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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Susie Beever

Inside abandoned pink mansion paradise - that's hiding a sinister criminal past

This grand house's exterior may be a pretty shade of pink - but its blush facade hide a sinister criminal past.

This abandoned 18th century Tudor-style mansion was transformed into a drugs den, pictures show, after urban explorers stumbled across its use as part of a nefarious plot.

Images show equipment left behind at the former stately home near Powys, Wales, which has more recently been used as a cannabis farm.

Power supplies and growing equipment could still be seen inside the mansion, which was later transformed into an idyllic hotel - as evidenced by the keys left behind - before being ravaged by a drugs gang.

The property is huge and once was a place of great status in Wales (mediadrumimages/daniel sims)

One image shows beautiful stained glass windows that act as a reminder of the beauty and sophistication that was once associated with the building.

Another shot depicts the laundry room which has had laundry hung up to dry for the past 25 years.

Before it was abandoned, Pencerrig was a Tudor-style mansion for the Powell family.

From 1750 it was the home of Thomas and Hannah Jones, whose son, the landscape painter Thomas Jones, inherited in 1789.

It was later inherited by wealthy heiress Clara Thomas before being auctioned off in 1952 and sold to two couples who converted the property into a hotel and pony trekking centre - one of the first in the country at the time.

The stained glass window is still in tact despite the vandalism that has happened elsewhere in the property (mediadrumimages/daniel sims)

The hotel closed in 2008 and was then bought by a London businessman, but has remained abandoned thereafter.

While evidence shows the property has since been used as a cannabis farm, there is no suggestion the owners were aware or in any way connected with criminal activity.

The urban explorer, who his name only as Daniel, explained what it was like to stumble upon this relic of the drug producing underworld.

"I had heard a rumour of an abandoned hidden mansion in the Welsh countryside so I decided to see if I could track it down and see if the rumours were true," he said.

A small kitchen area has seen recent use with milk jugs still sitting out (mediadrumimages/daniel sims)

"This property was absolutely massive so after checking around the place we found an open window into the place as well as a few open doors which granted us access."

Daniel visited with two other friends, exploring the stunning yet eerie halls of the formerly grand pile.

"The atmosphere on this exploration was filled with nerves and hope the place still had an open access point which I think we were lucky to see and we were blown away with all the amazing things left behind there," he added.

"We found the old power supplies and grow equipment left behind with the material left in order to make this operation work.

"While going around the mansion it seems that the people there had cleared out quite a few rooms to make space for the activities by throwing and piling up what had remained behind.

The exterior of the property is still in relatively good condition (mediadrumimages/daniel sims)

"A lot of antique furniture remained as well as a stunning set of antlers that hung over the fireplace which was amazing.

"Massive halls filled with items left behind making some amazing spaces to take pictures.

"We also found some really old portraits which we assume were past owners and very well kept.

"So many of the original features were still intact here as well and you can see not loads had been changed.

"The kitchen remained intact with plates, glasses still kept and stocked up and laundry hung up to dry which has been there for 20 years."

The seats in the property still appear plush and well preserved (mediadrumimages/daniel sims)
The seats in the property still appear plush and well preserved (mediadrumimages/daniel sims)

"The mansion itself was amazing and huge, we were actually surprised by how big the place and grounds were.

"We were also quite nervous after hearing about the drug operation here and seeing sensors on the long derelict property but they had long cleared out.

"One thing that did surprise us was the rate of decay and overgrowth in some parts of the property yet other parts looked so intact so it was pretty strange.

"We were here for about ninety minutes checking everything out as the mansion was so huge.

"We were happy to see this stunning fairytale mansion and what had been left behind was definitely a spectacular place."

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