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Who would live in a gothic manor like this? Mysterious abandoned'doctor's house' has five vintage cars in the garage, yellowingcopies of Which Car magazine littering the halls and swimmingpool covered with moss

Manor house in Hampole, near Doncaster, is full of 20-year-old magazines and obsolete technologyIt is said to have been owned by psychiatrist Neil Silvester, who recommended release of killer Carol Barratt twodays before she stabbed young girl to death

By Hugo Gye

PUBLISHED: 11:16 GMT, 7 November 2013 | UPDATED: 15:32 GMT, 7 November 2013

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These eerie images show how a gothic manor which was abandoned by its occupants has become a timewarp after being neglected for 20 years.

The mansion in Hampole, near Doncaster, dubbed the 'doctor's house' by locals, is filled with old magazines, obsolete technology and vintage carswhich are rusting away.

Its state rooms are falling apart, while the swimming pool is covered with moss.

Spooky: This manor house in Hampole, near Doncaster, has been abandoned for nearly 20 years

Garage: This Marcos 1800GT and 1964 Humber Super Snipe Series IV are two of the five cars found abandoned on the property

Crumbling: A dust-covered copy of Which Car is one of many old magazines found lying around the house

Derelict: The state rooms such as this one are completely empty since the last owner departed in the 1990s

The building, which is known as both 'Manor House' and 'Ivy Farm Manor', is believed to have belonged to a notorious psychiatrist who once dischargeda patient two days before she killed an 11-year-old girl.

Neil Silvester authorised the release of Carol Barratt from psychiatric care in April 1991 even though she had threatened a young girl with a knife andtried to strangle a medic.

The 24-year-old patient then randomly attacked schoolgirl Emma Brodie and stabbed her to death in a Doncaster shopping centre.

An inquiry found that Dr Silvester had made 'a serious error of clinical judgement' and he seems to have moved out of his Hampole home soonafterwards, although he continued to practice at Doncaster Royal Infirmary.

Grounds: The home is set in an extensive garden which looks overgrown and neglected

'Doctor's house': The home is believed to have been owned by Neil Silvester, a psychiatrist who in 1991 allowed Carol Barratt to leave hospital two days before she killed 11-year-oldEmma Brodie

Overgrown: The swimming pool, overlooked by animals painted on an outside wall, is now covered with a layer of moss

Rediscovered: A bottle of moutwash was sitting on the shelf when photographers David Morley and Steve Vernon visited

A hint at the house's previous occupancy is provided by a crumbling copy of the journal Advances in Psychiatric Treatment which was found in thehome.

There are a number of magazines including copies of Which Car, a 40-year-old issue of Popular Hi-Fi and an edition of the now-defunct Todaynewspaper from October 1991.

The last occupant's interest in cars is shown by the five vintage cars left in the garage and elsewhere on the property, including a Marcos 1800GT and a1964 Humber Super Snipe Series IV.

A reminder of how long the home has been abandoned is provided by the discovery of a Betamax tape, a format which went out of fashion nearly 30years ago.

Rotting away: Cars which could be very valuable if they had been kept in good condition are abandoned around the grounds

Hobby: It is clear that a former occupant of the home was a big fan of cars

Obsolete: A Betamax tape was found at the manor even though the format has barely been used for the past 30 years

Ancient: A copy of Popular Hi-Fi magazine from September 1973 was another old publication found there

Photographers David Morley, 30, and Steve Vernon, 36, both from Doncaster, explored the derelict building which has been left open to the elements.

'It was very eerie inside, the house was just abandoned,' Mr Morley said.

'It looks as if time has stood still. It's easy to imagine that the previous owner left his life behind to start again somewhere else.

'There were five vintage cars at the property. We got the impression that the old study would have been beautiful before it was abandoned. Papers hadbeen thrown all over the place.

Catching up with the news: A copy of Today, the now-defunct newspaper founded by Eddy Shah, dates back to October 1991

Experience: The photographers said that the scene inside the house 'looks as if time has stood still.'

Stripped: Some of the vehicles appeared to have had their most valuable parts removed

Scrap: The shell of another car with its seat, steering wheel and dashboard all stripped out

'There is a big swimming pool in the back but it's now full of grass. The orangery was smashed to bits - there was glass all over the floor.'

The Grade II listed building dates from the early 19th century, although parts of the house are thought to be much older.

It is not known who currently owns the abandoned home.

HOW THE SPOOKY HOUSE IS LINKED TO RANDOM KILLING OF 11-YEAR-OLD GIRL WHICH SHOCKED BRITAIN

Neil Silvester, a psychiatrist believed to have lived in the abandoned manor house at Hampole, found notoriety after releasing Carol Barratt fromhospital.

The 24-year-old had been subjected to a 28-day detention order after threatening a young girl with a knife.

However, half-way through the order, Barratt's mother asked Dr Silvester to authorise her release from Doncaster Royal Infirmary.

Two days later, Barratt went to a Doncaster shopping centre and killed 11-year-old Emma Brodie in a random knife attack.

The killer admitted manslaughter and was ordered to be detained in a mental health unit indefinitely.

The victim's family sued the local health authority, and settled out of court for an undisclosed compensation payout.

Dr Silvester was order to undergo additional training, but kept his job at the hospital.

Unused: It does not seem that any attempt has ever been made to renovate the manor house

Atmospheric: Dozens of photographers have previously visited the house drawn by its eerie reputation

Book: The Art of Colour Photography was one volume left behind by the last owner

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Comments (285)

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Bob Littlepage, Arvada, United States, 2 hours ago

That reminds me, I need to pick up some lottery tickets.

01

Blowfish_44, Dublin, 3 hours ago

I would take that house in a flash

21

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denisherring, christchurch nz, New Zealand, 3 hours ago

Sums up the whole pyscho industry. PLease lie on the couch whilst the sick examine you all.

06

Contax, Brigg, United Kingdom, 4 hours ago

Maybe one of the energy companies should buy it and renovate as they are the only people rich enough to keep it warm.

015

DrMallard, West Palm Beach FL USA, 5 hours ago

Well, if they ever do Disneyland Doncaster that should make a perfect Haunted Mansion.

08

cestrian, chester, United Kingdom, 6 hours ago

How wealthy do you need to be, to be able to just walk away from a house of that size, without selling it ?

040

Big Ron, Sutton London, United Kingdom, 6 hours ago

Can't see any vintage cars in the pictures.Vintage cars are those made between 1910 and 1930.

815

samantha, sheffield, 4 hours ago

It's 1919 to 1930 actually if you're going to be pedantic.

210

J.S., London, United Kingdom, 6 hours ago

What a beautiful house to go to ruin. And those cars, I hope one of those brilliant people who restore classic cars can work their wonder on them one day.

022

CharlesX, ACT, Australia, 6 hours ago

Can anyone make out what the website written in the dust on the windscreen of the Marcos 1800GT is? I can see the .co.uk but that is about all.

06

Trevor McDonald, London., United Kingdom, 6 hours ago

Knackered.co.uk

03

george, swindon, Portugal, 6 hours ago

Webuyanycar.co.uk

04

Irk, Brighton, United Kingdom, 6 hours ago

I smell gunpowder, and can hear helicopters.

77

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