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Monday, 11 May 2015
New Update - Three Counties Asylum Cemetery
Mood:
 a-ok
Topic: Updates
Originally known as The Stotfold Three Counties Asylum, building of the hospital commenced in 1856 on a 253-acre site between Letchworth, Arlesey and Stotfold. The new hospital was to replace the Bedford Lunatic Asylum in Ampthill Road in Bedford, which had been built in 1812. The Fairfield Hospital was designed by architect George Fowler Jones with the longest corridor in Britain, at half a mile long. The hospital opened on 8 March 1860 with the transfer of 6 male and 6 female patients from Bedford Lunatic Asylum, and catered for patients from Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Huntingdonshire. The Asylum had its own chapel, farm, laundry, railway station and fire brigade. http://www.darkdestiny.co.uk/three-counties-asylum.html Another update in a couple of weeks. Best Wishes Neil
Posted by Neil Bartlett DHyp M.A.E.P.H
at 2:47 PM BST
Thursday, 23 April 2015
New Update - St Luke, Hatfield, Hertfordshire
Mood:
a-ok
Topic: Updates
What was once a Mortuary Chapel is now a Church. St Luke's in Hatfield was built in 1877 by the Marquis of Salisbury and was converted into a church in 1893. Today the burial ground is closed for new graves and the building is Grade 2 Listed. We visited on a cold and wet day in November 2014. http://www.darkdestiny.co.uk/church-of-st-luke-hatfield.html Next update in a couple of weeks. Best Wishes Neil
Posted by Neil Bartlett DHyp M.A.E.P.H
at 1:40 PM BST
Monday, 13 April 2015
New Update - Leavesden Asylum Cemetery
Mood:
 bright
Topic: Updates
Leavesden Mental Hospital was founded in 1870 on the outskirts of Abbots Langley by the Metropolitan Asylums Board as the Metropolitan Asylum for Chronic Imbeciles. At the same time the St Pancras Union Workhouse established an Industrial School across the road. In 1920, the asylum was renamed the Leavesden Mental Hospital. The London County Council took control in 1930. In April, 1932, the former St Pancras Industrial School was taken over as an annexe for chronic cases. The hospital closed in 1997. http://www.darkdestiny.co.uk/leavesden-asylum-cemetery.html Our next update, in the next week or two, will be another churchyard photographed at the beginning of last Winter. Best Wishes Neil
Posted by Neil Bartlett DHyp M.A.E.P.H
at 12:25 PM BST
Sunday, 5 April 2015
On the road again!
Mood:
a-ok
Topic: Updates
Spring has sprung and it's time to hit the road again. The long winter months are behind us so shortly we will be traveling the East and Southern Counties of England visiting new places of interest. My brother in-law and I have already decided on several locations including a very notorious London Cemetery which we have never visited before. Due to the time it's taken to produce the new site we haven't managed any updates for a few months so we still have three outstanding updates from 2014. Time allowing these will be seeing the light of day in the coming weeks/months. Although we enjoy what we do it's still important to remember the purpose of Dark Destiny. Photographic preservation is our purpose, as our history is being swallowed up by urban sprawl the photos people take now may be all we have left in years to come. Best Wishes Neil
Posted by Neil Bartlett DHyp M.A.E.P.H
at 3:14 PM BST
Updated: Saturday, 11 April 2015 8:49 PM BST
Friday, 20 March 2015
New site launch
Mood:
bright
Topic: Updates
After several weeks of solid work the new site is ready to launch at midnight. Their's still much work to be done, mainly behind scenes, but we are ready as far as being a functional site is concerned. In the coming months we will add descriptions to each image but with 1800 photos thats gonna take some time. In the meantime if you come accross any faults or problems please let me know via the contact form. Roll on midnight! Best Wishes Neil 
Posted by Neil Bartlett DHyp M.A.E.P.H
at 3:09 PM BST
Sunday, 15 March 2015
New site coming soon!
