Report - Leverton Hall Secure Unit – Essex – September 2016

[DRZ_Explorer]

I'm only pulling your leg

Could hardly call my phone a torch as well it was all but useless

 

[Neilandrewhall]

Went here tonight the road leading up to the building has all Police dogs signs and security signs

Managed to walk half way up the forest path and had to go back to the car as was worried secca would appear as heard footsteps.

Will try again in day

 

[DRZ_Explorer]

Went here tonight the road leading up to the building has all Police dogs signs and security signs

Managed to walk half way up the forest path and had to go back to the car as was worried secca would appear as heard footsteps.

Will try again in day

i went back a few days after this re[prt was written only to find out the old way in wasn' possible and couldn't see another way in

take that how you will

 

[MaverickUK]

How interesting. Shame you couldn't have taken more of the original building. I went there a few times from about 71, aged 11 or so. Then it had a fancy name which I cant recall at the moment, but it was always an assessment /remand centre, before being moved on to a childrens home etc. Essex county council/social services would send people there from the courts. Sometimes for a few weeks, sometimes for many months. One or two were lifers, like dear old Patrick Shepherd who had mental illness and had been there forever. It was very much like a children's home (this is pre-leverton era) it had school periods in the dining room. Days out and great adventures in the grounds with Mr Green...sadly often killing things like rabbits etc. He also took us to church sometimes in a pony and trap. Also camping in South Weald etc. There was a small gatehouse/lodge at the lane entrance where the man in charge lived, a MR Hays...fine old gentleman. The white block enclosure to the south side is original of the period and was the kitchen area. It had a boiler house underground to the left of the main entrance to the building, I suspect under the white wall area. Mr Grumpy was the snot who lived in the adjacent big house at the top of dark lane. Always moaning about something we did...as if!! lol Happy days for a feral kid. I'd love to go back and have a butchers before its ruined once again into flats and houses. Mind you in this day and age it might be a saving grace for the old place.
The dog units use many of these old places for training, as do firearms units etc. There used to be an interesting one at silver end airfield and you could see the targets in the rooms of the old RAF station buildings, which I think may still be there despite being sold off in the not too distant past.

 

[MaverickUK]

How interesting. Shame you couldn't have taken more of the original building. I went there a few times from about 71, aged 11 or so. Then it had a fancy name which I cant recall at the moment, but it was always an assessment /remand centre, before being moved on to a childrens home etc. Essex county council/social services would send people there from the courts. Sometimes for a few weeks, sometimes for many months. One or two were lifers, like dear old Patrick Shepherd who had mental illness and had been there forever. It was very much like a children's home (this is pre-leverton era) it had school periods in the dining room. Days out and great adventures in the grounds with Mr Green...sadly often killing things like rabbits etc. He also took us to church sometimes in a pony and trap. Also camping in South Weald etc. There was a small gatehouse/lodge at the lane entrance where the man in charge lived, a MR Hays...fine old gentleman. The white block enclosure to the south side is original of the period and was the kitchen area. It had a boiler house underground to the left of the main entrance to the building, I suspect under the white wall area. Mr Grumpy was the snot who lived in the adjacent big house at the top of dark lane. Always moaning about something we did...as if!! lol Happy days for a feral kid. I'd love to go back and have a butchers before its ruined once again into flats and houses. Mind you in this day and age it might be a saving grace for the old place. The dog units use many of these old places for training, as do firearms units etc. There used to be an interesting one at silver end airfield and you could see the targets in the rooms of the old RAF station buildings, which I think may still be there despite being sold off in the not too distant past.

