Cliff House
Leeds, England
March 2020
-
HISTORY
Formerly known as Western Flatts House, Cliff House is a grade II listed villa which was originally built in 1846 in a restrained classical style by Joseph Cliff, an extremely wealthy Leeds businessman. Joseph Cliff & Sons were brick manufacturers and along with the Burmantofts Pottery Company they formed Leeds Fireclay Company.
In 1929 Leeds City Council received Cliff House a gift donated by Stephen Cliff, one of Joseph Cliff’s 14 children.
The house was noted for its staircase and mosaic floor, and it is said a famous racehorse was buried underneath. Between 1966 up until it closed on the 31st August 1998, the building was known as Newcliffe House School, a Community Special School and a Reform School for young male adolescents.
In March 2017, the house suffered a devestating arson attack which destroyed a vast majority of the interior. Investigations revealed that five separate fires were started in the upper levels of the property. The building is now extremely structurally unsafe, and is slowly crumbling down.
EXPLORE
Possibly the unsafest building I've ever been in - even worse than Fearnville House I'd say! Access, as is often the case, is alot easier than the route i decided to take. After fighting through thorned vines and nettles over ankle-twisting terrain, as well as a sketchy climb over a very wobbly fence, I discovered a much much easier route onto the site. Why does this always happen?
Some rooms within the house are actually fairly undamaged. One of the bathrooms was almost brand new looking. That being said, certain other parts of Cliff House are an absolute deathtrap. The ceiling near the front door seems to be hanging on by literally splinters, so standing directly under it to take afew snaps of the staircase was somewhat unnerving. The group of pigeons that were flapping around on it didn't help to calm my fears either. Oh, and the place is absolutely caked in mould.
The fire damaged spiral staircase and the dusty mosaic floor were most certainly the highlight of this quick explore.
BEFORE: Cliff House in 2011.
AFTER: Cliff House in 2020.
Not the best pics I know, but thanks for looking!
Leeds, England
March 2020
-
HISTORY
Formerly known as Western Flatts House, Cliff House is a grade II listed villa which was originally built in 1846 in a restrained classical style by Joseph Cliff, an extremely wealthy Leeds businessman. Joseph Cliff & Sons were brick manufacturers and along with the Burmantofts Pottery Company they formed Leeds Fireclay Company.
In 1929 Leeds City Council received Cliff House a gift donated by Stephen Cliff, one of Joseph Cliff’s 14 children.
The house was noted for its staircase and mosaic floor, and it is said a famous racehorse was buried underneath. Between 1966 up until it closed on the 31st August 1998, the building was known as Newcliffe House School, a Community Special School and a Reform School for young male adolescents.
In March 2017, the house suffered a devestating arson attack which destroyed a vast majority of the interior. Investigations revealed that five separate fires were started in the upper levels of the property. The building is now extremely structurally unsafe, and is slowly crumbling down.
EXPLORE
Possibly the unsafest building I've ever been in - even worse than Fearnville House I'd say! Access, as is often the case, is alot easier than the route i decided to take. After fighting through thorned vines and nettles over ankle-twisting terrain, as well as a sketchy climb over a very wobbly fence, I discovered a much much easier route onto the site. Why does this always happen?
Some rooms within the house are actually fairly undamaged. One of the bathrooms was almost brand new looking. That being said, certain other parts of Cliff House are an absolute deathtrap. The ceiling near the front door seems to be hanging on by literally splinters, so standing directly under it to take afew snaps of the staircase was somewhat unnerving. The group of pigeons that were flapping around on it didn't help to calm my fears either. Oh, and the place is absolutely caked in mould.
The fire damaged spiral staircase and the dusty mosaic floor were most certainly the highlight of this quick explore.
BEFORE: Cliff House in 2011.
AFTER: Cliff House in 2020.
Not the best pics I know, but thanks for looking!
