Bramham House, Bramham (Nr. Leeds), August 2010

Visited with jST

After spending a good 5 hours in High Royds ([ame="http://www.derelictplaces.co.uk/main/showthread.php?p=165978#post165978"]report here[/ame]) and filling ourselves up on pub lunch we headed out to Bramham and promptly got lost.

An annoyed (and annoying) landrover driver, some lost Leeds Fest hipsters and a couple of u-turns later we spotted the house; as we were driving past it. We gave up on roads parked up and walked.

We started with the ambulance station then moved onto the house. It's all pretty well trashed, but still worth a visit as its a great building and there are a few bits to see still.


Bramham House was built in 1806 by a rich vicar, he sold it to James Fox (of Bramham Park) in 1814 who then gave it to his son George as a wedding present. George was a bit rubbish and ran up over £230,000 (about £160m today) in debt, it was still kept in the family until 1856, when George (Jnr.) sold it. It then went through a succession of sales and owners until 1947 when it was bought by West Riding County Council to be turned into a home for neglected and homeless children. The house closed in the early 80s and has stood derelict since.

Loads more history over here.


Thanks for looking

It is a brave man that walked up that staircase,let alone ventured atop the place an on to the roof.Love the telephone! I wonder when it last rung?
Great shots! and a most interesting history,many thanks.

hi
geat photos,
i was in bramham house till the late 70s, broke my heart to see the state it is in now, it was such a beautiful building, many good and sad times had when i lived there

Andrea, I can imagine how sad those pictures must make you. I'm saddened to see how it's become even more damaged since I visited it last year, for example, the railings around the stairs have now been stripped.

This was the first place I explored and for that reason I'm really fond of the house. It's disgusting that a council-owned building (read 'bought with public money') of such historical importance and beauty is being left to the inevitable. I actually phoned the council to enquire as to whether it was for sale, and they're only interested in selling the house, ambulance station, and land as a job lot - needless to say at the kind of price that can only be afforded by a wealthy property development company. If I came into money, I'd have it and rescue it! I did think of trying 'squatters rights'!

Yeah its a real shame that its just being left to rot, eventually all the stuff inside will fall down. I'm sure they would be able to sell it quicker if they had knocked down the ambulance station, its not really good for anything unless you have lots of cars!