Cliffe Abandoned Kilns - Medway

Cliffe Abandoned  Kilns

Date: June 2016

Location: Cliffe

Demolished:  No

During a walk around the marsh, we stumbled upon a route that appeared to be closed to the public. However, we decided to explore it anyway, and it led us to the old kilns. Climbing on the kilns was quite fascinating, and we enjoyed examining them up close. These kilns were known as "The Pottery," and there were reportedly two plants located along Cliffe Creek. It was noted that the kilns ceased operations in 1895. As we were making our way toward the fort, this route provided us with an alternative path to reach our destination.

Lyndhurst park Hote -New forest

Lyndhurst Park Hotel New Forest

Date: May 2016

Location: Lyndhurst

Demolished:  No

During our weekend camping trip in the New Forest, we decided to take a drive and unexpectedly came across an abandoned hotel. Unfortunately, we couldn't access the property due to security personnel on-site. We were disappointed that we couldn't explore the area further to see if there was an alternative entrance.

From the information we gathered, the building was originally a private mansion built in 1912. The hotel ceased operations in 2014, which led to its abandonment.

Domus Dei ( Royal Garrison church ) - Portsmouth

I had a free day from university, so I thought I would head up to Portsmouth for the day, as I had wanted to visit for a long time. I started by exploring the arcades and then stumbled across a church. Not knowing much about it, I decided to take a look inside. Thankfully, the church was open.

As I walked through the gates and down the path, I entered the church and was greeted by a lovely lady who explained why some of the roof was missing. She even showed me how high the flames from the fire had reached.

This charming little church was built in 1210. It is noteworthy that King Charles II married his wife there in 1662. The church underwent restoration in the 19th century. Sadly, in 1941, during the Blitz, the church was hit by a firebomb, which destroyed the roof. The church is now owned by English Heritage.

WT Hanley Factory - Northfleet/Gravesend

After we explored the tunnels, we headed over to the factory, hoping to get in after seeing some photos online just a week before. However, after walking for a good 20 minutes and looking for different ways to enter, we decided to call it a bust, as we couldn't find the entrance that others had used before. Nevertheless, seeing the factory from the outside was still interesting.

The factory closed in 2008 and relocated to a new site near London because the company needed a bigger space. It originally opened in 1906 and expanded to Gravesend in 1926. During wartime, it helped manufacture materials such as gas masks and other items. In 1967, the site was taken over by an electric company but was eventually closed down in 2008.