These empty rooms and long corridors tell a story that never truly made the headlines. A story of neglect, unanswered questions, and a sudden closure that left more behind than just furniture and files.
Walking through this building feels heavy. You can almost sense the lives that once passed through here — the routines, the voices, the moments of hope, and the moments of fear. Now, only dust, shadows, and echoes remain as time slowly reclaims what’s left.
Some of the most unsettling places aren’t designed to scare — they were designed to protect.
We were told this Oxford college had been abandoned… but the moment we stepped inside, something felt very wrong.
What should have been an empty, forgotten building turned into one of our most intense explorations yet — security was still inside, lights were on, and every sound echoed through the corridors. This place may have been left to decay, but it definitely wasn’t empty.
From hidden staircases to decaying lecture halls, this abandoned Oxford college holds secrets it clearly wasn’t ready to give up. One wrong move and this explore could have ended very differently.
⚠️ This video is filmed for historical and documentary purposes only.
📸 Take nothing but photos, leave nothing but footprints.
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We step through the grounds of a once-prestigious country estate — a place where silence now hangs heavier than luxury ever did. Long driveways curve through overgrown parkland, hinting at a past shaped by wealth, power, and privilege. Every footstep feels measured, as if the building itself is watching… remembering.
Inside, time has stalled. Grand rooms that once hosted lavish gatherings now sit frozen, their elegance fading but not forgotten. Peeling paint, dust-covered furniture, and abandoned corridors tell a quieter story than any guestbook ever could. The contrast is striking — opulence versus decay, refinement versus neglect.
Natural light spills through tall windows, illuminating details easily missed: intricate plasterwork, sweeping staircases, and the bones of a place built to impress. You can almost imagine the echoes of conversation, the clink of glasses, the soft rhythm of life that once filled these halls.
As we explore deeper, the atmosphere changes. Corridors narrow. Service areas appear. The behind-the-scenes reality of running such a vast estate is revealed. This wasn’t just a place to stay — it was a machine, powered by staff, tradition, and routine.
Outside once more, the grounds stretch endlessly, reclaiming what was once carefully controlled. Nature is slowly undoing centuries of human ambition, reminding us that no matter how grand a place may be, nothing is permanent.
This exploration isn’t about vandalism or thrill-seeking — it’s about preservation through documentation. Capturing a moment in time before it disappears forever.
The History
To understand how this estate came to exist, we need to go back centuries.
Local records identify a house on this site as early as the Domesday survey in the late 11th century. In 1402, the property passed into the hands of the Sherard family, who would remain here for nearly five hundred years.
Significant architectural development began in the early 1500s under Thomas Sherard. In 1633, a major fire led to extensive rebuilding of what later became known as the Old Wing.
Throughout the 17th and 18th centuries, the estate continued to evolve:
Around 1670, a major wing was constructed for Bennet Sherard, later Baron Sherard
In the late 1700s, the surrounding parkland was redesigned by Lancelot “Capability” Brown, shaping the rolling landscape seen today
In 1719, the family was elevated to the Earls of Harborough — a title that lasted until 1859.
After the earldom ended, the estate was sold in 1885. Two years later, it was purchased by John Gretton, who transformed the house once again, expanding it into the grand late-Victorian country residence expected of the era.
By the mid-20th century, the estate entered a very different chapter. Parts of the grounds were opened to the public, featuring a miniature railway and even a lion reserve — attractions that drew visitors throughout the 1960s and 1970s. The miniature steam railway survives today as a rare heritage feature.
A pivotal change came in 1988 when the house was purchased by an American restaurateur and hotelier, who converted it into a country house hotel. Interiors were restored, and the estate entered a new era of luxury hospitality.
During the 1990s and early 2000s, development continued:
A golf course and expanded country sports
New spa and wellness facilities integrated into historic buildings
In August 2022, ownership changed again, with plans to expand luxury and wellbeing offerings. However, financial difficulties followed, leading to the cessation of trading in October 2024 and the liquidation of the operating company.
Today, the future of the estate remains uncertain — but the historic mansion and surrounding parkland stand as enduring reminders of centuries of ambition, wealth, and change.
Exploring the abandoned Selly Oak Hospital (2015/2016) before demolition. Thanks to Jellyfish for the photos below!
Back in 2015/2016, myself, Jellyfish, and Gibo went on a few visits to the abandoned Selly Oak Hospital not long after it moved to the new Queen Elizabeth Hospital. The first couple of times we tried to explore this place, we were met with security almost immediately.
