember Racals ??



Cheers Tony. Yes, that's why I thought I'd better get up there again soon. Although, I don't think the Seaton Regeneration plan is much further on than it was a few years ago! They seem to keep submitting plans, chopping, changing, re-submitting, having another think, putting it to the people then going off to change it to how they want it and damn everyone else. And nothing ever gets finalised!  
I actually went up there this afternoon...the autumn colours were a bit of a mistake at the printers...too much red cast, methinks!  It makes it look pretty though.
Thanks.


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## thompski (Dec 12, 2008)

Love the modernist building in your second post, foxy, very nice! Is it facing the bulldozers? It'd be a shame.


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## MD (Dec 12, 2008)

nice report foxy


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## Foxylady (Dec 12, 2008)

Cheers Thompski and MD. Yes, I really like the stair tower bit but sadly it's all due for demolition.


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## mr_bones (Dec 12, 2008)

Really like this Foxy - looks very rustic and as you say, naturally decayed rather than any sign of vandalism. Wouldn't find anything like this over here.


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## Foxylady (Dec 12, 2008)

Thanks, Mr B.  It's amazing isn't it! I believe it closed sometime in 2004, so it's been like that for at least four years.


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## Neosea (Dec 12, 2008)

Cool explore, it's amazing what you can find when you least expect it. Thanks for the photos btw


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## Foxylady (Dec 12, 2008)

Cheers Neo. No probs.


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## DJhooker (Dec 13, 2008)

awesome! wish i had a place like that!


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## infromthestorm (Dec 13, 2008)

Some great shots there foxy,im amazed that its so vandal free,reminds me of 'survivors',look forward to your next visit


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## Foxylady (Dec 13, 2008)

Thanks DJ and IFTStorm. I'll definitely make it back soon as it's a great area up there with lots to look at...including a hill fort which I need to finish taking pics of.


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## borntobemild (Dec 13, 2008)

looks like a fantastic place foxy

massively jealous


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## Foxylady (Dec 13, 2008)

Cheers, btbmild. And just to rub it in a bit...  ...there's Lyme Bay Cider a bit further down the hill. When I walked past I could see several changes plus an area which I didn't get to when I explored it a few months ago. I was tempted to take another look there and then but I was on a mission, so maybe next time.


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## BigLoada (Dec 13, 2008)

Nice one Foxy! I totally love the design of the front. When was it built, any idea? Thats a nice shelter too


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## Pincheck (Dec 13, 2008)

superb report and i think your quite right for keep the namee of the report what a jem of a place to stumble across, nice one love the pics


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## Sabtr (Dec 13, 2008)

Great stuff. There is some interesting building designs there. I think they really pushed the designs and used some innovative stuff. Even simple things like rampways are pushed a bit - incorporating a twist is no easy task.

It must feel odd walking around an empty site like that?

Definately worthy of a thread this one. Thanks for sharing Foxylady.


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## chelle (Dec 13, 2008)

*Lovely*

Once again the fox unearths a gem of a find........well done indeed,and great comprehensive shots too.Hows the developement doing on the old holiday camp?
Regards from Stu


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## dave (Dec 13, 2008)

Nice pics and report there foxy i love the colours you've captured.


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## Foxylady (Dec 13, 2008)

Thanks everyone for your nice comments. 

BigLoada, I've been trying to find out when it was built but no luck so far. I've just been trolling through a load of council reports, which was quite interesting regarding proposals for the site, but no history. I'd hazard a guess at 60's/70's though, because of the style of the architecture. 

Sausage, I love that feeling of being away from 'normal' life...it's like stepping through a door from one kind of reality to another for me. I must admit I was a bit shaky to begin with. Mind you, the 25-minute steep hill walk plus a fence climb and scrabbling through a hedge probably didn't help! 

