15 Abandoned majestic homes ‘amazing secrets
#1 Enigmatic palaces that time has forgotten
The time hasn’t been kind to these frightening palaces, which were among the most opulent homes of their time. Mother Nature has regained its once-grand passageways and its magnificent façades are blowing away in the breeze after being abandoned to wrack and decay. These abandoned homes may be mere shadows of what they once were, but they contain intriguing histories that are just waiting to be discovered. If you know where to look, the ruins contain a treasure trove of mysteries.
#2 US state of Rhode Island: Seaview Terrace
This opulent building, known as Seaview Terrace, is situated in the city of Newport, Rhode Island, on a nearly eight-acre site with views of Sheep Point Cove and the North Atlantic Ocean. The 43,772-square- foot waterfront home, also known as the Carey Mansion, is the fifth-largest estate in the area, behind The Breakers and Belcourt Castle. The house’s vastness is by no means its main draw, though…
#3 Seaview Terrace, United States of America
The opulent mansion was first built at Dupont Circle, Washington, DC, in 1900, before Edson Bradley, a wealthy whisky distiller, purchased it. Bradley bought the house in 1907 and commissioned Howard Greenley, an architect, to expand and refurbish it. The residence expanded to 16,000 square feet and more than half a city block in size.
#4 Seaview Terrace, United States of America
A 500-seat theater, an art gallery, a private chapel with seating for 150 worshippers, and a sizable ballroom with elaborate decor were among its luxurious amenities. There was no money spared in the renovation of the opulent residence, which included the importation of many furniture pieces and interior fixtures from France. The stone stairs and stained glass windows that adorn the interior of the60-room palace are notable features, as are the ornate, hand-carved ceilings.
#5 Seaview Terrace, United States of America
Bradley’s mansion had a luxury finish, but he wasn’t happy with where it was, so in 1923 he made the decision to disassemble it and transfer it to Newport. The difficult process, which lasted two years, even earned the property a spot at the museum Ripley’s Believe It or Not, which is devoted to the most extraordinary objects and events in history. The mansion is still one of the biggest houses that has ever been taken apart, transported, and then put back together again.
#6 Seaview Terrace, United States of America
Bradley purchased the Elizabethan Revival mansion known as Sea View after transferring his house, and the two properties combined became Seaview Terrace. The estate, which spans two properties in one of Newport’s most coveted postcodes, is currently the largest privately held residence in the city.
#7 Seaview Terrace, United States of America
The enormous crib currently has 18 bathrooms, 29 bedrooms, a whispering gallery, and a two-story entrance hall that is furnished with Medieval-style fittings. Despite the turmoil and the fact that the house has been vacant for some time, many of its original characteristics are still charmingly present. The most cherished architectural feature of the structure may be an early Renaissance stained glass window that was made for the Duomo Cathedral in Milan, Italy.
#8 Seaview Terrace, United States of America
The old estate was left to Bradley’s daughter after his passing, and Martin Carey later bought it. It was most recently utilized by Salve Regina, a small private university, and now requires substantial rehabilitation work. The pad was prominently used as a set setting for the daytime soap opera Dark Shadows, and it was also featured on the Discovery Channel. If you’ve fallen in love with this wacky and fantastic mansion, it’s presently on the market through Edge Realty for $29.9 million (£22 million). However, it’s also been praised as (perhaps) the most haunted house currently for sale, so there may be a few more ghosts included!
#9 Arlington, USA (Mississippi)
This stately old antebellum house, constructed sometime between the early and mid-19th century, is nestled among overgrown property in Natchez, Mississippi, although it has seen better days. The abandoned estate, which Leland Kent photographed, was once a famous Southern Belle that attracted throngs of wealthy socialites to the lavish parties it hosted in its prime. But this opulent place has also seen its fair share of tragedy.
#10 Arlington, USA (Mississippi)
The full amount of the devastation is only made obvious up close. With shattered windows and an exposed loft, Arlington, which was included in the National Register of Historic Places in 1973, is totally exposed to the elements. Graffiti adorns the redbrick exterior, and gnarled vines have encircled the great double-height pillars.
#11 Arlington, USA (Mississippi)
Although the home’s history is a little murky, it’s possible that John Hampton White created the residence for his wife, Jane Surget White, sometime between 1816 and 1821. According to other versions, the traditional design may have been the brainchild of Jane herself or maybe Jane’s French immigrant father, Pierre Surget. Regardless of how it happened, the house briefly functioned as John and Jane’s married residence.
#12 Arlington, USA (Mississippi)
Around the time when the estate was intended to be finished, in 1819, John Hampton White tragically passed away in a yellow fever epidemic. Despite her grief, Jane kept residing on the estate and adorning it with luxurious furnishings. The beautiful arched window above the doorway offers a hint of the former grandeur of the entrance hall, but it is difficult to picture the splendor that would have welcomed guests there.
#13 Arlington, USA (Mississippi)
This historic photograph, which is said to have been shot in the 1970s, shows some of Jane’s work that later owners saved. The walls are covered in gilded artwork and embossed wallpaper, and the door is above a magnificent chandelier. Jane died in 1825, and the land changed ownership several times before being purchased by Annie and Hubert Barnum in the early 1900s.
#14 Arlington, USA (Mississippi)
Under Annie Barnham, a wealthy matriarch who ascended to high society, the home was a beautiful country manor, a far cry from its abandoned status at the moment. However, tragedy struck Arlington again when Gwin, Mrs. Barnham’s one-year-old grandchild, was tragically killed in an accident on the property. Later, the opulent property was given to Annie’s daughter Anne, who then gave it to her son Thomas Vaughan in the 1990s.
#15 Arlington, USA (Mississippi)
Disaster struck the home once more in September 2002 when a terrible fire decimated much of the roof and second story of the building. The once-grand house was left to rot and languish in the absence of insurance. There may yet be a happy ending to this tragic story because the City of Natchez has started legal action to seize control of the estate and bring it back to its former splendor.
#16 Ireland’s County Waterford, Mayfield House
Architect William Tinsley created this opulent Italianate palace in Waterford, Ireland, in the 1840s for the affluent Malcomson family. They established Portlaw, a nearby town, as a hub of the tanning business, complete with its own leather money. Later in 1857, JS Mulvany’s tower was erected.
#17 Ireland’s County Waterford, Mayfield House
The luxurious majestic home was built with no money spared. The interiors were exquisitely decorated with elaborate stone fireplaces, rich plasterwork, and lavish gilding. In fact, Mayfield was regarded as one of Ireland’s greatest country estates during its prime.
#18 Ireland’s County Waterford, Mayfield House
The property, which was owned by the Malcomson family when this photograph was taken by Jamie Malone, was later converted into the national headquarters for the Irish tannery business. In the 1950s, the nation’s leather industry started to deteriorate. It began to decline around the beginning of the1980s.
#19 Ireland’s County Waterford, Mayfield House
The Irish tannery sector went under in 1985. Mayfield House, which served as the industry’s headquarters until the early 1990s, was then used as office space. In 1994, the structure was ultimately abandoned and allowed to deteriorate.
#20 Ireland’s County Waterford, Mayfield House
The building’s roof was still in place in the middle of the 1990s, and although being worn out and in need of an update, the interiors were in a reasonable condition of repair. Sadly, this didn’t last long, and not long after, the abandoned building started to swiftly decay.