Eventually, we managed to sneak past the security and the security devices on site and made our way into the disused buildings. Not much was left behind by the time we managed to get inside to explore, but what was left behind was crazy!
The freakiest part of the explore was when we managed to gain access to the morgue. The utensils and stainless steel bed were still there, and the morgue slab had a Ouija board left on top. That’s when the explore really started getting freaky.
Here’s some history on the now-demolished Selly Oak Hospital.
Origins — From Workhouse to Infirmary The site originally housed the King’s Norton Union Workhouse, built under the Poor Law Amendment Act 1834 to care for the very poor. Designed by Edward Holmes, it opened around 1870/1872 and could house a few hundred inmates.
In 1897, a purpose-built workhouse infirmary was added (designed by Daniel Arkell), with around 300 beds. It was one of the early infirmaries lit entirely by electric light — unusual at the time.
Transition to Hospital By 1902–1908, the complex expanded with a new entrance and a large nurses’ home called Woodlands.
In 1911, the workhouse and infirmary were renamed Selly Oak Hospital as King’s Norton became part of Birmingham and the Poor Law system was reorganised.
Over the inter-war years, the hospital modernised: operating theatres, labs, wards, and services expanded, reflecting the shift from a Poor Law institution to a general hospital.
NHS Era and Growth When the National Health Service was founded in 1948, Selly Oak Hospital and its associated buildings (formerly the workhouse and infirmary) joined the NHS and became a general hospital under Birmingham City Council.
In later decades, it became part of University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust (from 1997) and was linked administratively with the nearby Queen Elizabeth Hospital.
Special Roles and Recognition From 2001, the hospital was home to the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine, providing specialist care and rehabilitation for military personnel injured in operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The hospital also developed strong reputations for trauma and burns care and offered numerous general and specialist services to the West Midlands.
Closure and Aftermath With the opening of the new Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham starting in 2010, services progressively transferred from Selly Oak.
The hospital formally closed in late 2011/2012, ending its healthcare role after more than a century as a medical institution.
In 2015, the Trust sold the site for redevelopment. Plans were made for around 650 homes, and many of the old buildings have since been demolished or repurposed.
A once-busy Pizza Hut in Coventry… now completely silent 🍕 In this video, we explore a recently closed-down Pizza Hut, frozen in time with traces of its past still inside. From the dining area to behind-the-scenes spaces, this is a look at what happens when a popular fast-food spot shuts its doors for good.
⚠️ Filmed responsibly — take nothing but photos, leave nothing but footprints. Join me as I explore forgotten, abandoned, and off-limits locations, uncovering the hidden stories behind the places time forgot. From eerie ghost towns to decaying mansions, underground tunnels, and mysterious ruins, I take you on thrilling adventures into the unknown.
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In this urban exploration, we explore the remains of Liberty Pressings — from rusting machinery and empty production halls to hidden details most people never get to see. This explore was carried out respectfully and responsibly. 📍 Location: Coventry, West Midlands
🏭 Site: Liberty Pressings (Abandoned)
⚠️ Disclaimer: This video is for documentary and educational purposes only. No damage, theft, or forced entry took place. Take nothing but photos, leave nothing but footprints. If you enjoy UK urbex, abandoned places, and industrial history, don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe to support the channel.
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Throwing it right back to 2017, when we explored the abandoned Hall Green Dogs Stadium.
Thanks to Jellyfish on the pics!
Hall Green Greyhound Stadium opened in 1927, right in the heart of Birmingham, during the golden age of greyhound racing. For decades it was one of the city’s biggest sporting and social venues, drawing thousands through its gates week after week. The stadium wasn’t just about racing — it was about community. Families, workers, regulars with their favourite dogs, the sounds of the crowd, the bookmakers shouting, and the smell of food drifting through the stands.
At its peak, Hall Green was a huge operation. It hosted major races, employed large numbers of local people, and became a landmark for the area. During and after the war years it remained popular, offering people escapism and entertainment at a time when life was far from easy. Generations grew up with memories of nights spent here.
But as the years went on, attendance declined. Changing habits, rising costs, and the slow decline of greyhound racing hit hard. In 2017, after nearly 90 years of racing, Hall Green Dogs finally closed its doors. What was once full of noise and movement was suddenly left behind.
Walking through it abandoned was surreal. Empty stands where crowds once cheered. The track slowly being reclaimed by nature. Old signage, peeling paint, and rooms that felt like they’d been left in a hurry — all frozen in time. You could almost imagine the echoes of the past still hanging in the air.
