SubscribeSometimes it’s nice to stay close to home. Like the inhabitants of any city, it is very easy to overlook the gems on the doorstep in favour of more distant sites, the journey to which, influence our experience of the explore. The prolongd build up that comes from hours or days of driving, to a site gives them greater importance due to the effort applied in getting there, which is not to say that you will get in.
But on a warm, lazy Sunday, whilst nursing a hang over that lurked just behind my eyes, local was just what I needed. The site is tucked far away off the road that you wouldnt know it was there if you just drove past and it is a walk on. Recent stripping by travellers or chavs has led to parts of large machines now stripped naked and their inner cladding and workings are on show for all to see and whilst not pristine in nature, there is a lot of industrial beauty to be seen.
The site is not large and it is the little details that give it an edge that make it worth a trip or two. Inside the main building it was cool and any noise travels far. The wind rattles the tin roof and loose doors. Another group of explorers were there and we bumped into them. We trod carefully as recently there had been trouble inside where some explorers had met a group stripping out the metal and thought it best to leave, especially as one of them was reaching for his phone and eyeing up the camera equipment lustfully. Today there was no such trouble.
“The largest known deposit of mineral [Fuller's Earth] in the UK extends for some 9km between Redhill and Godstone. The western section has been extensively worked, but production at Redhill ceased in 1996. There are two further important deposits near Woburn in Bedfordshire and near Faringdon in Oxfordshire. Smaller reserves exist in West Sussex and Hampshire.”
The mineral was refined and processed and used in a variety of industrial and domestic products such as cat litter and old bags of various brands adourne the walls. Today the processing plant lies in neglected ruin, the giant tumblers that would have worked the raw extract into its fine dust lay still and clutters of spiders have woven great webs up and down their drive chains.
In all a quick visit but some great shots and greater potential. A return visit is a must.
TTFN
