Milner Field Podcast

Join Chrissie, Mike, Lisa & Myself for the latest videocast on the emerging remains of the lower house sections of the Kitchen Courtyard complex at Milner Field House. Huge Thanks to Louise Clarke for her efforts to provide the MFH Cooperative with funds to replace stolen tools. The ruins of Milner Field have lain hidden from view since the 1950s, when the mansion’s grisly reputation led to a failed demolition using dynamite. When even TNT couldn’t shift the seemingly cursed house, it was torn down instead several years later in the 1960s - not before the remaining ironworks & suchlike had been pillaged by local scrap merchants. Built between 1871 and 1873, the mansion was the brainchild of Titus Salt Jr, the son of the wealthy Victorian industrialist and philanthropist Sir Titus Salt. Towards the end of his life, Titus senior gave his son a plot of farmland to build a house. This would become Milner Field, a lavish, sprawling testament to his wealth and power, which even attracted royal visitors on a few occasions. However, things started to go awry in November of 1887, when Titus junior died suddenly of heart failure in the billiard room of the mansion. The business he’d inherited from his father then began to slump, and the house was sold off to Sir James Roberts, whose personal life was beset by death, calamity, and national scandal after he moved into the residence in 1904. By 1923, the house fell to Ernest Gates, whose wife passed away just two weeks after the move, before he himself died after injuring his foot in an accident and developing septicemia. The final owner of the house, Arthur Remington Hollins, saw his wife die of pneumonia less than a year after moving in, and soon passed away himself by hiccuping to death after irritation of the gall bladder and diaphragm. In 1930, the mansion was put up for sale again, but understandably, it failed to sell. The house lay derelict and started to be stripped of its valuables, its windows, and then finally the roof. Nature reclaimed the site, and by the time of World War II, the grounds were used as grenade practice by the local Home Guard. Today, Milner Field lies in ruins, sheltered by the elements, but look a little more closely and you can still make out the cellars, the mosaic pattern on the conservatory floor, and walk among the piles of masonry and rubble that has been seemingly untouched for 70 years. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/david-bottomley0/message

Join us for an update on all the recent developments from the Milner Field Estate in Gilstead. Andy, Chrissie & myself chat about the steady progress and finds of historical importance. We discuss the recently vacated North Lodge & the Delph Woods quarry. A new video is also out now which you can watch on youtube & Spotify on the 'Milner Field House History & Discovery' channels..... https://youtu.be/GDYTLHAToe4 The ruins of Milner Field have lain hidden from view since the 1950s, when the mansion’s grisly reputation led to a failed demolition using dynamite. When even TNT couldn’t shift the seemingly cursed house, it was torn down instead several years later in the 1960s - not before the remaining ironworks & suchlike had been pillaged by local scrap merchants. Built between 1871 and 1873, the mansion was the brainchild of Titus Salt Jr, the son of the wealthy Victorian industrialist and philanthropist Sir Titus Salt. Towards the end of his life, Titus senior gave his son a plot of farmland to build a house. This would become Milner Field, a lavish, sprawling testament to his wealth and power, which even attracted royal visitors on a few occasions. However, things started to go awry in November of 1887, when Titus junior died suddenly of heart failure in the billiard room of the mansion. The business he’d inherited from his father then began to slump, and the house was sold off to Sir James Roberts, whose personal life was beset by death, calamity, and national scandal after he moved into the residence in 1904. By 1923, the house fell to Ernest Gates, whose wife passed away just two weeks after the move, before he himself died after injuring his foot in an accident and developing septicemia. The final owner of the house, Arthur Remington Hollins, saw his wife die of pneumonia less than a year after moving in, and soon passed away himself by hiccuping to death after irritation of the gall bladder and diaphragm. In 1930, the mansion was put up for sale again, but understandably, it failed to sell. The house lay derelict and started to be stripped of its valuables, its windows, and then finally the roof. Nature reclaimed the site, and by the time of World War II, the grounds were used as grenade practice by the local Home Guard. Today, Milner Field lies in ruins, sheltered by the elements, but look a little more closely and you can still make out the cellars, the mosaic pattern on the conservatory floor, and walk among the piles of masonry and rubble that has been seemingly untouched for 70 years. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/david-bottomley0/message

