Weekly Photo Challenge: Abandoned. Just south of Milecastle 24 along Hadrian’s Wall there is an abandoned farm and outbuildings. Further south the OS map shows Hangman’s Hill and Davy’s Brig Well but the farm has no name – abandoned in thought and deed. It seems that until recently the house was used to store hay but even this purpose is lost – the floors and roof have collapsed and the interior is now fully occupied by broken timbers and the fallen stone roof.
The buildings sit alone in a field, exposed on all sides to big skies and heavy weather. There is no evidence of access roads or even pathways to the farm, it stands in absolute isolation (click on the images to enlarge):
Standing on the high ground above the Tyne Valley the absolute silence was only broken by the sudden swooping sound of a lone lapwing. This place and this abandoned farm resonates with a film I watched just a few days ago, Pat Collins’ Silence. A remarkable meditative film about loss, silence, history, memory and exile:
northumbrian : light 
Nice details in these shots.
Thanks – I used the D600 for a change but the X100s would have done just as well.
This is abandonment at it’s most harsh….good e vocation, Robin
Thanks Sue – ‘ripe for conversion’ as the local estate agent might say – the problem is that building access would probably cost far more than the rebuild.
That would be crazy….presumably this building was old enough to have seen life well before the internal combustion engine? Access no problem for horse and cart…
It would indeed although without some incentive for repair I fear it might disappear altogether – the dressed stone is quite valuable. All of which reminds me of this worrying development – http://tinyurl.com/pryd9u3
My kind of place. Wonderful find!
Thanks Cate – our house is converted from something similar so I have an affinity with these types of buildings.
The fields around it seem to be very well tended. Interesting that it hasn’t been torn down.
That’s down to the sheep – well trodden and well munched. I fear that dressed stone might become attractive for other purposes one day.
Wow. Beautiful shots.
Many thanks, much appreciated.
Oh my god, these images are stunning. There’s just something about crumbling old stone buildings. Really glad I clicked on your link.
Many thanks Shane, much appreciated
Ohhh, your photos capture the feelings and emotions! The fourth one in particular speaks to me.
Thanks Cindi, glad you liked them. I have an entirely unsubstantiated theory that the buildings were built from stone taken from Hadrian’s Wall. This was quite common practice at one time and it is too conveniently close to the remains of Milecastle 24.
“loss, silence, history, memory and exile” – It stays with me still……that lipped 3′ putt on the 18th green
Exactly Malcolm 🙂 You will find similar thoughts in ‘Golf in the Wild’ – golf, the meaning of life and everything 🙂
Robin, that must have a been a lovely building when new and it has a loveliness even now. The B&W gives your photos a brooding feel.
janet
Thanks Janet – you are right, it must have been wonderful and in such a wild open place, which I guess is the source of its downfall.
Wonderful work Robin-I particularly like the third image-very atmospheric-it evokes *abandoned* in a most poignant, and even unhappy way-
Many thanks Meg – I was pleased with that one. I think hiding the main building from view adds to the sense of isolation. It is a wonderful place. Thanks for stopping by – Robin
Wonderful work Robin!
I like them… a lot.
And I will check up on this film “Silence”.
Many thanks Malin. I hope you can find the film, I think you would enjoy it. Some would consider it too ‘arty’ and ‘nothing much happens’ but I loved it. All the best, Robin