St Josephs Church, Wigan - May 2016

Following a heads up from Lavino, Tbolt fired up the Venga Bus and we pitched up in Wigan with Urban Caveman for a look see. The rain tumbled down and so we made a swift entrance into this rarely visited church.

Built in 1861, this derelict Grade II listed building is a former Roman Catholic church which finally closed its doors to worship in 1995.  A notable worshiper at this church was the comedian and film star George Formby.

 

It is, was it is, so from me its a  5/10 for this pigeon infested, yet rather grand, stripped out church.

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Rylands Mill, Wigan - April 2016

I was rather taken aback at the entry to this place, the gates wide open was a little different. However the mill itself overlooks the Mesnes Park in Wigan and has nothing to stop even the smallest kids from wandering in from the park a killing themselves - NOTHING, it even has steps up from the park into the place.

And they did, well wander in not kill themselves (yet), Tbolt persuaded two not to climb the 164 ft up the ladder inside the mill chimney - one of the young lads was about 70 ft up the chimney at the time.

Rylands Mill has gone under a number of names over the year being Pagefield Mill and Gildow Works and now sits in development hell.

Built in 1866, this Grade II listed building operated as one of Lancashire's many cotton mills and in 1985 the building was taken over by Wigan Technical College, closing in 2007.

A recent fire, leaves the upper floor open to the elements, but on a day like we had its rather photogenic.

 

I rather like this place, but access is far, far too easy and a child is going to get killed or a best seriously injured.

7/10

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St Joseph's Seminary, Upholland - March 2016

I'm not an early morning person and this was a very early morning meeting with Lavino, Tbolt and Blacksnake - very early cannot be stated enough.



To recap, I have never had much luck at this old seminary and our guide Lavino was a godsend, despite my serious misgivings the visit was uneventful in all the right ways.

This former Roman Catholic seminary opened in 1883 and is now a vast empty Grade II Listed building rapidly falling into major disrepair following its closure final closure in 1991.

So here are my snaps including homage to all the shite HDR shots I have longingly stared at for years as I itched to have a potter around this place.
 

A rather excellent mooch, sadly "time short"  7/10

A big thanks to Lavino.

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Billinge Hospital, Wigan - May 2015

I live up the road from Wigan, I've only been 5 times in my whole life, everything I know about Wigan came from Stuart Maconie's book Pies and Prejudice - I have however had the delight of the smell of Wigan's Uncle Joe's Mint Balls, this lovely lovely smell can be smelt when you change trains at Wigan to get to Liverpool from Bolton *

 Anyway Team Weasel was headed to Wigan this damp day - Zer081, myself and the legend that is simply known as The Judderman. Breakfasts skipped we shot off for some overly ripe NHS derp in what is left of Billinge Hospital.

Billinge Hospital, was originally a workhouse, founded in 1837 as Wigan Poor Law Union, later a maternity hospital and finally closing in 2004, come 2015 the hospital was been demolished bar one building - and this is it.




Even given that there is not much left of the place, I still say you can't beat a good derelict hospital, they never disappoint.







It's been thrashed to an inch of its life, the floors are rotten (not deadly), it is to put it simply - stripped bare but rather good.





 





 



 

Strangely photogenic, yet not much left of the place 8/10 extra points for a walk in.

* you have to be early, preferably before 9am - It is a smell sent from heaven, no it is heaven - except your in Wigan and Wigan is a little poo, as is Bolton but Bolton sadly does not have that early morning mint ball smell - more kebabs, piss and vomit.


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