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Arito.Explores, SOMERSET (2026)

25/03/2026

The house itself appears to date from the mid-20th century, likely built as a modest family home. Its layout and design — a simple two-storey structure with brickwork on the lower level and rendered upper walls — are typical of rural properties built during that period. Outbuildings and a garage nearby suggest it was once part of a small working plot or had space for vehicles and storage.

At some point, however, the property was abandoned, and like many places left empty for long periods, stories began to form around it.
One of the local claims is that both parents were murdered inside the house while the kids were hiding upstairs, and that the incident is what led to the property being left empty.

Stories like this often circulate around abandoned buildings, especially ones that appear suddenly deserted or show signs of neglect. The broken windows, isolation and lack of upkeep only add to the atmosphere and make such rumours seem more believable.

However, there is no confirmed public evidence to support these claims. In many cases, abandoned houses develop dark reputations simply because their true history is unclear. More common reasons for properties like this being left empty include ownership disputes, financial issues, inheritance complications, or planned redevelopment that never went ahead.

Looking at the condition of the house, its decline appears to have happened over time rather than from a single sudden event. The boarded ground floor, smashed upper windows and overgrown surroundings suggest it has been vacant for quite a while, gradually deteriorating rather than being instantly sealed and left.

Today the house remains standing but in a state of clear neglect. The fencing and partial boarding indicate attempts to secure it, though it still carries that unmistakable abandoned feel — a place caught between its past as a family home and an uncertain future.

Whether the rumours are true or not, the reality is that this house is another example of how quickly a normal home can become forgotten. With no official story confirmed, it remains one of those places where fact and local legend blur together, leaving behind more questions than answers.

21/03/2026

Hidden in fields, woodland and on the edges of towns across the country are the remains of the Royal Observer Corps monitoring posts — small underground shelters better known today simply as ROC bunkers. Built during the height of the Cold War, these structures were designed to serve a very specific and chilling purpose: monitoring nuclear explosions and their aftermath.

Most ROC bunkers were constructed in the late 1950s and early 1960s, as tensions between East and West escalated. The British government needed a way to detect nuclear bursts and track radioactive fallout across the country, and the Royal Observer Corps was tasked with operating a nationwide network of monitoring posts.

Each bunker followed a similar design. Typically buried several metres underground, they were accessed by a vertical ladder leading down through a narrow entrance shaft. Below the surface was a small reinforced concrete chamber — usually just large enough for three personnel who would be stationed there during a nuclear event.

Inside, conditions would have been extremely basic. The bunker contained monitoring equipment such as the Ground Zero Indicator (to measure the direction and strength of a nuclear blast) and the Bomb Power Indicator, along with radios for communication with regional control centres.

There were also minimal provisions for survival, including chemical toilets, basic seating and supplies intended to last for several days.
During the Cold War, volunteers from the Royal Observer Corps trained to occupy these bunkers in the event of nuclear war. Their role would have been to remain underground after an attack, recording blast data and radiation levels while reporting back to central command — all while cut off from the outside world.

Fortunately, that scenario never became reality. With the end of the Cold War, the network of ROC posts was stood down in 1991, and the bunkers were decommissioned soon after.
Since then, many ROC bunkers have been abandoned, left scattered across the UK in varying states of preservation. Some have been sealed with heavy metal covers, others flooded, and a few remain partially accessible. Inside, where entry is still possible, remnants of their original purpose can sometimes still be found — rusting equipment mounts, wall markings, and the confined layout that once housed monitoring teams.

Today these bunkers are some of the most recognisable pieces of Cold War infrastructure in Britain. Despite their small size, they represent a period when the threat of nuclear war shaped everyday planning and led to the creation of a hidden network beneath the landscape.

Whether hidden in overgrown fields or tucked away on the outskirts of towns, ROC bunkers remain quiet, underground reminders of a time when the world prepared for the unthinkable.

20/03/2026

Standing quietly among the town centre streets is the former Scott Cinema Bridgwater, a building that once played a central role in local entertainment but now sits abandoned, a reminder of a different era of cinema-going.

The cinema originally opened in the mid-20th century, at a time when picture houses were one of the main social attractions in towns across the UK. For years, it would have drawn in crowds from across Bridgwater, with people queuing outside for the latest films, weekend showings and special screenings. Like many cinemas of its time, it wasn’t just about films — it was a place where people met, socialised and spent their evenings.

Inside, the building would have featured a large auditorium with rows of seating facing the screen, along with projection rooms, ticket areas and refreshment stands. During its busiest years, it would have been one of the liveliest spots in the town, especially on weekends.

