Opened in 1925 giving under priviledged children a Summer holiday experience near the sea away from the coal mines of the valleys – this Boy’s Village at Aberthaw in South Wales is now totally derelict and a prime target for some graffiti and street art.
After changing owners in the 1990′s it has laid empty for many years now with demolition imminent to make way for a few lavish houses!
A walk inside the structure in the centre of the top photo, previously a gymnasium, and inside there’s a huge space with bright shafts of light beaming through the partly broken roof. Graffiti and street art adorn all the walls and brighten up an otherwise rather grey area.
An open doorway leads you into the sports arena and straight under the only sign of it’s previous life – a basketball target still firmly attatched to the wall.
Rubble, glass and pieces of other materials from the roof are strewn across the floor along with the odd aerosol can left from previous visitors.
The above photo shows the view from the centre of the indoor gymnasium looking up towards the spectator area. No window or roof has survived to enclose this area now and was getting quite exposed to the elements.
On the roof weeds, nettles and ivy were entwinded and making their way throughout the metal framework – the leaves hanging down did create quite a nice effect in the sunlight.
At ground level graffiti totally surrounded the whole gym from local artists like Cruel Vapours, Skwerm, Gorf and Amok.
Outside and more plantlife takes control of the building whilst the sad and sorry structure manages to survive just a few more months before the bulldozers move in to end the history on this site.
The full set can be viewed at the link below or by pressing play on the slideshow.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/djleekee/sets/72157642476599965/
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