Mood:
bright
Topic: Updates
We haven't updated for a while and that's because we decided to hold the new updates while we re-built the site using new software. This wasn't something we wanted to do, but it needed to be done to ensure our web presence into the future. Trying to recreate 10 years of work over again in a new site has been a time consuming task but we're 70% done and hope to launch the new site next Saturday 21st March. The new site has some improved aspects but also things which we don't want but are forced to go with. For example, downloading photos will no longer be possible without using other software for a screen grab. To compensate we will be willing to provide original copies of photos for anyone who requires them, either for personal or commercial reasons. However that will be time consuming on our part so we will be asking for a small donation to help cover our time plus to help restrict requests. After next weeks launch and some time to rest from site building we will look at ways of changing this aspect, though at the moment the only option open to us would be so labour intensive it would take years to rebuild the site :( However an advantage of the new site will be mobile compatibility, this will allow people to use the maps provided for each location via their mobile phones while on the move. Overall we hope the new site will be a positive step forward into the ever advancing world of web usability. Time to get back to work, see u soon. Neil
Posted by Neil Bartlett DHyp M.A.E.P.H
at 2:11 PM BST
Sunday, 25 January 2015
New Update - Hatfield Road Cemetery, St Albans
Mood:
 happy
Topic: Updates
While of significant proportions and as the first in St Albans, Hatfield Road Cemetery seems fairly elusive in terms of historical information. It opened in 1884 and is still a working cemetery today.
According to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission there are '147 First World War burials in Hatfield Road Cemetery, 93 of them forming a war graves plot. Some of the 79 Second World War graves form a separate plot. The rest of the graves are scattered throughout the cemetery.' http://www.darkdestiny.co.uk/hatfield-road-cemetery.html Now in our tenth year online we still have 3 updates from last year to process and publish. We are looking forward to the better weather as we have a few places in mind to visit, if you know of any other interesting cemeteries or graveyards worth us visiting then please let us know - darkdestiny@operamail.com Best Wishes Neil
Posted by Neil Bartlett DHyp M.A.E.P.H
at 4:00 PM GMT
Updated: Sunday, 5 April 2015 1:49 PM BST
Monday, 12 January 2015
New Update - St Nicholas Church, Stevenage, Herts
Mood:
a-ok
Topic: Updates
St Nicholas is the ancient Parish Church of Stevenage. The Saxon church on this site was replaced by a Norman one in about 1100 AD, but the only remaining part of this is the flint work tower. The church structure has been partially rebuilt many times, it's now a patchwork of nine centuries of local workmanship.
The graveyard is fairly extensive and now merges at the rear with the newer Weston Road Cemetery which opened in 1988. Along with the many headstones dating from the 1700's it has a rare example of a very ornate Mortsafe. http://www.darkdestiny.co.uk/st-nicholas-church-stevenage.html Hope your new year is off to a great start. We are no nearer knowing the future of Dark Destiny in regards to our hosting companies planned software retirement, but we'll let you know as soon as we are clearer on the situation. The next update will be a Victorian Cemetery, so keep a lookout for that within the next week or two. Best Wishes Neil
Posted by Neil Bartlett DHyp M.A.E.P.H
at 2:55 PM GMT
Updated: Sunday, 5 April 2015 1:51 PM BST
Friday, 2 January 2015
New Update - St Mary the Virgin, Walkern, Hertfordshire
Mood:
 lucky
Topic: Updates
The parish church of St Mary the Virgin is the oldest village church in Hertfordshire, with a Saxon wall and rare chalk rood (crucifix) dating back to the middle 10th century. St Mary's also has a fine Purbeck marble effigy which is possibly that of William de Lanvalei, baron of Walkern in the early 13th century and one of the 25 sureties named in the Magna Carta elected to ensure that King John adhered to the 'Law of the Land' set down in the charter in 1215.
We visited on a gloomy, almost sunless day in October 2014. http://www.darkdestiny.co.uk/st-mary-the-virgin-walkern.html Wishing everyone a Happy New Year, next update coming very soon. Best Wishes Neil
Posted by Neil Bartlett DHyp M.A.E.P.H
at 12:51 AM GMT
Updated: Sunday, 5 April 2015 1:52 PM BST
Monday, 22 December 2014
New Update - Church of St Peter, Benington, Hertfordshire
Mood:
 chatty
Topic: Updates
The Church of St Peter is thought to of been in existence, in one form or another, since Beortwulf’s time (839-853 AD). Beortwulf was a Christian and King of Mercia who often spent time at his palace, presumably on the site of the Benington Lordship Manor House. Benington Lordship's gardens are today open to the public and the remains of a Norman Motte and Bailey fortification are still clearly visible from the rear of St Peter's graveyard.
Our visit was on a dull and gloomy day in October 2014. http://www.darkdestiny.co.uk/church-of-st-peter-benington.html We might be able to fit in another update before or over Christmas but just in case we don't then we'd like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Just remember to take a few minutes to remember those loved ones who have passed before us. Have a great time! Neil
Posted by Neil Bartlett DHyp M.A.E.P.H
at 12:23 PM GMT
Updated: Sunday, 5 April 2015 1:55 PM BST
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