School of Malady, England

The School of Malady is a grand and ornate abandoned school in England, founded in the 1920s. The school is within a beautiful 19th Century mansion/hall with large and impressive grounds, which would have originally been routinely manicured and well-landscaped by the five grounds staff.  This was once a prestigious private preparatory school for juniors/high-school aged pupils; a stepping stone into later independent schooling as well as top Grammer Schools. Prospective pupils had to undergo an interview and a trial period before securing their place at this institution. There were around 20 teachers, many of which would have lived on site. The school featured a swimming pool, bike trail, golf course, several rugby pitches and a shooting range. There is also a War Memorial chapel with stained glass windows, as well as a stage/theatre area for performing arts. The school went into administration and closed in the mid-2010s. All the furniture and contents were sold off at auction, and a few price-tagged items still linger on that have never found a buyer. This impressive site will soon be re-developed into new homes and a rehabilitation centre.

This was a last-minute explore one weekday evening, spur of the moment. Wondering the corridors we began to wonder if we had entered the correct building, as we were not greeted by the grandeur we had expected. After a phone call and some kind assistance, we found our way into the older parts which formed the administration building. As the light was failing we had to make our work quick. The lower corridor was very dark, and I only truly appreciated the intricacy of the ceiling work details when processing my photographs. The hallways ceiling is covered with coat of arms and carved/embossed flags. The Headmasters Study and Library both had fantastically ornate ceilings with chandeliers, and stone fire places. The War Memorial chapel area had beautiful light as the sun went down.

It is rare to be able to access such pristine and exquisite abandoned buildings in the United Kingdom, and this certainly was a treat for my recently under-worked lenses.