Taxal Lodge

History

Taxal lodge was built in 1904 and was the home of Lt. Col. H. Ramsden  Jodrell. Who died in 1950. The lodge then became a special School. This Lodge replaced an earlier Taxal Lodge originally built futher up the valley which is long gone.

The current Taxal Lodge closed in 2005 and has also be vacant for many Years and has slowly gone into decay which grabbed the attention of the local yobs which vandalised it even further. There was a fire early March 2010 which ripped through one of the out buildings.

Memories from some of the pupils

ABUSED

“I was 11 years old when I attended this school in Whaley Bridge, the years 1970-1975, and I was sexually abused by the headmaster Mr Cory, he would take me upstairs above the showers and touch me and kiss me, also when he got the chance he would take me out on my own in the car and go up to the moors pretending he was going bird watching and I am not the only person who was abused there. I wish the people who was also tell their story about this school for paedos.”

My Time at Taxal

“I'm shocked to the core to read the above message about the bloke being abused. I was at Taxal Lodge from 1989-92 and had an absolutely brilliant time there. The scenery in the winter from my bedroom window was outstanding and the summers were even better. All the social workers were brilliant and the activities we could do in the hills was something we would never have got the chance to do back in the city. I'm really sad that it's now been sold to turn into flats, this is one of the finest houses you will see or ever get the chance to live in.”

Explore

Visited June 2010

Visited Taxal Lodge on a sunny June evening and what a place it is, short walk up to it through the neighbouring field and over a very low fence and We were in.

What an impressive building with great architecture and overgrown grounds quite scary standing there looking up at the windows and curtains hanging out like drapes. Looked around the grounds looking for a way in only to find all the doors blocked up with metal sheeting  covered in spray paint, W e were about to give up and then we found an open door. Wow is the first impression You get and it stays like that right the way till it’s time to go even then Your buzzin.

 Headed straight upstairs as it seemed to make sense theres plenty to see lots the school left there after they had left books,maps,tv`s,blackboards ect.. The place has been pretty trashed and lots of graffiti some of it is quite good to be honest lots of light to take photos with. Upstairs completed We headed downstairs lots of classrooms and a kitchen still with cookers and fridges an office with phones and pupil records the entrance all boarded up and posters from the pupils on the walls the room next to the entrance had two pool tables and table tennis. As we headed back We noticed a little door and some steps leading down to total darkness as We built up some courage We went down what seemed like forever with hearts racing like crazy, it was a totally different world down there everything in its place spare Hoover bags, Washing up liquid all sorts of cool stuff, enough time down there We went back up to the light and headed back to the car after having a quick play around on the abandoned tennis courts.