The Old English word Delft meaning to Dig, Quarry, or Mine became Delph, signifying a Quarry, Mine or Clay pit. Delph Woods is the site of Milner Field House, the Gothic Country Mansion build by Titus Salt Jr for his wife Catherine, (built between 1869-1873) - the wider estate comprised of an existing Old Manor House, which along with Stubbings Farm was demolished due to disrepair. It is clear that an extensive quarrying operation was on site during the building of the estate, and much remains including the footprints, and remaining foundations of at least two buildings in the main quarry site, plus debris and broken tool parts, bricks, slates and much more. I took a walk along this tree lined miniature glen again recently to examine how this lost chapter of the Milner Field & Salt Family history could have been set up, in order to provide the stone masonry for the building of the house and estate. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/david-bottomley0/message

This week Chrissie & Myself take a look back at the last fortnight's discoveries along the west side of Milner Field House ruins from the Orangerie doorways, Stained glass windows & through the potting shed into the remaining walls of Titus Salt Jr's Billiard room... The ruins of Milner Field have lain hidden from view since the 1950s, when the mansion’s grisly reputation led to a failed demolition using dynamite. When even TNT couldn’t shift the seemingly cursed house, it was torn down instead several years later in the 1960s - not before the remaining ironworks & suchlike had been pillaged by local scrap merchants. Built between 1871 and 1873, the mansion was the brainchild of Titus Salt Jr, the son of the wealthy Victorian industrialist and philanthropist Sir Titus Salt. Towards the end of his life, Titus senior gave his son a plot of farmland to build a house. This would become Milner Field, a lavish, sprawling testament to his wealth and power, which even attracted royal visitors on a few occasions. However, things started to go awry in November of 1887, when Titus junior died suddenly of heart failure in the billiard room of the mansion. The business he’d inherited from his father then began to slump, and the house was sold off to Sir James Roberts, whose personal life was beset by death, calamity, and national scandal after he moved into the residence in 1904. By 1923, the house fell to Ernest Gates, whose wife passed away just two weeks after the move, before he himself died after injuring his foot in an accident and developing septicemia. The final owner of the house, Arthur Remington Hollins, saw his wife die of pneumonia less than a year after moving in, and soon passed away himself by hiccuping to death after irritation of the gall bladder and diaphragm. In 1930, the mansion was put up for sale again, but understandably, it failed to sell. The house lay derelict and started to be stripped of its valuables, its windows, and then finally the roof. Nature reclaimed the site, and by the time of World War II, the grounds were used as grenade practice by the local Home Guard. Today, Milner Field lies in ruins, sheltered by the elements, but look a little more closely and you can still make out the cellars, the mosaic pattern on the conservatory floor, and walk among the piles of masonry and rubble that has been seemingly untouched for 70 years. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/david-bottomley0/message

Join Chrissie, Allen & Myself as we discuss the weeks discoveries at Milner Field House & chat uncover more of the outline... The ruins of Milner Field have lain hidden from view since the 1950s, when the mansion’s grisly reputation led to a failed demolition using dynamite. When even TNT couldn’t shift the seemingly cursed house, it was torn down instead several years later in the 1960s - not before the remaining ironworks & suchlike had been pillaged by local scrap merchants. Built between 1871 and 1873, the mansion was the brainchild of Titus Salt Jr, the son of the wealthy Victorian industrialist and philanthropist Sir Titus Salt. Towards the end of his life, Titus senior gave his son a plot of farmland to build a house. This would become Milner Field, a lavish, sprawling testament to his wealth and power, which even attracted royal visitors on a few occasions. However, things started to go awry in November of 1887, when Titus junior died suddenly of heart failure in the billiard room of the mansion. The business he’d inherited from his father then began to slump, and the house was sold off to Sir James Roberts, whose personal life was beset by death, calamity, and national scandal after he moved into the residence in 1904. By 1923, the house fell to Ernest Gates, whose wife passed away just two weeks after the move, before he himself died after injuring his foot in an accident and developing septicemia. The final owner of the house, Arthur Remington Hollins, saw his wife die of pneumonia less than a year after moving in, and soon passed away himself by hiccuping to death after irritation of the gall bladder and diaphragm. In 1930, the mansion was put up for sale again, but understandably, it failed to sell. The house lay derelict and started to be stripped of its valuables, its windows, and then finally the roof. Nature reclaimed the site, and by the time of World War II, the grounds were used as grenade practice by the local Home Guard. Today, Milner Field lies in ruins, sheltered by the elements, but look a little more closely and you can still make out the cellars, the mosaic pattern on the conservatory floor, and walk among the piles of masonry and rubble that has been seemingly untouched for 70 years. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/david-bottomley0/message

