Inside creepy 400-year-old estate left abandoned, rots for decades

Inside creepy abandoned 400yo estate. Picture: Facebook/@TheTouristHistorian

A historic mansion in the UK has been given a new lease of life after being left abandoned and rotting for decades.

The South Yorkshire estate, known as Firbeck Hall, has a long and varied journey dating back to the 16th century.

The property has housed five families in its lifetime, as well as being a rehabilitation centre for miners, a country club, and an infirmary.

It has now been restored into 19 luxury apartments, on 33 acres of exclusive private land for residents, The Sun reports.

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Inside creepy 400-year-old estate left abandoned and rotting for decades. Picture: Facebook/@TheTouristHistorian

The estate had been abandoned for more than 30 years. Facebook/@TheTouristHistorian

The mansion was constructed by and home to William West, a lawyer and author from Rotherham, who opened it in 1594.

It was then passed through several generations of the West family until 1669, before being sold to various other owners up until the First World War.

At this time, the Firbeck Estate and Hall had been handed over to the Miles Trust set up by Francis Harriet Miles.

In 1914, it became a base for Belgium refugees fleeing the war before becoming a residential family property again.

Then in 1934, when it was bought by Cyric Nicholson, the 1500 acre estate was gutted of its original features and reopened as Firbeck Hall Club.

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The building became derelict depths of ‘disrepair’ before renovation. Picture: Facebook/@TheTouristHistorian

Photos taken in 2021 by The Derelict Explorer captured the eerie state of the property. Picture: Facebook/@TheTouristHistorian

Over the next five years, it became one of Europe’s most exclusive country clubs featuring a mirror-walled bedroom, outdoor swimming pool, tennis courts, an 18-hole golf course, restaurant, cocktail bar and even an aerodrome.

During this period, Firbeck welcomed high profile visitors from royalty like the Prince of Wales (future King Edward VIII), to female aviator Amy Johnson, as well as aristocrats and famous actors.

This has been considered Firbeck Hall’s most iconic and “golden” era, where vogue models were known to pose by its pool, and the BBC hosted their weekly Saturday show ‘Light Night Dance Music’.

When the Second World War broke out, the hall was then taken over by the Sheffield Joint Hospitals Board in 1939.

It not only became a hospital building with an annex for the Sheffield Royal Infirmary, but also an airfield holding four RAF Firbeck squadrons until 1944.

After the war concluded, the Miners Welfare Commission took control of the hall for £30,000 to rehabilitate injured soldiers that had returned.

Known as the South Yorkshire Miners Rehabilitation Centre at this time, it is recorded to have held 70 patients around this time.

In 1984, the hospital was then taken over by the Trent Regional Health Authority that later closed the building at the end of that year.

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Extensive and modern renovations have tried to honour the buildings history and decor. Picture: Supplied

The estate now contains eight new-build homes. Picture: Supplied

The estate includes apartments, houses, stables and mews. Picture: Supplied

Each home has a private tranquil garden and two allocated parking spaces. Picture: Facebook/@TheTouristHistorian

Since closure, residents became concerned about the “state or repair” the building had fallen into as it was abandoned.

Over this time, many private owners expressed interest in the site, but it was not until 2018 that planning permission was granted for its residential use.

Firbeck Hall is now a property with professionally and uniquely designed interiors for its apartments, located in a naturally rural setting.

Parts of this story first appeared in The Sun and was republished with permission.

The post Inside creepy 400-year-old estate left abandoned, rots for decades appeared first on realestate.com.au.