Places like this remind you how quickly everything can change. From one of Birmingham’s most loved venues to complete silence.
Take nothing but photos, leave nothing but footprints.
This explore was one of the best hospitals we have come across. From hospital records left behind dating back to the mid-1900s, to old X-ray machines, this place genuinely looked like a zombie apocalypse had happened.
Huge thanks to MOD Dan 2 for the photos — without them, a few short videos! 😄
This explore started with no messing about; we just sent it. There was still an active section of the hospital on site, so we began by dodging cameras and checking windows and doors on the lower floors before climbing up to the roof to find our way in.
Once we dropped in, this explore was like no other hospital we had ever done. It was a true time-capsule hospital, with mid-1900s paper patient records simply left behind. In one room, there was an old, decaying X-ray machine still lying there.
As we continued exploring, we didn’t get the chance to reach the upper levels, as our explore was cut short by the police arriving with dogs to find us.
Here’s some history on the Hospital –
This hospital has a long history dating back to the mid-19th century, originally established to serve a growing industrial town and its surrounding rural communities. Built during a time when healthcare was rapidly evolving in Britain, the site expanded steadily to meet increasing demand, particularly during periods of war, epidemics, and population growth.
Throughout the late 1800s and early 1900s, the hospital became a key medical centre, offering treatments that were considered advanced for their time. New wards, operating theatres, and specialist departments were added over the decades, reflecting changes in medical practice and technology. During both World Wars, the site played an important role in treating injured service personnel and civilians alike.
By the mid-20th century, the hospital was fully integrated into the newly formed National Health Service, continuing to provide care for generations of local families. However, as healthcare needs changed and newer facilities were built elsewhere, parts of the site became outdated. Gradual downsizing followed, with sections closing and services being relocated.
Eventually, the hospital fell silent, leaving behind corridors frozen in time. Paper records, medical equipment, and forgotten rooms now tell the story of decades of care, innovation, and human experience — a true time capsule of Britain’s medical past.
Hope you enjoy these images and the documentation of this hospital. Catch you all on the next explore.
We set out to explore an abandoned Odeon cinema, expecting dark corridors and forgotten screens — but things didn’t go to plan. While the cinema itself stayed sealed, we uncovered access to nearly every surrounding building instead.
Urban exploration doesn’t always go how you expect, and this one turned into a completely different adventure. Join us as we search for entry, explore what we can, and show the reality of exploring abandoned places when access just isn’t there.
📸 Take nothing but photos, leave nothing but footprints.
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Big thanks to MOD Jelly on the Photographs and MOD Dan2 on editing!
As a kid, I lived opposite this abandoned site for about 13 years, long before I became an explorer. It was obvious that this would definitely be a building I’d explore one day. Some of the history surrounding this building is quite dark. There are rumours online of a tunnel system used by MI5 and MI6, and claims that the 3rd, 4th, and 5th floors of the block were also used by MI5 and MI6. There are multiple reports of people being moved via the tunnels and of individuals being brainwashed at this location. How true this is, I am unsure.
We explored this building back in 2016, and it was not easy at all. With security based inside the building and positioned at the rear, it was challenging to gain entry. We explored this building around 15 times, popping back and forth to try and find out more about what this place was used for. This has to be one of the most interesting explores.
The Powergen building once stood at the junction of Stratford Road and Haslucks Green Road in Shirley, Solihull. It was part of the offices for the Central Electricity Generating Board (CEGB), which later became Powergen — one of the companies formed after the UK electricity industry was privatised.
The building was designed in the 1960s by notable Birmingham architect John Madin, who also designed other major local structures such as the old Birmingham Central Library. Its style reflected the era’s modernist/brutalist trends, making it distinctive but also controversial among local residents.
Powergen vacated the site in the mid-1990s, around 1995, leaving the building largely unused for many years. After closure, the site sat derelict for decades and became a familiar, if slightly eerie, landmark in Shirley.
In 2015, while still abandoned, the building’s decaying appearance made it an ideal filming location for the zombie movie The Girl With All the Gifts (starring Glenn Close). The production used the site’s rugged, abandoned atmosphere to depict a post-apocalyptic setting.
The Powergen building was demolished in 2017 to make way for redevelopment. Today, the site has been transformed into Solihull Retirement Village (also known as Solihull Village) — a modern residential community with homes and facilities for people over 55.
Huge thanks to Mod Dan 2 for the photos
