One of my favourite houses of 2015. Hidden by trees and down a long path away from the main road, Mrs Brown's house lies derelict and decaying in its pastoral setting yet still retaining much inside to have an idea of the people who once lived there. 

A rather unspectacular dwelling with a corrugated iron roof, none the less, inside was full of rooms etched in the past containing snapshots of Mr & Mrs brown's lives along with natures own design ideas.

 

Not much could be gleaned from what artefacts were left regarding Mrs Brown, however Mr Brown, it appears was in the Royal Air Force for a short period of time being discharged in 1960 according to documents still in one of the bedrooms. After this at some point their living was made from the vast allotments all around the house; glass houses now in a parlous state yet once no doubt full of  fresh produce to sell on to the consumer.

 

Each room had its own magical charm. Some sparse, some full of furniture and personal items. Photographs of RAF days still remained in a bedroom drawer along with inoculation documents and other items. A mixture of mess along with vintage personal items.

 

There are no clues as to when Mr & Mrs Brown left the house and there has been no attempt to secure the house leaving it rather vulnerable. It has not been lived in for many years, that's obvious. Someone may own it  yet it seems rather a forlorn dwelling unwanted by anyone and simply left to decay. 

 

For such a humble home, it made for wonderful photography. The bright colours of the walls clashing brilliantly with the streamed light coming through the dirty windows, most being decorated with foliage vying to get inside. 

 

Sadly, as is often the case - on a second visit with a friend - the house had been turned upside down, items moved between rooms and all the vintage hifi equipment thrown on the floor haphazardly, maybe in order to stage some shots prior to injecting intense amounts of HDR.

 

Such a shame these houses can't just be photographed and left as they were found. After all, they are little historical sites in a familial sense. They should be respected as well as enjoyed for what they are and how they were found.