However, like many traditional cinemas, its decline came gradually. The rise of television, home video and later multiplex cinemas in larger retail parks meant smaller town-centre cinemas struggled to compete. Attendance dropped over time, and maintaining older buildings like this became increasingly difficult.

20/03/2026

The bingo hall operated for several years and was connected to or incorporated within the former cinema structure, meaning much of the original building still existed behind the altered interior. However, like many bingo venues across the UK, it too began to struggle as attendance declined and entertainment habits changed.

Eventually, the bingo hall also closed its doors, leaving the entire connected site vacant. With both its cinema and bingo days behind it, the building entered a long period of abandonment.
Today the structure remains standing but unused, with boarded windows, faded signage and visible signs of neglect. Despite its central location, it has been left largely untouched, becoming one of those overlooked buildings that quietly hold layers of local history within their walls.

The connection between the former cinema and bingo hall makes the site particularly interesting — it represents two distinct eras of British entertainment, both now gone. Inside, the building would once have transitioned from rows of cinema seating to bingo tables, reflecting changing social habits over time.

The future of the site remains uncertain. Buildings like this are often difficult to repurpose due to their size and layout, but their central locations also make them attractive for redevelopment. Whether it is eventually restored, converted or demolished, the former Scott Cinema and bingo hall stand as a reminder of how entertainment in towns like Bridgwater has evolved — and how quickly once-busy venues can fall silent.

13/03/2026

Ashdown House School Pt. 3
The House

The mansion itself dates back to the 19th century, originally constructed as a grand country residence surrounded by extensive woodland and open land. Houses of this scale were often owned by wealthy families who used them as rural estates away from the growing cities of the time. Its secluded location within the forests of East Sussex made it a quiet retreat while still being accessible from nearby towns.

In the early 20th century, the property entered a new chapter when the estate was converted into a preparatory boarding school. The mansion became the heart of Ashdown House School, with its large rooms adapted for school life.

The mansion also retained much of its historic character despite its use as a school. Large staircases, long corridors and older architectural features remained part of the building, giving it the feel of a traditional country house even while it functioned as a busy educational facility.

However, after many years of operation the school eventually closed permanently, bringing an end to more than a century of activity across the estate. Once the pupils and staff left, the entire campus was vacated — including the main house itself.

Today the mansion remains the most striking structure on the estate, rising above the deserted campus that once surrounded it.

13/03/2026

Ashdown House School Pt. 2
Science block & theatre

The science block was where pupils carried out practical lessons in subjects like chemistry, biology and physics. The building was designed as a typical mid-20th-century school laboratory facility, with long classrooms fitted with lab benches, sinks and storage cupboards for equipment and chemicals. Teachers would demonstrate experiments at the front of the room while students worked in small groups along the benches.

During the school’s active years the science block would have been full of activity. Pupils moved between lessons, practical experiments were carried out regularly, and equipment used for demonstrations and projects was stored throughout the building. It formed an important part of the academic side of school life, giving students the chance to learn through hands-on work rather than just classroom theory.

Close to the academic buildings was the school theatre, another key facility within the campus. Like many traditional boarding schools, Ashdown House had its own theatre space where pupils took part in school productions, plays, musical performances and assemblies. The building included a stage area, seating for audiences and backstage rooms used by students preparing for performances.

School theatres often became some of the most memorable places for pupils, hosting annual productions and special events where students, staff and families gathered. For many years the theatre at Ashdown House would have been the setting for performances and celebrations that formed an important part of school tradition.

However, like the rest of the estate, both buildings eventually fell quiet when the school permanently closed. With no pupils or staff remaining on the site, the science laboratories, theatre stage and surrounding rooms were left unused. Over time the buildings became part of the abandoned campus, sitting empty within the wooded grounds.

Today the science block and theatre remain as silent reminders of the school’s past, surrounded by the forest that once formed the backdrop to everyday school life. The laboratories where students once carried out experiments and the stage where performances once took place are now just part of the deserted estate — a glimpse into what was once a busy boarding school hidden deep in the Sussex countryside.

13/03/2026

Ashdown House School Pt. 1
Classrooms, dormitories, gymnasium & swimming pool

The school itself dates back to the early 20th century, when the large country estate was converted into a preparatory boarding school. Like many traditional British prep schools of the time, the site expanded over the decades with additional buildings constructed to support boarding life, including separate classroom blocks, dormitories, staff accommodation and recreational facilities.

Among these were the boarding dormitories and teaching buildings used by pupils during the mid to late 20th century. These structures were designed for practical day-to-day school life rather than architectural significance — long corridors of dorm rooms, simple classroom spaces and communal areas used by generations of students. At the time they would have been full of activity, with boarders living on site throughout the school term.

