Aka Bessingham Manor - affectionately known as Bear Manor as one of the last occupants actually kept a bear there for a while!
As is the norm lately, work had sent me to Norwich so a trip here seemed in order after we had finished. I had a colleague with me this time who seemed a bit out of place climbing into an old building like this, but I think he enjoyed the experience and the building though
It appears the house is destined to be demolished and rebuilt - so sad really, but it is in a very poor state inside.
We got to the house at early evening, the sun was low in the sky and it made for some really nice lighting both inside and out. I hope my photos do the place justice.
This little chap and is friends kept us on our toes...
As you can see, there isnt really any decent access to upstairs...
And to be fair, there really isnt much of an upstairs left!
Into the kitchen...
Looking up from the kitchen you can see all the way up to the roof!!!
We think this was the bathroom...
Arriving at some more stairs, we cant go up, so lets head down into the basement...
Looking up, longing to get up there but no safe access to be found
This room was the best in the house, not much rot in here...
Some of the personal bits we found left behind...
A final shot of the stairs before heading back out...
Thanks for looking...
As is the norm lately, work had sent me to Norwich so a trip here seemed in order after we had finished. I had a colleague with me this time who seemed a bit out of place climbing into an old building like this, but I think he enjoyed the experience and the building though
The last Spurrell owner, Edmund Denham Spurrell, is described as having been a bit of an eccentric. He used to keep a bear at the manor which one day escaped and attacked one of the housemaids.
It appears the house is destined to be demolished and rebuilt - so sad really, but it is in a very poor state inside.
After Edmund D Spurrell's passing in 1952 the nine-bedroom house was sold but it soon became apparent that urgently required repairs would be far too costly. Ever since that time the grand house has stood empty.
The derelict structure was put on the market and has recently been sold to developers who plan to recreate the grandeur of the old manor. This will be achieved by demolishing and then rebuilding with reclaimed materials, following the original 19th century architectural drawings. Original plans to restore the existing building to its former glory ground to a halt when a structural report revealed too many problems: a restoration would cost far more than the building would ever be worth.
We got to the house at early evening, the sun was low in the sky and it made for some really nice lighting both inside and out. I hope my photos do the place justice.
This little chap and is friends kept us on our toes...
As you can see, there isnt really any decent access to upstairs...
And to be fair, there really isnt much of an upstairs left!
Into the kitchen...
Looking up from the kitchen you can see all the way up to the roof!!!
We think this was the bathroom...
Arriving at some more stairs, we cant go up, so lets head down into the basement...
Looking up, longing to get up there but no safe access to be found
This room was the best in the house, not much rot in here...
Some of the personal bits we found left behind...
A final shot of the stairs before heading back out...
Thanks for looking...