Please be gentle, my first report.
I got to take these pics as part of a site survey, as I was working for the company leading the demolision planning. All taken with just a pocket digital, and with recording data in mind rather than composition, but some shots still convey the atmosphere nicely. These were taken in 2009. I have a lot more pics from all over the site, wish I'd taken my D50 with me now :-(
The site off Haxby road was largely demolished in 2010 to make way for a new housing development, only a few of the original buildings remain. The site was established as early in 1890 as Rowntrees, founded by Joseph Rowntree and is still operating under the Nestle Brand, albeit from newer buidings further North of this site.
If you look at the roof photo you can see how the various buildings were added on ad hoc, until the whole site was one building. Walking through the basements and comparing them to the record drawings it was apparent that some the foundations and cellars belonged to earlier buildings, since demolished and replaced with other buildings (they didn't match wha was above the ground). All these cellars have now been filled with rubble and concrete. Victorian cast iron columns buried. The old library building is now a private hospital, there is a tunnel under the main road linking it to the main site, but we didn't have access to this and it may have been filled in by now.
We spent 3 days surveying the whole site, what a fascinating place.
I got to take these pics as part of a site survey, as I was working for the company leading the demolision planning. All taken with just a pocket digital, and with recording data in mind rather than composition, but some shots still convey the atmosphere nicely. These were taken in 2009. I have a lot more pics from all over the site, wish I'd taken my D50 with me now :-(
The site off Haxby road was largely demolished in 2010 to make way for a new housing development, only a few of the original buildings remain. The site was established as early in 1890 as Rowntrees, founded by Joseph Rowntree and is still operating under the Nestle Brand, albeit from newer buidings further North of this site.
If you look at the roof photo you can see how the various buildings were added on ad hoc, until the whole site was one building. Walking through the basements and comparing them to the record drawings it was apparent that some the foundations and cellars belonged to earlier buildings, since demolished and replaced with other buildings (they didn't match wha was above the ground). All these cellars have now been filled with rubble and concrete. Victorian cast iron columns buried. The old library building is now a private hospital, there is a tunnel under the main road linking it to the main site, but we didn't have access to this and it may have been filled in by now.
We spent 3 days surveying the whole site, what a fascinating place.
Last edited:
