Strange request

[14-7]

Nothing dodgy so don't worry!

What I'm after is a church in a dark area, preferably about 20-30 miles from the nearest town. Doesn't have to be an 'in use' church and preferably it wouldn't be. Had a damn good look around the north of England and Wales, haven't been near Scotland though.

I'm more after external shots and not internal do it wouldn't have to be a fully intact church.

Can anyone help with suggestions?

[Ray Luxury-Yacht]

When you say 'dark area' do you mean the immediate surroundings, i.e. the church is under trees and not in sunlight kinda thing?

Or you mean dark as in miles from artificial light so that it is properly dark at night for a night shoot?

[Hooli]

https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&ll=55.063...

Shouldn't be any lights as it's in or next to a 'Dark Skies' park.

[bernhund]

Depending on exactly what you're after, but I live in an unlit village in Sevenoaks, Kent opposite a church. I know the people responsible for it so could possibly influence the use of it. But also my house looks like a chapel and I have a fake ruin I built in the garden using materials I found around the garden. Pretty dark here but never gonna be any real distance from a big town's lights though.

Here's my house at Christmas




and here's my ruin

[Ray Luxury-Yacht]

bernhund said:

Depending on exactly what you're after, but I live in an unlit village in Sevenoaks, Kent opposite a church. I know the people responsible for it so could possibly influence the use of it. But also my house looks like a chapel and I have a fake ruin I built in the garden using materials I found around the garden. Pretty dark here but never gonna be any real distance from a big town's lights though.

Here's my house at Christmas




and here's my ruin

My Brother lives in Underriver - that's not this church though, is it?

[El Capitano]

Well, it's down south so maybe not much use... But Imber has a church and is as far away from any town or lights as you can get.

If you Wikipedia 'Imber Village' you will find out all about it.

Basically in the middle of Salisbury plain training area, a village that was evacuated for military training, and never allowed the inhabitants back. But the church still has to remain 'untouched' or near as.

They do open to the public a couple times a year, however if you know where them village can be accessed year round from the road provided there isn't training going on.

At night, there won't be a single light on, and the main road is miles away, the nearest towns are also very far. It's pretty remote!

[bernhund]

Ray Luxury-Yacht said:

bernhund said:

Depending on exactly what you're after, but I live in an unlit village in Sevenoaks, Kent opposite a church. I know the people responsible for it so could possibly influence the use of it. But also my house looks like a chapel and I have a fake ruin I built in the garden using materials I found around the garden. Pretty dark here but never gonna be any real distance from a big town's lights though.

Here's my house at Christmas




and here's my ruin

My Brother lives in Underriver - that's not this church though, is it?

No, but your brother is only 10 minutes away. I'm in Weald, just the other side of the A21.

[14-7]

Ray Luxury-Yacht said:

When you say 'dark area' do you mean the immediate surroundings, i.e. the church is under trees and not in sunlight kinda thing?

Or you mean dark as in miles from artificial light so that it is properly dark at night for a night shoot?

Sorry, mean clear from artificial light for night time shooting.

Thanks for all the replies so far though.

[14-7]

El Capitano said:

Well, it's down south so maybe not much use...

My brother used to live down in Kings Hill so not far from Sevenoaks but the light pollution down there is too much.

[Ray Luxury-Yacht]

14-7 said:

Ray Luxury-Yacht said:

When you say 'dark area' do you mean the immediate surroundings, i.e. the church is under trees and not in sunlight kinda thing?

Or you mean dark as in miles from artificial light so that it is properly dark at night for a night shoot?

Sorry, mean clear from artificial light for night time shooting.

Thanks for all the replies so far though.

Well, there is a little church that is literally in the middle of nowhere round here (basically in a National Trust forest) and is properly dark at night. But it would mean a 100 odd mile drive from Kent, so depends upon how keen you are I guess?!

Farley Church, Hampshire:

http://stephensays.wordpress.com/2011/07/28/explor...

[Simpo Two]

How about Ulting church near Chelmsford? It's at the end of a narrow lane next to the river Chelmer; nothing else around.

http://www.panoramio.com/photo/7750347

[El Capitano]

14-7 said:

My brother used to live down in Kings Hill so not far from Sevenoaks but the light pollution down there is too much.

Ok, well this in Wiltshire, about 2 hours away from Sevenoaks, and in the middle of the countryside

[GetCarter]

There are some in the Lake District, but they tend to be fairly unassuming 'chapels'. This one is in Loweswater (right next to a really good pub)



Down south there are quite a few in the Cotswolds that are more 'Church Like'. This one is in Great Wolford about 25 miles north of Oxford (taken on my old medium format film camera 20 years ago... but it still looks the same)



ETA I lived within spitting distance of where those were both taken and it gets pretty damned dark in both locations... though nowhere near as dark as here - but again up here, we tend to get chapels.

Edited by GetCarter on Friday 28th June 06:54

[JohnS]

There is a ruined church with graveyard at Blairdaff, about 20 minutes drive from Aberdeen airport. No street lights nearby or much in the way of light pollution:

https://maps.google.co.uk/?ll=57.250128,-2.504706&...

[OscarIndia]

A friend of mine has this one that can be used for shoots.

http://dunglassestate.com/the-estate/dunglass-chur...

If it is any good PM me and I can sort something out.

[_rubinho_]

St Marthas on the Hill near Guildford. It's on the South facing side of the North Downs so although it's quite near a town, it is in extremely dark surroundings and if you shoot in the right direction very little light pollution. I've had it earmarked for a night shoot location for a while but have never got around to going down there at the right time.

[Yellabelly]

14-7 try this place, it is supposed to be really spooky, you can access it internally and externally but I would have serious concerns about being there at night!!!


http://hauntedhistoryoflincolnshire.blogs.lincoln....

http://www.flickr.com/photos/itsmepete/8510052963/