Tales of the Urban Explorer: Wood Top Infants School

Twenty-four years, that’s how long a building must exist, empty and unheated, to look like what you are about to see.

‘Wood Top Infants School’ is well documented, unlike some of these broken-down shitholes I visit, and this one has solid evidence that it closed in 2000.

I had tried this one at least twice before, as far back as 2020. I spotted it roadside with Hive account@bingbabe.

She was not interested in exploring a derelict wreck in full view of the area, especially as it seemed full of Herras fencing.

Well, no shit..., there were layers and layers of the stuff, and apart from a large wall on one side, getting into the grounds appeared to be fraught with difficulty.

Was it worth it, considering the roof was half missing and knowing that, inside, mystical tomes of ancient teachings were unlikely to be uncovered?

At the time, I was disgruntled about being thwarted and added it to my revisit ‘urban back-burner’.

After reading Razor, the Goth had been in, I figured it was that time, though how he managed it remains a mystery.

Source

Four years later, I was back with Hive account@anidiotexplores, hoping some of the fencing might have disintegrated in those missing years.

Sadly, this was not the case, but I had an extra pair of eyes in the form of my comrade, who, after a quick appraisal of the situation, jumped over the front wall in full view of many passing cars and vanished into the undergrowth.

… or would have if it were the height of summer; however, being January, this consisted of broken trees with sharp edges likely to remove an eye or two.

…’the obvious entry point, relatively quick and easy, but in full view of a busy main road. We were in luck, and no cops noticed us’…

It was the logical approach, but extremely blatant. Four years ago, I would never have dared to be so audacious about an entrance, but times change, and sooner or later, you stop giving a shit.

Wading through the weed-stricken trees I made my way toward the side and eventually the rear of ‘Wood Top Infants School’ but not before noticing the sign raised high on the wall.

Getting close to this was out of the question, unless you are happy getting major scratching.

If there was going to be any evidence this building was once inhabited by humans, this could be it.

They went to a lot of effort to keep people out; some nasty, spiky-looking wrought iron deterrents gave us disapproving looks... and was that grease paint?

There it was, an overturned bucket that squashed flat under your weight with a narrow window to welcome guests.

Hive account@anidiotexplores went in first, seemingly with little effort, leaving me flapping like a beached seal to get inside. There was nothing to grip, so it was a case of trying to lift my body up and hoping for a little forward momentum.

On the other side, there was a drop of three feet or so, and the landing area was none too pleasant. After five minutes of struggling, I was in and jumping down to a blackened, burned-out mess.

My initial view was hardly promising: a dividing wall with holes punched through, and evidence of regular ‘Burnley’ graffiti of the lowest standard.

Things were to get much worse. I had to walk under all this roofing that looked ready to tumble if I let out a stray sneeze.

On the other side, this is supposed to be inside, not outside.

That…, looks very much like a Victorian school, it has a certain sense of style and attending one when I was a nipper helped a lot.

It does resemble a flimsy prison, but initial looks can be deceiving.

In here, you had to watch your footing as a dividing wall had collapsed, and if that broke when you stood on it, there could be a sizeable dip to find solid ground.

Bright yellow doors and more than one. Young kids like colourful things. As I recall, one of these was the main entrance and was sealed like super glue.

There are always some areas where you simply can’t go. Too much shit in the way.

In the far corner, high up, sits an old tank full of moss. If it were to service a toilet, then the rest of it was long gone.

Ah yes... I was saying...

An old genuine knocker, full of rust, webs and grime. What a delight.

Much of ‘Wood Top Infants School’ was so far gone that I was having trouble discerning what used to be in these rooms.

See the holes under the collapsed wall panels again? They are not going to kill you, but you must watch what you’re doing in places.

It’s all very well boarding up windows, but when the walls immediately next to them are collapsing, then your security is starting to lapse a little.

Just this small area that had suffered from burning. There’s little doubt that if Burnley County Council don’t do anything soon, it’s going to go up in a fireball.

Hive account@anidiotexplores poses at the seal flapping entrance. Getting out was a whole lot easier.

A local noticed us exiting and, for once, didn’t start angrily yelling. He was more interested in what we saw inside. After a few minutes of chatting, we managed to ease away.

There were more terrible places to explore, and then the next one would be even worse.

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