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Military Laboratories

Holton Heath, Dorset.

The Royal Navy Cordite Laboratories in Hotlon Heath are one of the more relaxed exploring oppertunities I have had in the past. Usually when entering a once live military establishment your gaurd would be at its peak and you would be concerned about various security enforcements. However, upon entering the establishment we encountered several groups of people. I wouldn't label them as explorers, it seemed they came here to try and break structures and over all just be a general nuisance.

The site, combined with the Royal Navy Cordite Factory, was situated in Holton Heath, Dorset due to its remote loacation. The site was used, in World War I, to manufacture cordite for the Royal Navy. It was reactivated in World War II to manufacture gun propellants. However, the laboritories were closed in the late 1990s and were, essentially, left to decay.

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The labs went from being in prestine conditions of unused property to an area subject to various weathering, human damage and nature has been left to take back what it once had. 

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After Winston Churchill demanded a site for the production and testing of cordite, Holton Heath labs and factory were built. As the site grew over the years supplying the Royal Navy with its own cordite made in Britain a train station was added not far from the Factory and Laboratories, a short walk from the station allowed the workers to make their daily commute a lot easier and cheaper. This also meant that products and supplies were easily transported in and out of Holton Heath. 

Pictures from inside the laboratories.

The Holton Heath Labs Gallery

©2016 The Explorer Within 

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