Another feature built to support student life was the school swimming pool, which once served as a recreational and training facility for pupils. Like many outdoor or older school pools built during this period, it was a straightforward facility intended for physical education and leisure rather than large competitions.

13/03/2026

The Royal Oak is believed to date back to the 19th century, when Crawley Down was still a much smaller rural settlement surrounded by farmland and woodland. Like many village pubs of that era, it was established to serve local workers, travellers and residents passing through the area. Inns such as this were often important meeting places where people gathered not only for food and drink but also for local events and community life.

Throughout much of the 20th century the pub remained a familiar part of Crawley Down. Villagers used it as a place to meet friends, celebrate occasions and watch local sporting events. Traditional pubs like The Royal Oak were once central to everyday life in many English villages, acting almost as informal community hubs.

However, the fortunes of many rural pubs began to change in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Shifts in drinking habits, increased costs, and competition from larger pub chains and restaurants made it increasingly difficult for smaller independent pubs to remain profitable. Like many similar establishments across the country, The Royal Oak began to struggle.

Eventually the business closed and the building was left vacant. Once the pub stopped operating the property fell quiet, with the familiar activity of customers and staff disappearing from the site.

Today the building still stands in Crawley Down, but it no longer functions as the busy village pub it once was. The structure remains a recognisable part of the street, a reminder of a time when local pubs were at the centre of village social life.

08/03/2026

Belmont House was constructed during the late 20th century, when Crawley was attracting increasing numbers of businesses thanks to its location near Gatwick Airport and its strong transport connections to London. Office developments began appearing throughout the town centre and nearby commercial areas, providing space for administrative companies, financial services and smaller regional headquarters.

For many years Belmont House functioned as a multi-tenant office building, hosting a range of businesses operating in Crawley. Companies used the building for administrative offices, consultancy work and local business operations. Like many similar buildings from the same era, it was designed with simple office floors that could easily be adapted for different tenants over time.

During its busiest years the building would have been a normal part of the working day in Crawley, with employees commuting into the town, using the surrounding roads, shops and transport links. However, as the decades passed and newer office developments appeared across the area, older buildings like Belmont House slowly began to struggle to compete.

Modern business parks around Crawley, particularly those built closer to the airport and along major roads, offered more modern facilities, larger floor space and improved energy efficiency. Gradually, businesses began relocating to these newer buildings, leaving older office blocks increasingly vacant.

Over time Belmont House lost its remaining tenants and was eventually vacated, leaving the building empty. Once the offices closed the property was secured, but the structure itself remained standing, becoming another quiet and overlooked building within the town.

Buildings like Belmont House often end up caught between reuse and redevelopment. Their locations can still be valuable, but the cost of upgrading older office structures sometimes leads to plans for complete redevelopment instead.

08/03/2026

Turnpike House was constructed during the late 20th century, when Crawley was rapidly developing into a major commercial centre in West Sussex. The town’s proximity to Gatwick Airport and its direct rail links to London made it an attractive location for large companies looking to establish regional offices outside the capital.
The building became most closely associated with NatWest Group, which used the site as a significant office base for a number of years.

At its peak, hundreds of employees worked inside the building handling administrative, financial and operational roles linked to the bank’s wider operations. Like many office complexes built in the 1970s and 1980s, Turnpike House was designed primarily for efficiency, with large open-plan floors, meeting rooms and staff facilities spread across several levels.

For many years the office block was a busy workplace, with staff commuting daily from across Crawley and the surrounding towns. Its position along London Road also placed it within easy reach of the town centre and transport routes leading both into Crawley and towards the airport.

However, as the banking industry evolved, the need for large standalone office buildings like Turnpike House began to decline. Many companies, including NatWest, gradually consolidated their operations into newer, more modern facilities or centralised locations. Over time departments were relocated elsewhere, and the Crawley site eventually became surplus to requirements.

Once the offices closed, the building was vacated, leaving the large structure empty. Like many former corporate office blocks, it quickly entered a state of uncertainty. The building itself remained structurally sound, but its outdated layout and ageing infrastructure made it less attractive to modern tenants compared to newer developments around Crawley.

Today Turnpike House sits secured and largely unused, with boarded or covered windows and fencing preventing access to the site. Despite its prominent location along one of Crawley’s main roads, the building has become something of a quiet relic from an earlier period in the town’s commercial development.

Sites like Turnpike House often end up caught between redevelopment and reuse. Its location close to Crawley’s main routes makes the land valuable, and buildings of this size are often eventually converted into new offices, housing or mixed-use developments.

07/03/2026

A group of buses with uncertain futures, some undergoing repairs, some used for storage and some just left to to rot.

Arito.Explores

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