Drone Scene

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Basildon Park added to National Trust in South East by clinkadink on 10/09/2023

Parking & TOAL: 51.493479, -1.115587

The masterpiece of John Carr of York, this Palladian villa was built for Sir Francis Sykes between 1776 and 1783. It is a beautifully balanced building of warm Bath stone consisting of a main central block joined to individual pavilions by single-storey linkages.

Sykes was the youngest son of a Yorkshire yeoman farmer who made a fortune working for the East India Company on the great Sub-Continent. He held many important posts including Factor & Chief of Kasimbazara and resided at the Court of the Nawab of Bengal, until ill-health forced him to return to England in 1768. He bought Basildon from the estate of Viscount Fane, three years later. Sykes was a close friend of Warren Hastings, the Governor-General of India, who lived at nearby Purley Hall and, along with a number of other 'nabobs' resident in the vicinity, he helped give Berkshire its reputation of being the "English Hindoostan". He was created a baronet in 1781.

Basildon was inherited by Sir Francis' grandson and namesake in 1804, when parts of the house were still incomplete. Unfortunately, Sir Francis Junior inherited massive debts from his spendthrift father and, in 1838, the estate was sold to James Morrison MP, one of the richest of the early Victorian merchant princes. He was a famous art-lover who became instrumental in the setting up of the National Gallery. He exclaimed of Basildon, "What a casket to enclose pictorial gems!". His architect, John Papworth, undertook a number of sympathetic alterations at the house between 1837 and 1842, after which the family took up full residence in the best of Victorian traditions.

The last of the Morrisons died in 1910, after which Basildon often stood empty. It was used as a convalescent home for Berkshire regimental soldiers during the Great War, but subsequently fell into an increasing state of dilapidation. The estate was purchased by the 1st Lord Iliffe in 1928 in order to expand his Yattendon lands and the house was sold on to a George Ferdinando. This man had planned to have the place systematically demolished and re-erected in the United States! A scheme which, fortunately, never came to fruition, though many of the decorative fittings can now be seen in the Waldorf Astoria Hotel.

Miraculously, in 1952, Basildon was repurchased by Lord Iliffe's son and his new bride who set about restoring the place to its present splendour. Many fixtures and fittings were bought from other country houses whose fate was not so fortunate.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basildon_Park

View and discuss this location in more detail on Grey Arrows.

Co-ordinates: 51.49878, -1.121342 • what3words: ///stealthier.curated.tumble

The originator declared that this location was not inside a Flight Restriction Zone at the time of being flown on 10/09/2023. It remains the responsibility of any pilot to check for any changes before flying at the same location. Landowner permission may be required before taking off.

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Stanley Turner Ground Lewes, Lewes (By grandad1950)

Sharing the same facilities Lewes Rugby Club and the cricket club sit by the river nestled under the South Downs just to the south of the town. Its a good place to fly if there are no matches on. Good views of the downs and the river

View and discuss this location on Grey Arrows.

Co-ordinates: 50.86431, -0.002551 • what3words: ///eggs.gent.cracks

Hickling Basin on the Grantham Canal, Rushcliffe (By bryand)

I have been trying to document the current state of the Grantham Canal as it wends its way across the Vale of Belvoir. The Canal is mostly owned by the Canal and Rivers Trust, who have an NT-like policy. However there are enough bridges over the canal to provide TOAL spots without upsetting anybody.
Hickling Basin, at the southernmost point on the Canal is now a tourist spot popular with dog walkers. Probably best seen at this time of year with no foliage to hide the landscape and before nesting season.

View and discuss this location on Grey Arrows.

Co-ordinates: 52.85842, -0.975287 • what3words: ///factored.kebab.spooned

Pelsall Junction, North Common Canal, Walsall (By johnb78)

Pelsall Junction is a historic canal intersection in the West Midlands (grid reference SK018044) where the Cannock Extension Canal branches off the main line of the Wyrley and Essington Canal. Known for its Grade II listed footbridge (the "Red Iron"), the junction serves as a key, tranquil access point for boaters, walkers, and nature lovers exploring the Birmingham Canal Navigations
(description from wikipedia).

I have flown here a couple of times but you have to be mindful of the SSSi that is nearby, but also it is a popular spot for fishing.

Parking: there is no direct parking but there is a carpark at the Finger Post pub but I decided not to park there and parks on a public side street nearby and walked the short distance to the spot

View and discuss this location on Grey Arrows.

