The Artist's House, Derbyshire
This residential House was one of the most puzzling I have photographed. Not for the curious items inside the house but for the mere fact that it was such a large house in an affluent area and it seemed odd that it had just been left abandoned. Once through a small rusting gate and a short walk down a path surrounded by trees one is met by this 4 bedroom house which, considering the value of nearby properties must be worth a fortune yet no one seems to have claim on it. Consequently windows have been smashed and graffiti is all over the walls and paint has been thrown on beautiful furniture stil left inside the house much to my annoyance.
Photographing inside wasn't easy as i tried to avoid any of the graffiti which proved almost impossible. I hate graffiti in abandoned locations and always avoid it. Obtaining a set of images was a challenge!
Who lived here last and what happened to them is anyone's guess. They left behind some exquisite art deco furniture in the main bedroom along with some minimal 1970's furniture in a smaller bedroom. Beds still had their linen on as if slept in the previous day. Inside the porch a thousand letters piling up probably never to be opened. Many windows have been smashed but thankfully the huge stained glass window beside the stair case is still intact allowing multicoloured light to come pouring in spreading its warmth over the bleak surroundings.
Odds and ends had been left behind including a copy of the Daily Telegraph dated January 29th 1944 at a cost of 1 1/2d, maybe a souvenir copy in light of world events at the time. Also a scattering of books and school excercise books were still inside and various ornaments seemingly unwanted.
It is strange to believe no one actually owns this house, at least a company of some sort but it seems no one does. Maybe the last owners still own it but want nothing to do with it? It wouldn't take much to tidy it up and for it to once again become a nice large family home with huge gardens front and rear. A strange mystery really. Its name derives from artist materials which have been found previously inside yet I didn't see them, maybe they have been taken by whoever decided to redesign the interior with light green paint!