St Joesphs Chapel

Another location from a recent road trip, this is St. Joesphs Chapel, part of Gartland House.

Known originally as Garpel House then Barr House before becoming Garthland House, the regal residence was acquired by the Macdowall family who came initially from Garthland in Wigtownshire and were descended from the Lords of Galloway. During the mid-1930s, Henry Macdowall sold it to the Mill Hill Foreign Missionary Society that was founded. Garthland House was renamed St Jospeh's College by the Society and, during its heyday, around 30 young men were students there.
A three-storey dormitory block was added in 1936 followed by a beautiful brick-red chapel in 1943. Both the sleeping quarters and the chapel can still be seen today although, like the house, they have fallen into disrepair and are but fragments of their former selves.
Despite its ruinous state, the chapel exudes a powerful aura, which conjures up visions of former days when it was used as a place of prayer and meditation for the trainee priests as well as by the people of Lochwinnoch who worshipped there until the construction of Our Lady of Fatima Church in the village in 1955.
Its most outstanding features were stained-glass windows, pink and black altar pieces, wooden pews and mosaic wall panels, exterior wall of the chapel. Portraying the majestic figure of St Joseph, the serene sculpture confronts visitors when they travel down the tree-lined avenue to the former college from the Largs Road.


Gartland Chapel, in the corner you can see the orphanage, its severely damaged and treacherous inside!



The Chapel itself is glorious!


There are several mini altars set off from the main chapel itself







The old organ lays in the middle of the floor.


The main altar


Stain-glass window


Main chapel cross


The main altar has small crosses engraved into the marble


Looking back to the entrance


We waited until darkness came to get some pretty nice shots of the altar



Tweety is a alcoholic!

Blairs Theatre

Been trying for almost 7 months to see this little Theatre in Aberdeenshire, on probably the 10th visit here, the door was open.  The Theatre is part of Blairs College / Seminary and has sat unused since the late 80's and surprisingly there is quite a lot of items left inside.

Luckily the theatre has been fairly well sealed, protecting it from the elements, however on this visit it was mighty cold inside!  From the outside the building does not look very promising, but the treasure lies within!  For being such a small theatre there is a real sense of drama inside.  The architecture inside is not of a grandeur style, a simplistic style with the red cloth seats and domed ceiling give it a excellent setting to explore!

It was re-modelled in 1827 by John Gall, under the supervision of Rev Gordon and John Menzies.  John Menzies was a very wealthy Catholic Laird who gifted the land for the college construction.  The Older Seminary is situated behind the very impressive new college which is partly used as a museum.

Blairs Theatre




Fire exit with a nasty rotten floor!


Theatre stalls




The Stage








Quite a few music accessories left behind.






No Seminary explore is complete without a picutre of the one they call their saviour!


Think the bottom one is pretty good!




Not a proper explore without a piano in the corner.


Loved this domed ceiling!

Edinburgh's Secret Tunnel

After meeting a few guys in a local pub - JFRsteve, Scattergun, Eggbox and Fake Snowman in the one of the busiest nightlife scenes in Edinburgh we went on the hunt for a hard too find and my first explore of a tunnel.

Of course as always with Scottish weather the rain started to hammer down, but undeterred we set of on the hunt for the tunnel.

After receiving a few clues on its rough location we found our way to the gardens we thought contained the entrance, after searching around a garden just off a main street for about 30 minutes it was obvious we were in the wrong place. If anyone is familiar with Edinburgh old town the difference between street levels can be quite daunting.

After hopefully locating a promising location we clambered a wall to be presented with a shear drop of approx 30 feet, not for the faint hearted! but it again lead to a dead end and no easily passable route to the promised tunnel!

Again we searched around and located a secondary entrance right on the one of the busiest areas in Edinburgh we, so god knows how it looked for 5 guys in the pouring rain clambering over walls and security gates, thankfully hardly anyone batted an eyelid!

We were in!

I only took photos after walking as far as I was willing to go without clambering over and under valves and and pipe junctions. I must have walked along the tunnel for a good mile before deciding that was far enough, so not sure how long it actually goes, but i can confirm that the tunnel does go right under Edinburgh Castle and where we stopped was under Princes Street.

With the traffic thundering overhead I started to shoot away, not many came out good, but here is my efforts. The only really wet section of the tunnel was here where the valve was broken and water was pouring out, crudely blocked up with a sandbag!


There weren't many crossing in the tunnel, it was almost a one way tour!


I have no idea what the yellow stuff is, but it was fairly solid, so presuming it was minerals forming from the brickwork, someone will quickly correct me!


In a few sections the tunnel was blaste through the red bed, it was quite impressive!


Many of the sections of the pipe have been replaced, but did see dates stamped on the from 1821, so some have been here quite a while!


I made my way out but to be confronted by a big dog, but luckily it was pretty old and didn't care or notice I was there, quickly making my exit!

Templedean Nusring Home

Templedean was originally built in 1893, with further additions and alterations in 1902, with final amendments in 1911 by Architect John Alexander Carfrae.  Also known as Carmendean Hall, it was once originally linked to the Templdean (Carmendean) House by a series of corridors when in use as a Girls Orphanage by Christie Homes.

The Girls Home was open until the 70's when it was split into 2 separate residences, once being a home, and the hall being turned into a Nursing Home.

The Nursing Home closed sometime around 2006-8, it was sold to a private developer and is being converted into residential flats.