Set alone in the hills above Clitheroe, Lancashire - the Moorcock Inn has a chequered past that finally came crashing to a halt in 2010 when it closed it's doors for the last time!
It was Bought in 1926 and became an Inn accustomed to funerals, Weddings and many other celebratory activities. The reputation soared as news of the lavish ballroom, good food and dinner dances spread throughout the Northwest. It also had 14 guest rooms.
The pinnacle was when, in 1955 the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh dined there.
But the good times started to slip; in 1975 it had debts of £97,500 and in 1976 it was struck down by a fire.
Within a year it was rebuilt and gained success for many more years, but times changed. Being so remote meant having to drive there so there were surely many cases of drink driving convictions (I found this to be common in the U.S and many bars have closed as a result)
But today as always, plans to redevelop the site are being passed and the building has been left to rot!
I went with a couple of friends on a freezing cold, dark evening to get a closer look at this extraordinary building!
It has been trashed of course but not beyond recognition. The dome in the ballroom is gone but much of the ornate plaster remains. A lot of the rooms were inaccessible due to unsafe flooring, after a couple of hours the cold wind finally drove us out.
A shot from a travel booking site (Travelrepublic) Showing how it looked:
How it looks now!:
Managers flat:
Dumped magazine from 2009! There was also a Blockbusters bag:
Wedding pictures! Signifying a hasty retreat!:
Main bar:
Ballroom, minus the glass dome:
Dining room:
Kitchens:
Ballroom decor:
Trashed!:
Snug with open fire:
Pianola:
It was Bought in 1926 and became an Inn accustomed to funerals, Weddings and many other celebratory activities. The reputation soared as news of the lavish ballroom, good food and dinner dances spread throughout the Northwest. It also had 14 guest rooms.
The pinnacle was when, in 1955 the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh dined there.
But the good times started to slip; in 1975 it had debts of £97,500 and in 1976 it was struck down by a fire.
Within a year it was rebuilt and gained success for many more years, but times changed. Being so remote meant having to drive there so there were surely many cases of drink driving convictions (I found this to be common in the U.S and many bars have closed as a result)
But today as always, plans to redevelop the site are being passed and the building has been left to rot!
I went with a couple of friends on a freezing cold, dark evening to get a closer look at this extraordinary building!
It has been trashed of course but not beyond recognition. The dome in the ballroom is gone but much of the ornate plaster remains. A lot of the rooms were inaccessible due to unsafe flooring, after a couple of hours the cold wind finally drove us out.
A shot from a travel booking site (Travelrepublic) Showing how it looked:
How it looks now!:
Managers flat:
Dumped magazine from 2009! There was also a Blockbusters bag:
Wedding pictures! Signifying a hasty retreat!:
Main bar:
Ballroom, minus the glass dome:
Dining room:
Kitchens:
Ballroom decor:
Trashed!:
Snug with open fire:
Pianola:
