An abandoned farmhouse on the border of England and Wales aptly named ‘Red Dress Manor’ amongst communities both on and offline after the first explorer who entered the property found the vivid red dress hung inside the bedroom. Finding this holy grail of places was one of the absolute highlights of my years in photography. The entire house is a portal back to the 70s, as the home was never reoccupied following the death of the Jones family more than 40 years ago. The belongings and written accounts of the people who once lived here lie scattered in each room. Bills, diaries, birthday cards and family photos garnish each and every corner. ‘His and Hers’ Morris Marina’s with insurance documents still intact lying dormant in the garages surrounded by cattle barns and overgrown fields. The curtains of the lady's bedroom blowing in the wind aside the makeup dresser (the red dress nowhere to be found). Finding a rural home frozen in time like this is something of an explorer’s dream, since there is significantly less of a chance of vandalism and theft which plagues many of the urban locations I have visited before. There is certainly evidence of people having been here before me, with the suitcases and wardrobes having been emptied and many generations of birds nests litter the floors with feathers. It is truly admirable that this place has remained this way for so long; telling the mysterious story of the Jones family and their way of life before passing in such an intimate way is a real testament to them and the home that they made.