Join Chrissie, Andy Mac, Allen & Myself for an exciting update on the recent discoveries at Milner Field House... The ruins of Milner Field have lain hidden from view since the 1950s, when the mansion’s grisly reputation led to a failed demolition using dynamite. When even TNT couldn’t shift the seemingly cursed house, it was torn down instead several years later in the 1960s - not before the remaining ironworks & suchlike had been pillaged by local scrap merchants. Built between 1871 and 1873, the mansion was the brainchild of Titus Salt Jr, the son of the wealthy Victorian industrialist and philanthropist Sir Titus Salt. Towards the end of his life, Titus senior gave his son a plot of farmland to build a house. This would become Milner Field, a lavish, sprawling testament to his wealth and power, which even attracted royal visitors on a few occasions. However, things started to go awry in November of 1887, when Titus junior died suddenly of heart failure in the billiard room of the mansion. The business he’d inherited from his father then began to slump, and the house was sold off to Sir James Roberts, whose personal life was beset by death, calamity, and national scandal after he moved into the residence in 1904. By 1923, the house fell to Ernest Gates, whose wife passed away just two weeks after the move, before he himself died after injuring his foot in an accident and developing septicemia. The final owner of the house, Arthur Remington Hollins, saw his wife die of pneumonia less than a year after moving in, and soon passed away himself by hiccuping to death after irritation of the gall bladder and diaphragm. In 1930, the mansion was put up for sale again, but understandably, it failed to sell. The house lay derelict and started to be stripped of its valuables, its windows, and then finally the roof. Nature reclaimed the site, and by the time of World War II, the grounds were used as grenade practice by the local Home Guard. Today, Milner Field lies in ruins, sheltered by the elements, but look a little more closely and you can still make out the cellars, the mosaic pattern on the conservatory floor, and walk among the piles of masonry and rubble that has been seemingly untouched for 70 years. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/david-bottomley0/message

Join Chrissie, Andy & Myself as we discuss the weeks discoveries & updates from the Library & Dining Room areas of Milner Filed House. The ruins of Milner Field have lain hidden from view since the 1950s, when the mansion’s grisly reputation led to a failed demolition using dynamite. When even TNT couldn’t shift the seemingly cursed house, it was torn down instead several years later in the 1960s - not before the remaining ironworks & suchlike had been pillaged by local scrap merchants. Built between 1871 and 1873, the mansion was the brainchild of Titus Salt Jr, the son of the wealthy Victorian industrialist and philanthropist Sir Titus Salt. Towards the end of his life, Titus senior gave his son a plot of farmland to build a house. This would become Milner Field, a lavish, sprawling testament to his wealth and power, which even attracted royal visitors on a few occasions. However, things started to go awry in November of 1887, when Titus junior died suddenly of heart failure in the billiard room of the mansion. The business he’d inherited from his father then began to slump, and the house was sold off to Sir James Roberts, whose personal life was beset by death, calamity, and national scandal after he moved into the residence in 1904. By 1923, the house fell to Ernest Gates, whose wife passed away just two weeks after the move, before he himself died after injuring his foot in an accident and developing septicemia. The final owner of the house, Arthur Remington Hollins, saw his wife die of pneumonia less than a year after moving in, and soon passed away himself by hiccuping to death after irritation of the gall bladder and diaphragm. In 1930, the mansion was put up for sale again, but understandably, it failed to sell. The house lay derelict and started to be stripped of its valuables, its windows, and then finally the roof. Nature reclaimed the site, and by the time of World War II, the grounds were used as grenade practice by the local Home Guard. Today, Milner Field lies in ruins, sheltered by the elements, but look a little more closely and you can still make out the cellars, the mosaic pattern on the conservatory floor, and walk among the piles of masonry and rubble that has been seemingly untouched for 70 years. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/david-bottomley0/message