Co-ordinates: 52.63753, -1.972109 • what3words: ///decent.stored.bunny

(Ex) HMP Shepton Mallet, Mendip (By gasbag43)

HMP Shepton Mallet is a former prison in Shepton Mallet, Somerset. When it closed in 2013, it had been the United Kingdom's oldest operating prison, following the closure of HMP Lancaster Castle in 2011.

Recommended as a good place to fly if you ever wanted to drone over a prison location without breaching an FRZ as the architecture and layout remains authentic

Before closure, Shepton Mallet was a category C lifer prison holding 189 prisoners. The prison building is Grade II* listed, while the former gatehouse and perimeter walls are Grade II.

The prison was opened in 1625 and expanded in 1790. This included the installation of a treadwheel for those sentenced to hard labour. In 1843 the number of cells was increased by adding a second storey to each wing. In 1930 the number of inmates had fallen and the prison was closed.

Following the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939, the prison was reopened as a military prison. It was initially used by the British Army and later by American forces who constructed a new execution block to hang condemned prisoners. Following the war the prison continued as a military "glasshouse" until it was returned to civilian use in 1966.

The prison was decommissioned in 2013 and now serves as a tourist attraction, with guided tours and other activities.

View and discuss this location on Grey Arrows.

Co-ordinates: 51.19072, -2.542963 • what3words: ///pairings.handwriting.cunning

Bath Road Viaduct, Mendip (By gasbag43)

This aerial shot captures the Bath Road Viaduct, a graceful remnant of the Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway (S&D) that once cut through the heart of Shepton Mallet. Bathed in the warm glow of a winter sunrise, the structure’s 27 arches remain a testament to Victorian engineering, even as the tracks they once carried have long since vanished.

Constructed in the 1870s, this stone-built giant was part of the "Evercreech New" extension, designed to connect the Midlands with the South Coast. For nearly a century, heavy steam locomotives thundered across these arches, hauling both passengers and the region's vital coal and stone.

The viaduct fell silent following the Beeching Cuts in 1966, which closed the S&D line. Today the structure bridges the gap between the town's industrial heritage—symbolised by the nearby Kilver Court and cider mills—and the rolling Mendip Hills.

For Trivia fans, the large complex seen just beyond the viaduct is Kilver Court. Originally built as a textile mill in the 1700s, it was famously transformed in the mid-20th century by the Showering family. This site is the birthplace of Babycham, the sparkling perry that some argue revolutionized post-war drinking habits in the UK

The viaduct now serves as a spectacular elevated walkway, preserved as a Grade II listed monument that offers a "birds-eye" perspective of Shepton's unique blend of rural charm and industrial grit

View and discuss this location on Grey Arrows.

Co-ordinates: 51.1893, -2.53332 • what3words: ///gardens.orbited.tribune

Cockfield Spoil Heaps, County Durham (By Keltoi)

The Cockfield spoil heaps, located on Cockfield Fell in County Durham, are prominent industrial relics from centuries of coal and whinstone mining. These large mounds and ridges of waste stone and shale, often referred to as extraction heaps, now form a distinctive, weathered landscape that acts as a significant, preserved remnant of the region's mining heritage.

Location: Situated on Cockfield Fell, near the village of Cockfield in County Durham, UK.
Origin: They are the result of decades—and in some areas, centuries—of coal mining and industrial activity.
Appearance: From above, the heaps appear as sweeping, linear mounds and deep scars in the landscape, often described as having an "otherworldly" or artistic quality.
Significance: Cockfield Fell is recognized as one of the best-preserved industrial landscapes in England, with the spoil heaps serving as a powerful, visible reminder of the area's coal mining history.
Reclamation: The mounds have largely weathered, with nature slowly reclaiming the area, blending the industrial debris into the natural fell.

The site is popular for walking and photography, offering a direct view into the intense industrial activity that once dominated the area.

View and discuss this location on Grey Arrows.

Co-ordinates: 54.62048, -1.807401 • what3words: ///joystick.fine.pound

Priddy Nine Barrows, Mendip (By gasbag43)

The Priddy Nine Barrows are situated on the crest of North Hill, forming a sprawling Bronze Age cemetery on the Mendip Hills and date from approximately 2500 to 1500 BC. These mounds were built as monumental markers for elite burials, reflecting a sophisticated "Wessex Culture" influence involving complex funeral rites.

