After been to the testing labs before and not been able to get into the manor I thought id re try and hope that luck would be on my side to get into the manor. Having heard of only 1 other group to concur the manor I knew it wouldn’t be easy. The hardest part about the explore was finding a way into the actually grounds it self which took me a good hour until I stumbled across an accesses point. After another while I found my way into one of the buildings and went through the maze of buildings to get to the manor.
Arriving at the manor I noticed all the lights were on and that there were pir’s which I hoped weren’t active. So I knew security wouldn’t be far away, so I quickly darted between each room. As for the manor its self the pictures I have taken don’t do it justice it is magnificent with the grand lower levels, and up stairs lots of offices and meeting rooms. The basement is like a maze as well with lots of different sections which look to be used as storage for documents.
A bit of history on the place.
Manor F is a country house set in its own grounds in rural Hertfordshire complete with testing lab, lots of offices and lecture rooms.
The Manor built in 1846 was the home of the Wilshere family.Later it was a hotel, a secret government research establishment ( in 1939 ) which had a small number of huts. Around the 1950’s the bigger buildings were built ( so I believe) and then a modern commercial research facility for GlaxoSmithKline (“GSKâ€) who bought the place in 1977.
Recently In November 2010 the testing labs and manor was sold to a land improvement company. The company is working to redevelop the site that will result in the old house being renovated and converted into apartments. The rest of the site is been demolished to allow houses to be built in the grounds.
View from the South of the manor pre war And a picture from when Mr J Chatt had a party here back in 1950’s.
now to my images
A canteen which can still function.
A room with lots of document in at the far side with future plans and old GSK documents.
The basement of the manor is very large with lots of different sections.
This shot had to be done.
A nice board room with electric curtains which still work.
lots of these type of corridors leading to more areas in the manor/
A quick update on the site as a whole
Currently the site is about to begin the demolition with heras around a lot of the buildings and security on site. Saw a lot of jcbs and demolition equipment as well so i assume they are starting ASAP.
Thanks for looking
Arriving at the manor I noticed all the lights were on and that there were pir’s which I hoped weren’t active. So I knew security wouldn’t be far away, so I quickly darted between each room. As for the manor its self the pictures I have taken don’t do it justice it is magnificent with the grand lower levels, and up stairs lots of offices and meeting rooms. The basement is like a maze as well with lots of different sections which look to be used as storage for documents.
A bit of history on the place.
Manor F is a country house set in its own grounds in rural Hertfordshire complete with testing lab, lots of offices and lecture rooms.
The Manor built in 1846 was the home of the Wilshere family.Later it was a hotel, a secret government research establishment ( in 1939 ) which had a small number of huts. Around the 1950’s the bigger buildings were built ( so I believe) and then a modern commercial research facility for GlaxoSmithKline (“GSKâ€) who bought the place in 1977.
Recently In November 2010 the testing labs and manor was sold to a land improvement company. The company is working to redevelop the site that will result in the old house being renovated and converted into apartments. The rest of the site is been demolished to allow houses to be built in the grounds.
View from the South of the manor pre war And a picture from when Mr J Chatt had a party here back in 1950’s.
now to my images
A canteen which can still function.
A room with lots of document in at the far side with future plans and old GSK documents.
The basement of the manor is very large with lots of different sections.
This shot had to be done.
A nice board room with electric curtains which still work.
lots of these type of corridors leading to more areas in the manor/
A quick update on the site as a whole
Currently the site is about to begin the demolition with heras around a lot of the buildings and security on site. Saw a lot of jcbs and demolition equipment as well so i assume they are starting ASAP.
Thanks for looking