The Winchester

Although my interests stem from dereliction and infrastructure, I am also interested in architecture, urban planning/change and alternative usage for urban space.

Alternative lifestyles, squatting, mental health, urban art/grafitti, The politics of space, society and propaganda also interest me and can tie in with the dominant activities on this site.

These books are relevant to the wider themes surrounding our participation in the man-made environment, and are either owned by myself, read or desired! (buy me a book, you know you want to!)

Owned

• Access All Areas – Ninjalicious – An excellent resource for those wanting to get involved in infiltration. Less relevant for dereliction but a worthwhile read.
• Abandoned Places 2 – Henk van Rensbergen – The follow up to the seminal ‘Abandoned Places‘, sadly no longer in print.
• Asylum – Christopher Payne – Excellent photographs from American Asylums, accompanied by a well furnished history.
• Behind the Wall – Eric Lusito – A beautifully crafted book of photographs from Soviet remains in Latvia, Germany, Poland, Russia, Kazakhstan and Mongolia
• London’s Disused Underground Stations – J.E. Connor – Photographs and the stories behind the
• closures of LU stations.
• Propaganda – Mark Holborn – a compilation from anonymous photographers commissioned by the Soviet Regime.
• Left London – Eckersley and Shields – A photographic record of abandoned public buildings in London
• Shelter of the Tubes – John Gregg – Politics and operation of London’s Deep Shelters and Tube station shelters
• London’s Secret Tubes – Emmerson and Beard – Photographs and stories of London bunkers/tunnel networks.

Read

• Forbidden Places – Sylvain Margaine – Slyv’s excellent Photographic book of European and American sites.
• Detroit Disassembled – Andrew Moore – Photographs from the famous American automotive city
• Derelict London- Paul Talling – Predominantly exterior photographs of a wide assortment of derelict London structures.
• Night Vision – Troy Paiva – Superb technique used to light paint derelict structures and vehicles in the west of the USA.
• Beauty in Decay – RomanyWG – A record of sites across Europe, mostly HDRed sadly but a great set of locations

Desired

1. CCCP – Cosmic Communist Creations Photographed – Frederic Chaubin – A Taschen compilation of predominantly Soviet modernist architecture.
2. Crack and Shine – Fred Forsyth – Tales from London’s graffiti scene, accompanied by Will Robson-Scott’s photographs.
3. Wirtscheftswunder – Josef Heinrich Darchinger – Photographs of Post war Germany
4. Trespass – Carlo McCormick – A history of uncomissioned Urban Art
5. Cold War Bunkers – Nick Catford – A photographic record of military and underground structures
6. Underground London – John Hollingshead – The First drain explorer in London (1862)

Reccommendations

• Second World Secret Bunkers – Nick McCamley – Reccommended by Silverhatch. “Plenty of photos”
• Secret Underground Cities – Nick McCamley – Reccommended by Adders. “Predominantly features underground Wiltshire, but is a good read, and has some good informative maps too”.
• London under London – Trench and Hillman – Reccommended by Speed. “The best underground London book Ive read.”
• The Night Climbers of Cambridge – Whipplesnaith – Reccommended by Speed “Fucking Amazing”