It was a mighty fine sunny afternoon by the time we reached the scenic "Durham Ox" public house hoping for a tasty refreshing pint of beer to wash away our cares (as well as the grime, dust, and shit from the last six locations).
“Err.., but it’s been closed since 1993”, I told @anidiotexplores who was falling over, semi-delirious and gasping for a beer.
This was one hot day and his cheap counterfeit, sugar-filled Lilt drink from Bargain Booze had run dry. We would need to find some liquid soon or die of thirst, but that would have to wait as the ‘Ox’ patiently awaited us.
Two years prior, @dizzydiscovery and I had passed up the opportunity to infiltrate the "Durham Ox". It had been a tough day, and although we could see an access point that required a climb, neither of us could be arsed. It was that enticing.
On that occasion, someone had made the mistake of parking their car next to this broken-down pub. Somehow the vandalism of the pub had mysteriously spread and contaminated the nearby car which was also now a victim of vandalism.
'Wrecked Property Syndrome' I call it, is highly contagious and lethal, particularly to motor vehicles.
History is sparse about this one. It opened its doors in 1862 and closed thirty years ago in 1993. During its last few years, the property was used as flats.
I can see those top floors do look like separate flats. What could possibly be left after this amount of time?
We headed around the back noticing the same window as last time. Clearly, nobody gives a flying shit about trying to seal up this monstrosity of a property, least of all Sheffield Council.
@anidiotexplores quickly scampered over a wall with me labouring behind much to the amusement of a bloke walking past who almost walked into a wall.
…'Concentrate on your walking mate and take your eyes off the old bloke who's innocently trying to climb through that broken window'…
While the bricks helped it did take some hauling to get through that tiny window. Lack of space is quite often a bigger hindrance than getting your body up.
This is me exiting, gaining some body as well as chest scrapes, and hoping to find those bricks with my dangling feet. Photograph courtesy of @anidiotexplores.
My comrade was inside before me, that is quite normal but on entering, I couldn't find him.
“Where the fuck are you”, I yelled.
"Upstairs", floated back a voice from the upper areas,
Upstairs.., I mean just how do you get up those stairs? To this date, I still can't fathom how he managed it or descended without the whole lot collapsing. I had moved on so did not witness the incident.
“What was up there”, I questioned him.
“Fuck all”
Risk your life for nothing, that’s what this is all about.
The lower floor had little to see, besides enormous cobwebs such as these. We don’t have huge scary spiders in the UK, but the small almost harmless ones make up for it given time.
In 2019 the "Durham Ox" suffered an arson attack that destroyed much of the upper building. The lower area is not much better.
I wanted to look out of the window, but short of getting my hands blackened with the extensive layers of soot it wasn’t going to happen.
If this was a pub there was little to show for it. No bar or seating, even of the scorched type. Being in Sheffield there are always some decent graffiti signatures.
With all those iron bars it reminded me of being in some kind of medieval dungeon with no chance of escape. All that was missing was a few wrist clasps attached to the walls.
Can you make out what it says? The signatures are so floral, I generally can’t read them. Love with a kissing 'V'?
It’s room 2 on the bottom floor. I can't really see the selling points that would be shilled to prospective renters besides… 'welcome to jail'.
Behind that is the former front door. I should have checked for mail, maybe there was a large cheque behind the door, or more likely a tax demand from the 1990s.
The footprint of the “Durham Ox” was surprisingly small and contained barely anything worth seeing.
I wasn’t looking forward to the exit. Turning your body around in those small windows requires effort.
Good luck finding a 'derelict newsagent'. There's one in Stockport which we have been avoiding for several years. That could potentially be more exciting than the "Durham Ox".
We left the “Durham Ox” in perpetual wonder. Why can’t all explores be this good?
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End of lifetime, end of show,
pubs graced the land, entertained many folk,
sorry for inconvenience, all closed down now!
Bad luck on the draw of another with naught inside to claim bragging rights!
@tipu curate
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Not even the homeless dare enter the Ox, no signs anywhere. Perhaps it's because just over the road there is another slightly better condition venue? That's next!
When even the homeless can be selective with many abandoned buildings. Look forward to seeing next episode.
The same window? That would account for that damp smell, to some extent. Several years later probably put many more miles on the poor building, although someone got fancy with their fat block letters that remind me of the old-style graffiti I used to see on overpasses. It did say "LOVE" by the way. Of course, right? It was all about love.
Hello? how did he get up those stairs!? I know he is good, but, hello. I think the staircase started pretty far up. Wasn't able to count. Room #2 must have been the kid's room. Yikes. Fenced in! Where are the child welfare people when you need them? Maybe it was an institution of sorts? Caregivers for the mentally handicapped? The possibilities are endless - and a little scary.
@anidiotexplores needs to show just a bit more skin. Just saying. For the "urbex hunks" shot. :)
Was that blacked sooty window on the second floor? I had trouble placeing where it could be. Just the thought of scaling that wall like spiderman makes my knees weak. Up and down out of that same tiny window. I'm thinking of the upper body strength. No small feat.
It did.., many of them are signatures of the artists. I did find a website where you could identify some of them by their style. Interesting stuff!
He's a nimble one for sure, more so than me!
LOL, I passed on the comment, no response as yet!
Cool lips kissing graffiti. I missed some magazines or something like paintings on the wall as we can see on your regular crawls.
This one was bleak, even the graffiti was vintage. I guess the artists want to be seen as as barely anyone steps foot inside that place, it's a waste.
@slobberchops! This looks so chaotic and kinda scary, i would be afraid to explore there 😅🤣 but this looks interesting and exciting for peolpe who wants to explore the other parts of the world. Very informative that you share the Durham Ox. ❤️
It was more damp and smelly to be honest!
Aha i would expect that! 😁
That was my question too. How the hell did he get up? 😂..I feel like it will collapse in just one step.
But by any chance, have you ever been caught or seen by anyone entering such a place? What were his reactions and thoughts? Lol.
We do tend to look around just like shoplifters do before hauling into such places. Fortunately, derp (not store) detectives are in short supply.
Haha.. Because you guys will look suspicious in your acts..
I feel like a criminal but am actually not. Maybe this is why everyone else thinks the same.
What a cobwebs! I have never seen such as it in any abandoned place. I wonder what species it is :)
I am not sure, and don't have arachnophobia fortunately. Having such a condition could impact your career as an explorer.
What a dump ! And what a shame - it managed to stay open for 130 years, and then bit the dust in the 90s ! I'm amazed at those stairs - how the heck did he get up those. I can only guess levitation.
That place is so bad, its not even worth saving !
Levitation would be a useful skill to learn, I need to check if there any training courses around my local area.
I know they do a good course in hesitation here - I was thinking about doing it, but I'm just not quite sure !
😀
So sad to see an old pub like this going to ruin. I don't understand why such a large number of buildings are left to fall apart when we have such a massive shortage of social housing.
There are a few in every town, more in the cities. I have been in countless derelict pubs over the last 3 years.
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The graffiti art looks scary as well
Even the graffiti is vintage and looks like it was painted decades ago.
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It takes courage to go through this. I love your photography skills.
Great job.
Thanks.
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