Made a solo visit here on a very wet day. A nice relaxed visit to these abandoned observatories, as observatories go they are quite small. A friend had posted pics of these on his Insta, did not take long to locate. The main draw is the bigger one of the three with the telescope still in situ. It was a tight squeeze to get in, and it’s quite dark and dingy inside. I have never been an observatory before, derelict or in use, so jumped at the chance to visit one.
The observatories were part of the Newcastle university, this observatory was based at the Closehouse estate which was the universities sports facilities. They had two modern telescopes in the smaller observatories, but in the main one is a 24 inch Calve reflector, it was one of the largest telescopes in the country. The telescope was donated to university in 1971 after it had been restored. The university sold off the complex and the house is now a hotel and wedding venue, and the sports pitches are a golf course. The university removed the two modern telescopes and are in storage at Newcastle University. The main telescope has just been left to go derelict.
The first two observatories.
Inside the smaller one. With makeshift telescope mount.
The middle one which had the remaining mount.
The main telescope.
A nice plaque on the side of the telescope mount. It could easily be missed at it was dark around the side. It honours the maker of the telescope and the next owners.
The observatories were part of the Newcastle university, this observatory was based at the Closehouse estate which was the universities sports facilities. They had two modern telescopes in the smaller observatories, but in the main one is a 24 inch Calve reflector, it was one of the largest telescopes in the country. The telescope was donated to university in 1971 after it had been restored. The university sold off the complex and the house is now a hotel and wedding venue, and the sports pitches are a golf course. The university removed the two modern telescopes and are in storage at Newcastle University. The main telescope has just been left to go derelict.
The first two observatories.
Inside the smaller one. With makeshift telescope mount.
The middle one which had the remaining mount.
The main telescope.
A nice plaque on the side of the telescope mount. It could easily be missed at it was dark around the side. It honours the maker of the telescope and the next owners.
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