Join Chrissie, Andy & Myself as we discuss the last few weeks at Milner Field House & the many new discoveries which have come to light. The ruins of Milner Field have lain hidden from view since the 1950s, when the mansion’s grisly reputation led to a failed demolition using dynamite. When even TNT couldn’t shift the seemingly cursed house, it was torn down instead several years later in the 1960s - not before the remaining ironworks & suchlike had been pillaged by local scrap merchants. Built between 1871 and 1873, the mansion was the brainchild of Titus Salt Jr, the son of the wealthy Victorian industrialist and philanthropist Sir Titus Salt. Towards the end of his life, Titus senior gave his son a plot of farmland to build a house. This would become Milner Field, a lavish, sprawling testament to his wealth and power, which even attracted royal visitors on a few occasions. However, things started to go awry in November of 1887, when Titus junior died suddenly of heart failure in the billiard room of the mansion. The business he’d inherited from his father then began to slump, and the house was sold off to Sir James Roberts, whose personal life was beset by death, calamity, and national scandal after he moved into the residence in 1904. By 1923, the house fell to Ernest Gates, whose wife passed away just two weeks after the move, before he himself died after injuring his foot in an accident and developing septicemia. The final owner of the house, Arthur Remington Hollins, saw his wife die of pneumonia less than a year after moving in, and soon passed away himself by hiccuping to death after irritation of the gall bladder and diaphragm. In 1930, the mansion was put up for sale again, but understandably, it failed to sell. The house lay derelict and started to be stripped of its valuables, its windows, and then finally the roof. Nature reclaimed the site, and by the time of World War II, the grounds were used as grenade practice by the local Home Guard. Today, Milner Field lies in ruins, sheltered by the elements, but look a little more closely and you can still make out the cellars, the mosaic pattern on the conservatory floor, and walk among the piles of masonry and rubble that has been seemingly untouched for 70 years. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/david-bottomley0/message

Episoode 9 : Toilet Talk! Servants Wing & Lavatory Windows... Chrissie, Andy & myself take a look back at the weeks conservation at Milner Field House ruins & discuss what has been uncovered around the servant's quarters, the veranda wall & the missing keystones from the drawing room bay windows... The ruins of Milner Field have lain hidden from view since the 1950s, when the mansion’s grisly reputation led to a failed demolition using dynamite. When even TNT couldn’t shift the seemingly cursed house, it was torn down instead several years later in the 1960s - not before the remaining ironworks & suchlike had been pillaged by local scrap merchants. Built between 1871 and 1873, the mansion was the brainchild of Titus Salt Jr, the son of the wealthy Victorian industrialist and philanthropist Sir Titus Salt. Towards the end of his life, Titus senior gave his son a plot of farmland to build a house. This would become Milner Field, a lavish, sprawling testament to his wealth and power, which even attracted royal visitors on a few occasions. However, things started to go awry in November of 1887, when Titus junior died suddenly of heart failure in the billiard room of the mansion. The business he’d inherited from his father then began to slump, and the house was sold off to Sir James Roberts, whose personal life was beset by death, calamity, and national scandal after he moved into the residence in 1904. By 1923, the house fell to Ernest Gates, whose wife passed away just two weeks after the move, before he himself died after injuring his foot in an accident and developing septicemia. The final owner of the house, Arthur Remington Hollins, saw his wife die of pneumonia less than a year after moving in, and soon passed away himself by hiccuping to death after irritation of the gall bladder and diaphragm. In 1930, the mansion was put up for sale again, but understandably, it failed to sell. The house lay derelict and started to be stripped of its valuables, its windows, and then finally the roof. Nature reclaimed the site, and by the time of World War II, the grounds were used as grenade practice by the local Home Guard. Today, Milner Field lies in ruins, sheltered by the elements, but look a little more closely and you can still make out the cellars, the mosaic pattern on the conservatory floor, and walk among the piles of masonry and rubble that has been seemingly untouched for 70 years. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/david-bottomley0/message