Stu, the holiday camp site has just been left as it was when they finished demolition. No signs of anything happening yet, but the regeneration plans still haven't been finalised and although Tesco own the site, they don't have planning permission to build their store there. Hahahahahaha! :evil:

Cheers


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## Seahorse (Dec 14, 2008)

Nearly missed this one! Loving the way there's a kinda Stateside motel feel with some quirky English twists, in a rural setting. 

Who's are the comms towers Foxy?


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## Foxylady (Dec 14, 2008)

Seahorse said:


> Nearly missed this one! Loving the way there's a kinda Stateside motel feel with some quirky English twists, in a rural setting.



Cheers, Seahorse. I know exactly what you mean.  It's got a fantastic atmosphere too...very peaceful.



Seahorse said:


> Who's are the comms towers Foxy?



I've no idea, unfortunately. I was trying to ascertain if the original bases were anything to do with the WW2 remains but I couldn't get close enough to tell properly or get any decent pics. I'll take another gander next time I'm up there and see if I can glean more info.


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## borntobemild (Dec 15, 2008)

You still have foliage on the trees and shrubs down there. Doesn't it ever get cold?


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## Foxylady (Dec 15, 2008)

borntobemild said:


> You still have foliage on the trees and shrubs down there. Doesn't it ever get cold?



 We had frost the other morning!!!  And we sometimes get snow about 10 mins a year, but apart from that it's very mild compared to most places. The daffodils should be out soon.


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## smileysal (Dec 15, 2008)

Ooooooh, so glad youve gone back here. I liked it the first time you went, and I like it more this time. Love how nature is reclaiming more and more of it. Love those curved footpaths, balcony's and ramps. And still love those stairs behind the curved glass.

Excellent pics Foxy, I really do like this place.

Cheers,

 Sal


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## Foxylady (Dec 15, 2008)

Thanks, Sal. It was great to get to see more of it. I made sure I had plenty of film with me this time!


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## Dirus_Strictus (Dec 16, 2008)

Foxylady said:


> One of the surprises was instead of just one large Anderson Shelter, there are two. And the other one was built into a hut. More about these and other buildings when I complete the research and post it up in the military forum.



From the apparent size of these relics, I would suggest that they were originally the small type Nissen 'shelter' rather than true Anderson Shelters. The lack of any earthworks or diggings is also a pointer to their original use.

In the early 1950s Clumber Park (in the Dukeries near Worksop) contained large numbers of these 'shelters'. They were all open ended and contained vast amounts of miscellaneous stores - eg glass winchesters full of foam additive, carbon tetrachloride based fire extinguisher fluid along with huge quantities of jerry cans, steel pickets and neat stacks of steel ammunition boxes etc. There were many more boxes stored in these shelters, but no indication as to what they held or why they were there.

So I think that the 'shelters' pictured were probably used to protect certain military stores from the weather, that is if they are in their original WW11 positions.


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## Foxylady (Dec 16, 2008)

Dirus_Strictus said:


> From the apparent size of these relics, I would suggest that they were originally the small type Nissen 'shelter' rather than true Anderson Shelters...So I think that the 'shelters' pictured were probably used to protect certain military stores from the weather, that is if they are in their original WW11 positions.



I wondered if they might have been small Nissen huts. Thanks for the info, Dirus...that's very helpful.


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## Random (Dec 16, 2008)

Brilliant stuff, hard to believe it hasn't been chavved up. Even stuff in the middle of nowhere in Cumbria attracts Orcs.


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## Foxylady (Dec 16, 2008)

Random said:


> Brilliant stuff, hard to believe it hasn't been chavved up. Even stuff in the middle of nowhere in Cumbria attracts Orcs.



Cheers, Random.  Although there's not a lot for youngsters to do, there's very little in the way of graf or vandalism here. Not sure why that should be but it is a nice and comparatively safe area to live in. Thinking about it, maybe it's because most adults here aren't afraid to tell kids off if they're misbehaving, instead of going down the asbo route, and youngsters expect and respond to it.


