The Old Rectory Care Home, Cambridgeshire
Visited in July 2020, this Care Home has been on the circuit for explorers for many years due to its atmospheric interior riddled with decay amongst the personal items left behind. By the time i got round to ticking it off the never ending 'to do' list it had deteriorated further more to the extent that the upstairs bedrooms were now completely a no go. It is by far the most dangerous building I have gone in to over the many years of doing this photography. Just looking at the exterior walls gives a prior warning - before entering - that the whole building could literally collapse at any moment. Considering this, it's a puzzle as to why it hasn't been demolished or at least fully sealed to stop local kids wandering in.
Many of the upstairs rooms have collapsed down or are hanging by a thread waiting to fall at any moment. The stairs leading up to those rooms are now unusable too due to the severe decay and rot accelerated by the elements. All things considered, it was a huge risk going inside but that pull of an abandoned building is strong.
The building itself was once a rectory for the nearby church before being turned into a care home later on. More history is in short supply and when it closed for good is not known but maybe around the late 1990s.
Personal possessions of the former residents are still inside adding that personal feel to the place yet its difficult to envisage what it looked like when it was operational as so much has changed.
The entry in the Care Home Directory for this particular care home stated:
"Our Cambridge home is both friendly and well managed where we respond to the needs of each of our residents with courtesy and dignity at all times.
From the moment of arrival at our Cambridgeshire home you will receive a warm welcome from both staff & management.
Our home is tastefully decorated, and furnished to provide a level of comfort that is much appreciated by all.
We have setup a rota system that ensures we have nursing care staff on duty all day and night.
There is also a 24-hour call system installed that enables our residents to call a member of staff at a moments notice".