In this episode Chrissie, Andy & Myself take a look at the previous week's efforts in our conservation project of Milner Field House ruins. My apologies for the lack of picture screen sharing on the images discussed!  The ruins of Milner Field have lain hidden from view since the 1950s, when the mansion’s grisly reputation led to a failed demolition using dynamite. When even TNT couldn’t shift the seemingly cursed house, it was torn down instead several years later in the 1960s - not before the remaining ironworks & suchlike had been pillaged by local scrap merchants. Built between 1871 and 1873, the mansion was the brainchild of Titus Salt Jr, the son of the wealthy Victorian industrialist and philanthropist Sir Titus Salt. Towards the end of his life, Titus senior gave his son a plot of farmland to build a house. This would become Milner Field, a lavish, sprawling testament to his wealth and power, which even attracted royal visitors on a few occasions. However, things started to go awry in November of 1887, when Titus junior died suddenly of heart failure in the billiard room of the mansion. The business he’d inherited from his father then began to slump, and the house was sold off to Sir James Roberts, whose personal life was beset by death, calamity, and national scandal after he moved into the residence in 1904. By 1923, the house fell to Ernest Gates, whose wife passed away just two weeks after the move, before he himself died after injuring his foot in an accident and developing septicemia. The final owner of the house, Arthur Remington Hollins, saw his wife die of pneumonia less than a year after moving in, and soon passed away himself by hiccuping to death after irritation of the gall bladder and diaphragm. In 1930, the mansion was put up for sale again, but understandably, it failed to sell. The house lay derelict and started to be stripped of its valuables, its windows, and then finally the roof. Nature reclaimed the site, and by the time of World War II, the grounds were used as grenade practice by the local Home Guard. Today, Milner Field lies in ruins, sheltered by the elements, but look a little more closely and you can still make out the cellars, the mosaic pattern on the conservatory floor, and walk among the piles of masonry and rubble that has been seemingly untouched for 70 years. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/david-bottomley0/message

Join Chrissie, Andy, Allen & Myself for a catchup on all things regarding Milner Field House & our Conservation efforts... The ruins of Milner Field have lain hidden from view since the 1950s, when the mansion’s grisly reputation led to a failed demolition using dynamite. When even TNT couldn’t shift the seemingly cursed house, it was torn down instead several years later in the 1960s - not before the remaining ironworks & suchlike had been pillaged by local scrap merchants. Built between 1871 and 1873, the mansion was the brainchild of Titus Salt Jr, the son of the wealthy Victorian industrialist and philanthropist Sir Titus Salt. Towards the end of his life, Titus senior gave his son a plot of farmland to build a house. This would become Milner Field, a lavish, sprawling testament to his wealth and power, which even attracted royal visitors on a few occasions. However, things started to go awry in November of 1887, when Titus junior died suddenly of heart failure in the billiard room of the mansion. The business he’d inherited from his father then began to slump, and the house was sold off to Sir James Roberts, whose personal life was beset by death, calamity, and national scandal after he moved into the residence in 1904. By 1923, the house fell to Ernest Gates, whose wife passed away just two weeks after the move, before he himself died after injuring his foot in an accident and developing septicemia. The final owner of the house, Arthur Remington Hollins, saw his wife die of pneumonia less than a year after moving in, and soon passed away himself by hiccuping to death after irritation of the gall bladder and diaphragm. In 1930, the mansion was put up for sale again, but understandably, it failed to sell. The house lay derelict and started to be stripped of its valuables, its windows, and then finally the roof. Nature reclaimed the site, and by the time of World War II, the grounds were used as grenade practice by the local Home Guard. Today, Milner Field lies in ruins, sheltered by the elements, but look a little more closely and you can still make out the cellars, the mosaic pattern on the conservatory floor, and walk among the piles of masonry and rubble that has been seemingly untouched for 70 years. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/david-bottomley0/message