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## Lightbuoy (Dec 16, 2008)

I'd like to echo all the positive things said before. An excellent report and a facinating looking place. Seems rather odd yet strangely lkay to see a Hotel and WW2 buildings merged together 

Thanks for sharing Foxy -enjoyed these pics a lot!

Lb:jimlad:


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## Foxylady (Dec 16, 2008)

Cheers, Lb.  I seem to be finding more connections with WW2 origins wherever I look lately. Even the old holiday camp was a POW camp during the war.


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## orangeacid (Dec 16, 2008)

Lovely find! Especially like that patio and pool area


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## Foxylady (Dec 16, 2008)

Thanks, orangeacid.


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## King Al (Dec 17, 2008)

Good stuff foxy, looks like a really interesting place, do you know when its due to be destroyed? I would love to see it


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## Foxylady (Dec 17, 2008)

King Al said:


> ... do you know when its due to be destroyed? I would love to see it



Hi Al,
There's no set date at the mo, AFAIK. Plans are still being put forward for a new holiday complex on site but there's still a long way to go due to the problems with the amount of buildings intended, adequate sewerage, light pollution, height of buildings, rare bats and other considerations. The last proposal is being considered by so many different departments and agencies that it could be some time yet. Having said that though, once put forward it could be like Racal or Warners and the bulldozers in before we know it.
I'll keep an eye out on the planning department and let you know if the proposal meets approval.


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## holymole (Dec 22, 2008)

Seahorse said:


> Nearly missed this one! Loving the way there's a kinda Stateside motel feel with some quirky English twists, in a rural setting.
> 
> Who's are the comms towers Foxy?



The comms towers belong to Orange and 3 according to current records............ great post Foxy!


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## Foxylady (Dec 22, 2008)

holymole said:


> The comms towers belong to Orange and 3 according to current records............ great post Foxy!



Blimey, how did you find that out?  Cheers, holymole.


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## miss survey (Feb 28, 2010)

This looks like the place that Bicton College used to house some of their students in 1994/6!


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## Foxylady (Mar 1, 2010)

miss survey said:


> This looks like the place that Bicton College used to house some of their students in 1996/7!



They did! You're right...I'd forgotten about that. I once knew or met someone who was billeted there round about then.
Do you know Bicton College, Miss S?


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## miss survey (Mar 1, 2010)

Our son was there 1994-6 doing BTec Outdoor Leisure!


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## kite flyer (Mar 1, 2010)

It's obvious that my son is a bit of a Jonah. He's lived both here and at Haddon Hall in Buxton, which has been derelict since he left, and has just been burned.


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## Foxylady (Mar 1, 2010)

miss survey said:


> Our son was there 1994-6 doing BTec Outdoor Leisure!


Oh, excellent. I've only been around Bicton College once, with some friends, as I don't drive and there's no public transport there...which is a shame as it's a lovely place, and there's a church ruin there that I'd love to have a look at.



kite flyer said:


> It's obvious that my son is a bit of a Jonah. He's lived both here and at Haddon Hall in Buxton, which has been derelict since he left, and has just been burned.


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## OSPA (Mar 3, 2010)

I know this is an old thread, but I just came aross it and I have to say it looks amazing! Is it still around?


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## Foxylady (Mar 3, 2010)

Cheers, OSPA. It's still there, AFAIK. The last time I saw it was last November, going past on a bus, and I haven't heard any different.
It's a great place for a good leisurely wander, and lots of nooks and crannies still to be looked into. 
Oddly enough, I've only just recently started putting the pics up on my website...not all uploaded yet, but there'll be almost 50 when done...and that's not counting those from a previous visit.  I'm yearning to make another visit there now!


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## Monkey Boy (Apr 2, 2010)

kite flyer said:


> It's obvious that my son is a bit of a Jonah. He's lived both here and at Haddon Hall in Buxton, which has been derelict since he left, and has just been burned.



[nomedia]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ek78wXD5nyA[/nomedia]

Prime redevelopment site I would have thought


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