Historically, they have been described as a group of nine, but are often viewed as a group of seven round barrows and a separate pair. They are primarily bowl barrows, often considered some of the most impressive in Somerset, and in some cases covering earlier, lower stone cairns.

In the photo, the north-south alignment is perfectly visible and suggests a ceremonial procession route where the living would move alongside the ancestors.

The dark, pitted centres of the mounds are the lasting marks of 19th-century excavations. Rev. John Skinner famously breached these centres in 1815, discovering treasures like amber beads, bronze daggers, and "grape cups."

Approx 300 metres away is another cemetery site - the Ashen Hill Barrows. Priddy Nine Barrows consists mainly of nine mounds on the highest ridge, while Ashen Hill features eight barrows arranged in a linear alignment on a lower ridge.

Both sites are broadly contemporary, likely linked to the nearby Neolithic Priddy Circles, and reflect long-standing ritual use of the landscape. It is possible the Priddy Nine Barrows—being on the highest, most prominent point—were used slightly earlier or were considered more important than the Ashen Hill group.

View and discuss this location on Grey Arrows.

Co-ordinates: 51.26049, -2.66178 • what3words: ///tilting.inventors.installs

Ashen Hill Barrows, Mendip (By gasbag43)

The Ashen Hill Barrows, located on the Mendip plateau near Priddy, form one of the most extensive Bronze Age funerary landscapes in southern Britain. Dating mainly from around 2000–1500 BC, the site consists of long, linear cemeteries of round barrows—earthen burial mounds raised to honour important individuals or family groups.

Ashen Hill features a linear alignment of six bowl barrows and two bell barrows aligned east to west. They are located on the western end of the field of the hill.

Their deliberate alignment across the limestone grassland suggests strong ritual planning, possibly linked to territorial boundaries, processional routes, or ancestral memory embedded in the landscape. Over time, many barrows were partially levelled by erosion, grazing, and later quarrying, yet their overall pattern remains remarkably legible.

The aerial photograph reveals this prehistoric design. From above, the barrows appear as rhythmic humps casting subtle shadows, their alignment cutting diagonally across the pasture. The low winter light enhances their form, allowing the ancient geometry of the cemetery to emerge clearly against the modern agricultural landscape

Approx 300 metres away is another cemetery site - the Priddy Nine Barrows. Priddy Nine Barrows consists mainly of nine mounds on the highest ridge, while Ashen Hill features eight barrows arranged in a linear alignment on a lower ridge.

Both sites are broadly contemporary, likely linked to the nearby Neolithic Priddy Circles, and reflect long-standing ritual use of the landscape. It is possible the Priddy Nine Barrows—being on the highest, most prominent point—were used slightly earlier or were considered more important than the Ashen Hill group.

View and discuss this location on Grey Arrows.

Co-ordinates: 51.26587, -2.663159 • what3words: ///evaporate.interviewer.enjoys

St Andrews Beddingham, Lewes (By grandad1950)

On the edge of the South Downs National Park is the tiny agricultural village of Beddingham. The Parish church of St Andrews dates from the 12th century and is a grade 1 listed building. The village is a great starting point for some rather steep walks in the South Downs

View and discuss this location on Grey Arrows.

Co-ordinates: 50.85253, 0.051411 • what3words: ///consented.loops.noses

Pitstone Quarry, Dacorum (By DaveJaVu)

Amazed this wasn't already on DS tbh! This is a stunning place to fly on a clear day. The quarry is over 1km from end to end. The northern end of the quarry is still worked but the entire section with the lakes is empty. I have flown here several times on the weekends and have never seen a soul here.

I've marked a parking spot in the layby just down the road. Park there and walk back ~100m towards the roundabout. First entrance is a cottage with very sod off vibes (!). The next is a track that leads through the woods up the side of the quarry and all the way up the hill. There is a green fence that ends about 300m up the track. From there you can walk 20ft through the woods and you're on the moonscape rocks at the very southern end of the quarry. You can also walk further up the hill and fly from there too.

The footage I got this weekend was sadly garbage due to a poor set up - so I've linked a video I did here a while back.

View and discuss this location on Grey Arrows.

Co-ordinates: 51.81805, -0.632873 • what3words: ///interlude.mailboxes.loom


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