Join Chrissie, Andy & myself for a weekly update on all things concerning the Milner Field Cooperative community efforts to preserve & discover the social history of this once grand Gothic Mansion House - the home of the Salt Family... The ruins of Milner Field have lain hidden from view since the 1950s, when the mansion’s grisly reputation led to a failed demolition using dynamite. When even TNT couldn’t shift the seemingly cursed house, it was torn down instead several years later in the 1960s - not before the remaining ironworks & suchlike had been pillaged by local scrap merchants. Built between 1871 and 1873, the mansion was the brainchild of Titus Salt Jr, the son of the wealthy Victorian industrialist and philanthropist Sir Titus Salt. Towards the end of his life, Titus senior gave his son a plot of farmland to build a house. This would become Milner Field, a lavish, sprawling testament to his wealth and power, which even attracted royal visitors on a few occasions. However, things started to go awry in November of 1887, when Titus junior died suddenly of heart failure in the billiard room of the mansion. The business he’d inherited from his father then began to slump, and the house was sold off to Sir James Roberts, whose personal life was beset by death, calamity, and national scandal after he moved into the residence in 1904. By 1923, the house fell to Ernest Gates, whose wife passed away just two weeks after the move, before he himself died after injuring his foot in an accident and developing septicemia. The final owner of the house, Arthur Remington Hollins, saw his wife die of pneumonia less than a year after moving in, and soon passed away himself by hiccuping to death after irritation of the gall bladder and diaphragm. In 1930, the mansion was put up for sale again, but understandably, it failed to sell. The house lay derelict and started to be stripped of its valuables, its windows, and then finally the roof. Nature reclaimed the site, and by the time of World War II, the grounds were used as grenade practice by the local Home Guard. Today, Milner Field lies in ruins, sheltered by the elements, but look a little more closely and you can still make out the cellars, the mosaic pattern on the conservatory floor, and walk among the piles of masonry and rubble that has been seemingly untouched for 70 years. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/david-bottomley0/message

The ruins of Milner Field have lain hidden from view since the 1950s, when the mansion’s grisly reputation led to a failed demolition using dynamite. When even TNT couldn’t shift the seemingly cursed house, it was torn down instead several years later in the 1960s - not before the remaining ironworks & suchlike had been pillaged by local scrap merchants. Built between 1871 and 1873, the mansion was the brainchild of Titus Salt Jr, the son of the wealthy Victorian industrialist and philanthropist Sir Titus Salt. Towards the end of his life, Titus senior gave his son a plot of farmland to build a house. This would become Milner Field, a lavish, sprawling testament to his wealth and power, which even attracted royal visitors on a few occasions. However, things started to go awry in November of 1887, when Titus junior died suddenly of heart failure in the billiard room of the mansion. The business he’d inherited from his father then began to slump, and the house was sold off to Sir James Roberts, whose personal life was beset by death, calamity, and national scandal after he moved into the residence in 1904. By 1923, the house fell to Ernest Gates, whose wife passed away just two weeks after the move, before he himself died after injuring his foot in an accident and developing septicemia. The final owner of the house, Arthur Remington Hollins, saw his wife die of pneumonia less than a year after moving in, and soon passed away himself by hiccuping to death after irritation of the gall bladder and diaphragm. In 1930, the mansion was put up for sale again, but understandably, it failed to sell. The house lay derelict and started to be stripped of its valuables, its windows, and then finally the roof. Nature reclaimed the site, and by the time of World War II, the grounds were used as grenade practice by the local Home Guard. Today, Milner Field lies in ruins, sheltered by the elements, but look a little more closely and you can still make out the cellars, the mosaic pattern on the conservatory floor, and walk among the piles of masonry and rubble that has been seemingly untouched for 70 years. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/david-bottomley0/message

