History - Cisswood House is one of England's most established and well recognised country house hotels, built in 1928 for the then Chairman of Harrods and his wife Cissily.
It’s a reasonably sized hotel holding 51 bedrooms, swimming pool, 2 bars, gym, huge tea gardens for visitors.
Cisswood was a fantastic hotel throughout the years, it changed ownership and couple time back in the late 90s. When all thought was well, in 2019 the coronavirus pandemic struck England and forced the hotel to temporarily close for the best part of 10-15 months.
Finally reopening again in December 2021. It last about 8 weeks before it was decide to close permanently. In January 2022 it closed it doors for good and has be mostly abandoned ever since.
The Explore -
I had driven past it a few times, noticing that the driveway had become more and more overgrown, and as each time passed.
Then some concrete barriers popped out of nowhere, blocking the car park off.
Me a couple of friends, decided to check it out one evening to see what the place was all about, it throws you off massively because it does not seen Abandoned at all. All the lights are on, everything is completely left as it was.
Photo from first scouting night -
(You can see our trust issues with the place)
After checking on it each night, it seemed nothing had changed so we gave it a go one early Sunday morning.
Access was a complete headache but after lapping the place 6 times, climbing walls, smoking like a steam train… we was in…
It’s amazing what’s been left inside here. It’s a complete waste. Even more so when you head the story I have to tell in a few moments time….
Being so local to here, and with how dry West Sussex is for locations. We made multiple visits over a few weeks, until we noticed things started to move around while we wasn’t there.
Being unsure if it was us being stupid or generally someone is coming in here when we are not there. I decided to place a couple traps. Closing doors, placing items behind doors so if opened it would tell us someone is coming here.
2 days later we returns and was completely baffled. All the doors I closed were open, the items I placed behind doors was nowhere to be seen and it was certain someone was here.
We know the old grounds keeper lives onsite so assumed it would be him however although his car was there 24/7, we never saw him in the hours and hours of time we have spent on site, day and night…
We chose to leave the place alone for now so what ever was going on could carry on without them getting worried about us.
Entering in to late February/Early March we done a check up on the place so I was shocked at what I saw.
It was about 11pm at night and I popped in to see what’s happening now. The place has been completely gutted out, huge skips outside containing what used to be inside…huge waste!
There is also 4 vans on site at this moment with 6 men having dinner in the restaurant along with a security guards and his 4 leg friend.
The following morning I went past and there was 2 lorries on site, the same 4 vans and the place is in full swing conversion now. Everything that once remained inside is now outside in skips.
Plans were put forward a couple years ago to demolish the hotel for flats but was rejected. It now turns out that it’s being opened again and is due to be opened again. All on usable items I’ve been thrown into skip and the place is full of the new items and stock. Shame to see a location go however is amazing the place will get another chance at life before inevitably one day, it will be demolished like most historic places these days….
Photos of the night I found people there
It’s now mid March and I drove past yesterday and the place has changed so much already, grass cut, new garden placements out front and parts of the main entrance have been painted. Looks fantastic so I’ll probably spend a night here when they reopen it in a couple weeks to see what they changed and kept.
Hope you enjoyed.
It’s a reasonably sized hotel holding 51 bedrooms, swimming pool, 2 bars, gym, huge tea gardens for visitors.
Cisswood was a fantastic hotel throughout the years, it changed ownership and couple time back in the late 90s. When all thought was well, in 2019 the coronavirus pandemic struck England and forced the hotel to temporarily close for the best part of 10-15 months.
Finally reopening again in December 2021. It last about 8 weeks before it was decide to close permanently. In January 2022 it closed it doors for good and has be mostly abandoned ever since.
The Explore -
I had driven past it a few times, noticing that the driveway had become more and more overgrown, and as each time passed.
Then some concrete barriers popped out of nowhere, blocking the car park off.
Me a couple of friends, decided to check it out one evening to see what the place was all about, it throws you off massively because it does not seen Abandoned at all. All the lights are on, everything is completely left as it was.
Photo from first scouting night -
(You can see our trust issues with the place)
After checking on it each night, it seemed nothing had changed so we gave it a go one early Sunday morning.
Access was a complete headache but after lapping the place 6 times, climbing walls, smoking like a steam train… we was in…
It’s amazing what’s been left inside here. It’s a complete waste. Even more so when you head the story I have to tell in a few moments time….
Being so local to here, and with how dry West Sussex is for locations. We made multiple visits over a few weeks, until we noticed things started to move around while we wasn’t there.
Being unsure if it was us being stupid or generally someone is coming in here when we are not there. I decided to place a couple traps. Closing doors, placing items behind doors so if opened it would tell us someone is coming here.
2 days later we returns and was completely baffled. All the doors I closed were open, the items I placed behind doors was nowhere to be seen and it was certain someone was here.
We know the old grounds keeper lives onsite so assumed it would be him however although his car was there 24/7, we never saw him in the hours and hours of time we have spent on site, day and night…
We chose to leave the place alone for now so what ever was going on could carry on without them getting worried about us.
Entering in to late February/Early March we done a check up on the place so I was shocked at what I saw.
It was about 11pm at night and I popped in to see what’s happening now. The place has been completely gutted out, huge skips outside containing what used to be inside…huge waste!
There is also 4 vans on site at this moment with 6 men having dinner in the restaurant along with a security guards and his 4 leg friend.
The following morning I went past and there was 2 lorries on site, the same 4 vans and the place is in full swing conversion now. Everything that once remained inside is now outside in skips.
Plans were put forward a couple years ago to demolish the hotel for flats but was rejected. It now turns out that it’s being opened again and is due to be opened again. All on usable items I’ve been thrown into skip and the place is full of the new items and stock. Shame to see a location go however is amazing the place will get another chance at life before inevitably one day, it will be demolished like most historic places these days….
Photos of the night I found people there
It’s now mid March and I drove past yesterday and the place has changed so much already, grass cut, new garden placements out front and parts of the main entrance have been painted. Looks fantastic so I’ll probably spend a night here when they reopen it in a couple weeks to see what they changed and kept.
Hope you enjoyed.
