Northern Ireland has an abundance of derelict cottages, most have nothing in them but a number retain the personal objects and bits of furniture to give you a sense of who was there before.  This cottage didn't look like much from the road side, but once we were inside with the morning light breaking through the windows, our opinions were changed. 

A tea tin (with leaves still present) and tea pot waiting for a brew.

 This kitchen looked like it had been the heart of the home.

 Nature is breaking through and reclaiming everything in it's path.

 Sheets of wallpaper peel off the wall to show the textures of paint beneath.

 A book on Irish Poetry made out to "To my Dear Friend John with very best wishes, Bill" Dated 28.8.48

 A chair full of old and dirty cutlery.

 A bedroom dresser, the mirror looks as if it's been freshly cleaned.

 The cottage has only one bedroom, complete with bed and dresser.

 Some very old bottles from the chemist complete with contents, one bottle reads poison.

After ph...

People always ask, "have you ever had any paranormal experiences while urbex-ing?" The answer is yes, I've had a few things that I cannot explain.  Every building that I document has a different vibe, some good and some not so good.  I believe this is a testament to the people and experiences that occurred in the buildings in the past, good and some bad.  As Halloween is approaching I thought I would share some of these experiences, some I have spoken about before.

This glorious mansion was built towards the later end of the 1800's and has a rich and vibrant history.  When I win the lotto this will be the house I buy to restore, you're all invited to the house warming.  My love for abandoned photography was born in this house and in one of those many visits I experienced something I cannot explain.

At one stage I had my own keys to the property and I had come up to give a friend a tour.  We had walked the entire house from top to bottom and had been there maybe 30/40 mins, to t...

I briefly spoke about this house today at my lecture at the National Trust which was part of their Conversation Festival.  I highly recommend you visit next year if you haven't been.

This house brought together so many elements I love with abandoned photography - lots of peeling paint and brightly coloured walls along with religious pictures and statues.

I've was told upon visiting the house that was built in the 1940's and it has been abandoned from 1986.

 The holy water bottle was empty.

I'm told a nurse came over from London to live with her sister who was a nun. Maybe these were the suitcases she used to travel.

 Peeling paint surrounds the stove.

 The stair lift lies silent.

 More religious symbols line the bedroom fireplace and chest of drawers.

 Every wall in the house had a cross, I'm glad I wasn't alone as I would have felt quite uneasy.

 A cross and prayer beads still hang on the bed frame.

I leave and make my way to the next house in another corner of rural Ireland.

Like these images?...

I was thrilled when I saw this house and I couldn't wait to get inside to see what was behind those walls.  The downstairs windows had all been upgraded to double glazing, with the 90th birthday cards it looks as though the last gentleman to live here was only living in the downstairs rooms possibly due to mobility.

Records suggest the house was built in the early 1900's and the man who lived here had since passed away in a nursing home in 2011 on his 93rd birthday leaving the house as it is today.  I was surprised to find a grandfather clock and a lovely singer sewing machine, two of my favourite finds!

One of the bedrooms, with the bed still made.

 A laundry return box which states you'll be chaged 15\- if not returned!

 Dress shirts inside the laundry box.

 An old radio and a tin of Andrews Liver salts.

 Clothes hanging in the corner wardrobe.

How Nell Scored.

 Lots of black mould in this downstairs bedroom.

The grandfather clock stopped at 4.53

The book of Life!

When I was young I remember my grandmother talking about a local haunting, one where the family was tormented by a poltergeist by throwing plates, knocking walls and even shaking the children out of their beds.  The family emigrated by boat and so did the haunting.  It sounded scary to me then, and it still does.  Needless to say I've always wanted to visit this house and recently I got the opportunity.  The rain was coming down in sheets but I was in the area and determined to go regardless.

Welcome to the Coneen Ghost House.  The haunting is reported to have taken place in 1913 where a widow named Bridget Murphy and her 7 children were plagued by this poltergeist.  The house is very remote and up until recently was surrounded by forest.   I would imagine the walkway up to the house then was very different to what it is now.

I approach the house and walk along what is left of the driveway. 

As I get closer I notice the front door is covered over by a cage, a...

It was an early start this Sunday morning.  It was one of those mornings where the rain was constant and the clouds were low.  The approach to this farm dwelling is up a long and twisty lane, the grass has grown up the middle showing obvious signs of no visitors.

I parked the car and got out and noticed how isolated the farm felt and sounded.

Upon opening the door I was instantly drawn to the radio on the side board.

 I could imagine this was often on for entertainment, news and company.  Note the Cadburys tin, no plastic here!

 I have been told that the stove was a recent addition to the house, previous to this there was a coal fire which covered the entire house contents in soot, even the cups & saucers! 

 Out to the hall and the telephone seat is still laid out as there has just been a number searched and dialled.

 Some old and interesting books, covered in dust and damp coming through the walls. 

Most locations have some little surprises, this one caught me off guard...

In early 19th Century Ireland, mental illness appeared to be rife, or was it?  Some reasons for being admitted to your local asylum were; 'Moral Causes, Physical Causes, Hereditary and Not Known'. Moral causes included 'poverty, reverse of fortune', 'grief, fear and anxiety', 'religious excitement', 'domestic quarrels', 'ill-treatment', 'pride', 'anger' and 'love, jealousy and seduction'.  If these were some of the conditions to gain entry, that would explain why they were over crowded. 

There were also adverse treatments that the patients had to suffer, one was known as the "Circulating Chair",  the patient was tied to the chair in a seated or lying position.  The chair would then be rotated at a high speed, sometimes up to 60 times a minute.  Witness reports described it as "obstinate and furious", the swing "generated a sufficiency of alarm to ensure obedience, in the melancholic it provoked a natural interest in the affairs of life. 

For people living in th...

Something I noticed a while ago was the deeper into the countryside that I find an abandoned home they always will be the ones with the religious figurers and symbols.  This was one house I came across a few months ago.  The only room still accessible was this bedroom, unfortunately it had already been trashed but I thought I would capture what I could of the religious figures. 

All that was left in the room was a hospital bed, clothing and religious reminders.  All the clothing seemed to be female, I would assume she lived here on her own. 

A souvenir from Lourdes side by side with Jesus and the thorns.

A longer view of the room towards a wardrobe with two religious heads and a cross.  The lady must have liked to collect handbags as these were a plenty but had been thrown around the room with other belongings.

                            A closer view of the heads, it's almost like they are looking away in shame at the mess....

I documented this cottage almost 5 years ago.  It sat on a road I travelled on everyday and I hadn't noticed it due to the fact it was completely overgrown in weeds and brambles.  One evening on my route home I had stopped outside the front of the cottage to give right of way to a local herd of cows from the opposite field.   That's when I spotted the chimney.  There was nothing else for it, that night I packed my camera and  took off to fight my way through the  brambles {it was the middle of the summer so these were in full force!}

 I got to the front door which was hanging off it's very hinges, stepped inside and almost hit my head off the low ceiling.  The windows were small and the light inside was low, but I wasn't letting this stop me.  I went into the kitchen which had been trashed by years of vandalism, it was hard to get a photograph in here and make sense of the mess.  What I did find was this blue gentleman's jacket hanging up on the wall, I presume...