As the rough end of our glorious British autumn turns gradually into winter, we will be ceasing any digging & excavations at Milner Field House ruins forthwith, however we will focus on keeping the place free from litter, dealing with any cleanups caused by vandalism, fires and such like, and doing some removal of dead weeds, plus occasionally sweeping up the conservatory site floor. Every fragment of history recovered shall, as ever be safely stored away safely until they can be curated in the correct fashion, & goto find a good home as is only proper & fitting for the public to appreciate going forwards. To repeat once again for the record: our original stated intentions have never been to permanently deprive anyone of any things related to the history of the Salt dynasty & local history, as has been obtusely suggested recently. Neither would we promote, or encourage such actions as others have apparently done online - merely we simply sought to keep them safe from being randomly taken by souvenir collectors on site. Anybody who has taken the time to talk to us would clearly understand our collective intentions, yet it seems some are only truly content to snipe from their ivory towers rather than get involved in a simple dialogue & find common ground together. Full Transparency is paramount naturally, & as such we thank you all for your understanding in this matter. We would wish to thank everyone who has helped throughout the year, & to give gratitude for each & everyone of you whom met with us during the project. It seems there is an overwhelmingly positive response from the general public. Our podcasts & videocasts will continue, as will occasional historical tours of the house ruins for visitors. All our social media platforms will be fully available & next year's seasonal year round photography project is still shaping up nicely. The newly formed Gilstead History Club is also now up and running, and we welcome new members - not to sit and talk in pointless, faceless committee halls, but to take active part in caring for the environment & wildlife around the area - therefore benefiting the many not the privileged few. Please know also that our plans will only evolve further in order to care for this special place, despite the potentialy libellous attempts to label us in a variety of derogatory, unfair & unkind ways by certain individuals - ones who have talked for more than a decade about action, & yet still proved to be utterly fruitless & impotent in their lack of actions. It seems rather than attempt to communicate or collaborate they simply have a covert agenda, but we shall not ever allow such hypocrisy, and negativity to dampen our spirits in any way, shape or form whatsoever. We thank you all for your continued support & encouragement, this has been inspirational for us far more than you realise. Please continue to get in touch with your accounts, & stories related to Milner Field estate & please do continue to follow our journey on social media, as the passion for Milner Field in our collective hearts doesn't die so easily. 💕 --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/david-bottomley0/message

The ruins of Milner Field have lain hidden from view since the 1950s, when the mansion’s grisly reputation led to a failed demolition using dynamite. When even TNT couldn’t shift the seemingly cursed house, it was torn down instead several years later in the 1960s - not before the remaining ironworks & suchlike had been pillaged by local scrap merchants. Built between 1871 and 1873, the mansion was the brainchild of Titus Salt Jr, the son of the wealthy Victorian industrialist and philanthropist Sir Titus Salt. Towards the end of his life, Titus senior gave his son a plot of farmland to build a house. This would become Milner Field, a lavish, sprawling testament to his wealth and power, which even attracted royal visitors on a few occasions. However, things started to go awry in November of 1887, when Titus junior died suddenly of heart failure in the billiard room of the mansion. The business he’d inherited from his father then began to slump, and the house was sold off to Sir James Roberts, whose personal life was beset by death, calamity, and national scandal after he moved into the residence in 1904. By 1923, the house fell to Ernest Gates, whose wife passed away just two weeks after the move, before he himself died after injuring his foot in an accident and developing septicemia. The final owner of the house, Arthur Remington Hollins, saw his wife die of pneumonia less than a year after moving in, and soon passed away himself by hiccuping to death after irritation of the gall bladder and diaphragm. In 1930, the mansion was put up for sale again, but understandably, it failed to sell. The house lay derelict and started to be stripped of its valuables, its windows, and then finally the roof. Nature reclaimed the site, and by the time of World War II, the grounds were used as grenade practice by the local Home Guard. Today, Milner Field lies in ruins, sheltered by the elements, but look a little more closely and you can still make out the cellars, the mosaic pattern on the conservatory floor, and walk among the piles of masonry and rubble that has been seemingly untouched for 70 years. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/david-bottomley0/message