 

[Supersonic]

How interesting. Shame you couldn't have taken more of the original building. I went there a few times from about 71, aged 11 or so. Then it had a fancy name which I cant recall at the moment, but it was always an assessment /remand centre, before being moved on to a childrens home etc. Essex county council/social services would send people there from the courts. Sometimes for a few weeks, sometimes for many months. One or two were lifers, like dear old Patrick Shepherd who had mental illness and had been there forever. It was very much like a children's home (this is pre-leverton era) it had school periods in the dining room. Days out and great adventures in the grounds with Mr Green...sadly often killing things like rabbits etc. He also took us to church sometimes in a pony and trap. Also camping in South Weald etc. There was a small gatehouse/lodge at the lane entrance where the man in charge lived, a MR Hays...fine old gentleman. The white block enclosure to the south side is original of the period and was the kitchen area. It had a boiler house underground to the left of the main entrance to the building, I suspect under the white wall area. Mr Grumpy was the snot who lived in the adjacent big house at the top of dark lane. Always moaning about something we did...as if!! lol Happy days for a feral kid. I'd love to go back and have a butchers before its ruined once again into flats and houses. Mind you in this day and age it might be a saving grace for the old place.
The dog units use many of these old places for training, as do firearms units etc. There used to be an interesting one at silver end airfield and you could see the targets in the rooms of the old RAF station buildings, which I think may still be there despite being sold off in the not too distant past.

Nice to hear your previous experience. I did take a few pics of the actual hall if you wanted me to send you them? Drop me a private messsge.

 

[MaverickUK]

Nice to hear your previous experience. I did take a few pics of the actual hall if you wanted me to send you them? Drop me a private messsge.

Thank you. Could you perhaps post them onto something like......oh bugger forgot the name now, but an online album and then post a link so that we can all see them, and also provide others with a link to your collection. I saw a pic of the main front door somewhere else, a big wooden thing with wrought ironwork decoration, which took me right back. I read elsewhere the name *leverton* was actually from the architect who designed the original Boyles Court. If they turned it into flats it would be an awesome location to live.

 

[Supersonic]

Thank you. Could you perhaps post them onto something like......oh bugger forgot the name now, but an online album and then post a link so that we can all see them, and also provide others with a link to your collection. I saw a pic of the main front door somewhere else, a big wooden thing with wrought ironwork decoration, which took me right back. I read elsewhere the name *leverton* was actually from the architect who designed the original Boyles Court. If they turned it into flats it would be an awesome location to live.

yeh I'm sure I can organise perhaps making a Flickr album. I'll sort it out on the weekend and link you.

 

[MaverickUK]

That'll be great thanks. Might need to plan a visit soon myself while its still there.

 

[LowkeyUrbex]

Place is half demolished now by the way. Went a few weeks ago with some friends, diggers everywhere and half of it ripped down

 

[MaverickUK]

I'm only interested in the house anyway. The secure unit was a blot on the landscape. All those keys and locks probably worth a fortune. Where do you park to go there as dark lane is a bit limited and open. I see the farm next door is up for sale as well. When we used to live there and do a runner we'd go through the woods and come out adjacent to the railway bridge at Nags Head Lane off to the south east a bit. Google maps shows another back road leading to the place, no idea what that is as it wasn't there in the 70s.

 

[LowkeyUrbex]

I'm only interested in the house anyway. The secure unit was a blot on the landscape. All those keys and locks probably worth a fortune. Where do you park to go there as dark lane is a bit limited and open. I see the farm next door is up for sale as well. When we used to live there and do a runner we'd go through the woods and come out adjacent to the railway bridge at Nags Head Lane off to the south east a bit. Google maps shows another back road leading to the place, no idea what that is as it wasn't there in the 70s.

We parked right outside the gate where you have to walk across that long stretch towards the farm etc and then cut across the field. Quite overgrown.

 

[mockney reject]

We parked right outside the gate where you have to walk across that long stretch towards the farm etc and then cut across the field. Quite overgrown.

Or you could just walk up the drive way like we did

 

[Twist2301]

Great report mate and an awesome explore. I'll tag on a few of my photos later (y)

Is it still accessible?

 

[UrbanDuck]

Is it still accessible?

It's long long gone I'm afraid.