Why do you do it?

[The Archivist]

Many reasons

Because I'm chronically nosey, I suppose. I like to see what's being hidden and peer into things which aren't my business. I had (almost) free run of a huge brickworks estate as a child - massive hoffman kilns to play in, noisy machines, friendly workers, unhealthy amounts of brickdust and asbestos, derelict cottages in the woods and another, derelict brickworks not far away. Probably pretty ill-advised looking back, but I thought it was great at the time. This inspired me to go looking for other places and it took off from there.

Also:

- Lifelong interest in industrial, architectural and domestic history. I also have a degree in history and archaeology, which I suspect helps.

- The excitement of discovering new places is both indescribable and incomparable.

- I like scaring myself - the risks of heights, dodgy floors and unfriendly squatters all add to the excitement.

- I like the stillness and solitude. Oddly, derelict buildings seem to be where I put my thoughts in order and try to make sense of the world.

- I enjoy the challenge of researching buildings' histories and bringing them to light.

There are doubtless many more, but I'll leave it at that for now.

 

[bunski]

I'm not a 'hardcore' urbexer or anything , I'm just really fed-up seeing places from 'my' past slowly being eroded away. I'm getting more into my local history, enjoying books about local life from years past.
At the moment, a local hospital appears to be losing space/buildings to modern revampment/housing and I've got to say that it really pisses me off:icon_evil
Since joining this forum I have discovered so much (not directly) about my area that I probably would never have known about, and for that I thank you all for giving me ideas


Pip

I echo this post really, for me its about preserving history in stills, and reading a story from it.
Me no hardcore urbexer either, I'm too scared too go anywhere that looks dangerous or out of bounds oliceman: kudos to those who get those wicked shots which we would otherwise not see :notworthy:

 

[Coal Cutter]

Because I am obsessed with mining history and I love getting dirty and wet and muddy, and being underground is a buzz that I cannot begin to put into words

 

[gushysfella]

Well this is going to sound daft but in my last job, I spent 16 years going into all the types of government buildings, bunkers closed camps, MOD sites and so on that you guys find so interesting, and I never really “got it”. You see I’d ether be working on a rota caretaker post in a place millions of miles away from anywhere and find some chap with a camera taking a photo of a falling down wall from a ww2 thing, when under he’s feet was a bunker built to save the really important people when Ivon had too much Vodka for breakfast and he never even know it was there or I’d end up organising the repair of something trashed by chaves. I thought EU was all about photos of crap or smashing crap up! It wasn’t until I found DP and started to follow the threads and really started to look at the photos that I realised there’s some really interesting things out there, and the way some of you guys take photos, its art no other name for it. I find the history side of the reports really interesting to. Now I’ve moved to the Isle of wight I’ve started to do just what years ago I thought was strange! Look at maps, explore and try and take photos. Look at the history and one day I’ll post my first report promise, but I think it’s the achievement of being able to almost archive what around you, and in most cases what’s been around you for years yet no one knows it’s there, and in a number of cases before it’s lost.

Just wish I’d of started a few years back, some of the places I’ve worked some of you guys would have loved, but back then I didn’t “get it”

 

[Scootz]

I've only recently joined this site and have been glued to it for days! I always found abandoned buildings and places fascinating. I think of the people that have passed through these places and what their lives were like, what are they doing now, if they're alive etc. I do also feel irked when I see a marvellous bit of architecture that has been around for centuries flattened and turned into some money grubbing supermarket, or housing estate, and feel very grateful to the members here who have photographed them before their ultimate demise.

I have a particular interest in Victorian lunatic asylums, probably because if I were born a century or two earlier I would no doubt have been placed in one, purely for the fact that I'm female, have an opinion and swear like a sailor! Cheeky sods those Victorians.

I grew up in Kent, very near to the Stone House Hospital in Dartford and didn't even realise it had been closed down until I saw a thread or two about it here. I'd love to go there and see it. Many a time I've walked or driven past it and wondered what it was like inside.

I'm just chuffed to have found so many like minded people who hold the same fascination with these places.

 

[kathyms]

history

i love old houses, they take me back to when i was a kid. you feel the life of the people that lived there the wall paper and things left behind. i like to get to know whos home it was like jimmy blanche and the way he lived in the deralict home he had shared with mum and dad. he was loved by everyone but everyone saw the place he lived, not even a warm bed to sleep in and he was over 80.

 

[Living_Doll]

I'm very interested in history, particularly architecture and old buildings. I often find derelict buildings very aesthetically pleasing. I just find myself attracted to such places, I love exploring and being places I shouldn't be, I frequently find old/derelict buildings quite spooky and I love anything like that.
I oftemn find myself wishing I was born earlier, I'd love to have seen so many things as they were years ago. Hopefully one day I will make a time machine. =)
I'm nosey, I ask questions about everything and I'm curious about pretty much everything.

 

[spacemutt]

I was stood in the master bedroom of a £2,000,000 mansion house, looking out over the 11 acres of land the other day. When else am I going to get to do that?

Also, I like 'near' history. Stuff that's old enough to be abandoned and forgotten, but not old enough for anyone to care about.