In our 2nd podcast we are joined by Allen Taylor a local History enthusiast, and host of Explore With Me Youtube channel. On the table for discussions are the topics of the latest project, wildlife & spiders! The ruins of Milner Field have lain hidden from view since the 1950s, when the mansion’s grisly reputation led to a failed demolition using dynamite. When even TNT couldn’t shift the seemingly cursed house, it was torn down instead several years later in the 1960s - not before the remaining ironworks & suchlike had been pillaged by local scrap merchants. Built between 1871 and 1873, the mansion was the brainchild of Titus Salt Jr, the son of the wealthy Victorian industrialist and philanthropist Sir Titus Salt. Towards the end of his life, Titus senior gave his son a plot of farmland to build a house. This would become Milner Field, a lavish, sprawling testament to his wealth and power, which even attracted royal visitors on a few occasions. However, things started to go awry in November of 1887, when Titus junior died suddenly of heart failure in the billiard room of the mansion. The business he’d inherited from his father then began to slump, and the house was sold off to Sir James Roberts, whose personal life was beset by death, calamity, and national scandal after he moved into the residence in 1904. By 1923, the house fell to Ernest Gates, whose wife passed away just two weeks after the move, before he himself died after injuring his foot in an accident and developing septicemia. The final owner of the house, Arthur Remington Hollins, saw his wife die of pneumonia less than a year after moving in, and soon passed away himself by hiccuping to death after irritation of the gall bladder and diaphragm. In 1930, the mansion was put up for sale again, but understandably, it failed to sell. The house lay derelict and started to be stripped of its valuables, its windows, and then finally the roof. Nature reclaimed the site, and by the time of World War II, the grounds were used as grenade practice by the local Home Guard. Today, Milner Field lies in ruins, sheltered by the elements, but look a little more closely and you can still make out the cellars, the mosaic pattern on the conservatory floor, and walk among the piles of masonry and rubble that has been seemingly untouched for 70 years. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/david-bottomley0/message

A short update on progress uncovering the northwest corner Entebbe of the house... The porch entrance, doorway and corridor which leads into Titus Salt Jr's office... --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/david-bottomley0/message

Following a fantastic first podcast I joined Frances Brody at Waterstones in Bradford for Her talk and book signing. A Mansion for Murder is it now. Highly recommended. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/david-bottomley0/message

Join Chrissie & Myself as we discuss the early days of the History & Discovery project at Milner Field House ruins. This is a labour of love for all involved & please join us for future discussions when Allen & Andrew will also join the conversation.  --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/david-bottomley0/message

Following the uncovering of the Orangerie & surroundings of the Palmhouse we rediscovered more secrets which time, and nature had reclaimed.  The garden roundhouse & the outer porch and entrance to the house begin to unveil their hidden past after many decades.... The ruins of Milner Field have lain hidden from view since the 1950s, when the mansion’s grisly reputation led to a failed demolition using dynamite. When even TNT couldn’t shift the seemingly cursed house, it was torn down instead several years later in the 1960s - not before the remaining ironworks & suchlike had been pillaged by local scrap merchants. Built between 1871 and 1873, the mansion was the brainchild of Titus Salt Jr, the son of the wealthy Victorian industrialist and philanthropist Sir Titus Salt. Towards the end of his life, Titus senior gave his son a plot of farmland to build a house. This would become Milner Field, a lavish, sprawling testament to his wealth and power, which even attracted royal visitors on a few occasions. However, things started to go awry in November of 1887, when Titus junior died suddenly of heart failure in the billiard room of the mansion. The business he’d inherited from his father then began to slump, and the house was sold off to Sir James Roberts, whose personal life was beset by death, calamity, and national scandal after he moved into the residence in 1904. By 1923, the house fell to Ernest Gates, whose wife passed away just two weeks after the move, before he himself died after injuring his foot in an accident and developing septicemia. The final owner of the house, Arthur Remington Hollins, saw his wife die of pneumonia less than a year after moving in, and soon passed away himself by hiccuping to death after irritation of the gall bladder and diaphragm. In 1930, the mansion was put up for sale again, but understandably, it failed to sell. The house lay derelict and started to be stripped of its valuables, its windows, and then finally the roof. Nature reclaimed the site, and by the time of World War II, the grounds were used as grenade practice by the local Home Guard. Today, Milner Field lies in ruins, sheltered by the elements, but look a little more closely and you can still make out the cellars, the mosaic pattern on the conservatory floor, and walk among the piles of masonry and rubble that has been seemingly untouched for 70 years. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/david-bottomley0/message