Atmospheric Decay: Oakhurst House - Alderwasley, UK

We've just had a few days of work because of the snow. At first it was great fun, but then we got cabin fever and had to escape on foot for a good walk! I took @danpaulson to one of my favourite haunted houses: Oakhurst.

Shining Cliff woods are unusual as they are truly beautiful, but are also home to a variety of occupied, and abandoned, houses and industrial works; including the wire works:

I think many people are drawn to Oakhurst in particular due to it's faded, mock Tudor grandeur. The house was originally built in 1848, designed as housing for politician Francis Hurt’s unmarried daughters.

He knew his primary residence, Alderwasley Hall, would go to his son upon his death, and he didn’t want his daughters to find themselves homeless. Though it was a grand house, the daughters were displeased with the arrangement and refused to move. When their father died, their brother and heir gave them a portion of the inheritance to ensure their independence.

Some time after the daughters rejected Oakhurst, it was sold to Thewlis Johnson, the nephew in Johnson & Nephew Wireworks of Ambergate (makers of telegraph wires, barb wire, suspension cables, etc.). Oakhurst in it's hayday:

The house remained under the company’s ownership throughout both the 19th and 20th centuries, and was eventually converted to flats for managerial staff. Unfortunately, the flats fell into disrepair and Oakhurst has been crumbling since the 1970s. But it's nice to have a reminder of just how lovely it once was:

Photos taken by me, except the historical ones http://www.crichparish.co.uk/newwebpages/oakhurst2.html https://www.countryimagesmagazine.co.uk/lost_houses/lost-houses-derbyshire-oak-hurst-alderwasley/

Info on Oakhurst https://iheartbritain.com/oakhurst-house-a-creepy-derbyshire-destination/

If you have enjoyed this brief glimpse into one of Derbyshire's lost houses please follow, upvote and resteem!

Until the next post, Nikki the MaskedBlogger. x