'Red Dress Manor' which still has clothes in the wardrobes, photographs on the walls and love letters strewn across the floors
- The derelict dairy farm in Llanymynech, Powys, mid-Wales built in 1725 looks like a real-life fairytale scene
- The owner, identified as Ellen Jones, died in the 1970s, leaving her red dress hanging in an empty wardrobe
- Officially called Calcott Hall, the grade II listed in 1953 building is dubbed 'red dress manor' by locals
- Clothes, letters, newspapers and photographs have been left untouched strewn across the floors
With love letters strewn across the floor, a gown hung in the bedroom, and black-and-white photos under a film of cobwebs, it looks like a scene from a fairytale.
But this derelict dairy farm standing in the depths of the Welsh countryside is a real-life mystery.
Dubbed the 'Red Dress Manor', it is filled to the brim with personal belongings - including a floor-length red satin dress and love letters.
But there has been no sign of life within these walls for 40 years.
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Listed: According to documents found by
photographer Dan Circa, the house in Llanymynech, near Shrewsbury, is
called Calcott Hall and was Grade II* listed in 1953
Crumpled and beautiful: The red dress pictured
in a photo on the wall was found hanging in an empty wardrobe, while
other clothes clutter the floor
Namesake: The woman in the red dress that has
given this manor its nickname. The picture shows Ellen Jones, who
appears in other images around the house
Dust: The years of dereliction are betrayed by
the living room which has a thick layer of dust on the floor. Nobody
knows why newspapers and notes are left scattered
But according to census records, the owner, Ellen Jones, died in the early 1970s and her home became a forgotten relic within its leafy surroundings.
However, her belongings have stayed exactly as she left them.
Now, a series of haunting images by photographer Dan Circa has unveiled the mysterious manor, showing how generations made it their home over centuries.
Magical: The eerie dairy farm, dubbed 'Red Dress
Manor', has been left to crumble away for decades. It is filled with
letters and pictures that seem to be unspoiled
Vintage: A rusted 1970s Morris stands in the
garage by the main house. It is the kind of car that would fetch
thousands at an auction today
Personal: Letters and photographs left behind in
the manor show a woman named Ellen Jones lived there. Dust has gathered
but the shots are clear and mystical
Ancient: The building maintains its original
architecture from 1725 with heavy wood doors, stone floors, and high
ceilings. Few people have visited the site since the 70s
Crumbling: Plants tumbling through ceilings,
torn curtains and crumbling walls only serve to enhance the building's
ethereal and timeless beauty
Life: Handbags, ribbons and clothing strewn
about the house give little glimpses into the mysterious world of women
that lived here years ago
Dust-covered glass bottles of 19th century cleaning products such as turpentine and black lacquer look like works of art in the sunshine gleaming through the cracked windows.
Floral 1950s wallpaper tumbling down the walls reveal the heavy stone that was used to build the house in 1725.
Now, after years of neglect, nature has moved in. Branches and leaves hang through the ceilings and soil is spilling out of the fire place on to a 1960s television.
Mr Circa, 28, from Manchester said: 'I heard stories of the manor and so wanted to investigate for myself.
'The picture of a lady in a red dress and the actual red dress still being there was particularly intriguing. I wanted to see what else was inside.
'I felt like I was in someone’s home uninvited, I expected the owner to walk round every corner I saw.
Bygone era: Delicate bottles of turpentine,
black lacquer, and healing oil were the cleaning products of yesteryear.
They are a far cry from today's plastic
Decades: A box of Daz alongside older cleaning
products, 1950s curtains, and an 18th century wooden window frame shows
how this manor was home to generations
Decorative and mysterious: Floral curtains and
mis-matched floral wallpaper frame the leafy Welsh countryside through
broken glass, as a lone shoe sits on the sill
'When I climbed the stairs to enter the main bedroom, I opened the door and to the right there was a photo of the lady in the garment on her dressing table with all her makeup and other personal items on it.
'I then turned to the left and saw an open wardrobe with that red dress hung up, it was a very eerie feeling as if someone was there.
'I thought it was her at first glance.'
Battered: The window panes are broken, the
curtain is pulled across the room, and there are clothes scattered. But
no sign of why or where the inhabitants went
Details: The beautiful and dolled-up Ellen Jones
also passed her county examinations at the Shropshire Congretional
Union, according to framed certificates
Clutter: Frames pictures lean against a
typically 60s television before two small chairs with bags and pillows
across the floor, and soil spilling out of the fireplace
Beautiful: It is a moment in time frozen and
unspoiled. The mustard walls and art deco ornaments suggest a long
history of family in the abandoned manor
'I am documenting things that someone once cared about.
'People are amazed to see the pictures, especially when they see it's a place with personal belongings in.'
- Do you know who Ellen or the woman in the red dress is? Contact MailOnline on 0203 6151934
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