WHAT REMAINS OF THE ABANDONED LANCS THEME PARKS that have been lost to time ?



Drone footage of abandoned theme park Camelot

Camelot, Lancashire

The Camelot theme park was based on the well-known medieval Camelot castle, which was associated with the legendary King Arthur and welcomed thousands of visitors every year.

The park boasted a 100ft roller coaster called the Knightmare which spanned over 200 meters.


These photos were taken inside deserted theme park Camelot. The photographer described it as being "strange" and "post apocalyptic".

It also had a log flume, a smaller size roller coaster The Twister, three large water slides and a large caterpillar roller coaster train which spanned the whole length and depth of the park running above ground and on ground level

It closed in 2012 leaving its sprawling 140-acre site to fall into disrepair and dereliction.












A number of rollercoasters were sold to theme parks around Europe, seven years later, many of the rides were left behind -  including Knightmare.

Now abandoned it has become almost a rite of passage for many urban explorers to venture into a post-apocalyptic world of empty fairground rides and deserted rides.


The sad & deserted theme park Camelot.

Abandoned and eerie Camelot theme park spine-chilling new use
The Lancashire theme park inspired by King Arthur folklore closed in 2012 and has since hosted horror attraction Scare City before developers lodged new housing proposals A chilling, abandoned theme park has been repurposed in a fittingly eerie manner, with further plans for its future.Built in 1983 and drawing inspiration from the tales of King Arthur, the Magical Kingdom of Camelot once attracted a remarkable 500,000 visitors each year at its peak.Recognisable by its striking white castle entrance, the park boasted a variety of exhilarating rides and roller coasters, including the Whirlwind and Excalibur.

By 2005, the Chorley-based Lancashire attraction was pulling in just 336,000 guests annually. In 2012, it closed its doors for good, reports the Mirror. Spanning a staggering 140 acres, the theme park was valued at around £800million, according to analysts at Together Money. In 2017, urban explorer Matthew Holmes decided to pay a visit to the deserted Camelot. He recalled: "I went to the theme park when I was 13 years old and most adults have been. I thought, let's go a have a look and see what's there. "It was quite sad to walk around, it is very dilapidated. All that excitement and fun to be replaced by empty space. It's frozen in time. All these rides are still there."

In 2024, the derelict park played host to the infamous Scare City event, providing a spine-chilling experience for horror enthusiasts.The North West's spine-tingling event promised visitors would leave 'believing in pure evil'.



The highly-rated horror attraction featured 11 terrifying zones spread across the crumbling theme park site. Attendees could anticipate the return of familiar faces as part of the sinister Carni Valley experience, according to Manchester Evening News. The unrelenting path of fear combines intricate sets and live actors across multiple zones, certain to terrify even the bravest visitors.The line-up featured a range of nightmarish areas including the Slaughter House, home to Camelot's resident cannibal preparing his annual banquet, alongside Junkyard and the chilling Reaper's Reach.

Visitors were alerted to the introduction of their newest zone 'Arakhne', where guests must brave the terrifying ordeal of stepping into the spider queen's domain and facing sinister creatures along the way. Amidst the screams and fear, courageous guests could find respite in the 'Resurrection Zone', where drinks and snacks were available at the midway point.



In recent times, the abandoned site has attracted the attention of housing developers, notably Story Homes who wish to construct a major residential scheme on the land. The company put forward plans to demolish the theme park and deliver similar developments in 2017 and 2019, although both were turned down over concerns about greenbelt land development. Developers have submitted a revised proposal to chorley-council Chorley Council, outlining plans for a significant housing development.The scheme includes up to 350 homes (half of which are earmarked as affordable housing), a community facility spanning 186.9 square metres, and 'associated habitat creation, landscaping, open space, parking, footpaths, cycleways, drainage and other infrastructure'.

According to the accompanying planning document, "The vision for the site is to deliver a development that provides an exceptional quality of place, underpinned by the highest standards of design and sensitive placemaking,". "The proposed development will deliver the homes that people need, responding to the acute housing and affordability crisis in the Borough by delivering the type, tenure and quality of market and affordable housing, alongside community infrastructure, that will create and support a new community. "The vision for the site is supported by a generous landscape led masterplan that respects the wider Green Belt and woodland context and provides new green spaces, green infrastructure and habitats as a fundamental element of a new landscape framework."



Frontierland, Lancashire


Frontierland entrance sign

The complex in Morecambe operated for almost 100 years and enjoyed a rebrand in the 1980s during the height of the theme park era and was rebranded with the western theme.

It was home to several popular and iconic rides and attractions including the famous Polo Tower - a 150-feet-tall gyro tower, sponsored by Polo Mints, a skyride, a log flume, and a runaway mine train.

However a decline in visitor numbers led to the park closing in 1999.


        Frontierland now lies derelict

All of the rides, excluding the Polo Tower and Log Flume, were demolished or dismantled and sold on.

A retail area was built on part of the site consisting of several outlets however plans to build a full shopping park and leisure complex are still on hold despite planning permission being granted several years ago.

It's not just Lancashire where the once popular attractions still remain today.


Belle Vue Zoological Gardens and fairground, Manchester


Belle Vue park Fun fair in Manchester during the August Bank Holiday, August 1949

During its 150 year lifetime the park wowed millions with its exotic blend of wild animals, circus freaks and dizzying rollercoasters.

What started out as a small private collection of birds in 1836 blossomed into Manchester’s very own theme park.

By the early 20th century its collection of animals – from Asian elephants to chimpanzees – and it soon became home to several rides, including "The Bob" which cost a shilling to ride and offered amazing views from the top.


Smartly dressed thrill-seekers queue for the Bobs in 1946




But spiralling debts saw the zoo wound up in the 1970s and the park closed its gates in 1982.  The attractions were dismantled and in 1988, what was left on the site was finally demolished. Nothing now remains of what was once one of the world's most famous amusement parks.



American Adventure,Derbyshire

The demolished American Adventure theme park in Derbyshire

The American Adventure theme park was once home to several white knuckle rides that featured top rollercoasters like The Missile, Twin Looper and Nightmare Niagara.

It was re-branded in 2005 to cater for younger children but by 2007 the theme park had closed down, and many of the rides sold off. 

What remained was left to rot.


      American Adventure

Despite a petition to rebuild it, what was left of the popular theme park has now been demolished and the land is now being prepared for the building work to start, which will include the creation of 307 homes, a hotel, a retirement village, leisure facilities and offices.



Blobbyland, Somerset

Pictures show Blobbyland derelict, dirty & abandoned

Themed on the popular Saturday night TV show Noel's House Party, which was set in the fictional village of Crinkley Bottom, Blobbyland was opened at Cricket St Thomas in Somerset.

In the height of Blobbymania, when the pink spotty sidekick starred in the popular Saturday night show Noel Edmonds' House Party, it featured many Mr Blobby themed attractions.


Crinkley Bottom - also known as Blobbyland

There was a railway, an 'Animals of Farthing Wood' attraction alongside sea lion shows, a safari ride, 'fun village', a deer park and leopards.

The centrepiece was Dunblobbin, Mr Blobby's house which was painted bright pink with yellow spots and a blue roof. It was surrounded by a white picket fence and had windowsills adorned with blooming plastic flowers.


   The Blobby bed was discovered covered in rubbish

There was also a 'TV's family favourites' attraction and a high street featuring the Blobby Shop.

The park closed in 1998 following dwindling attendance figures but people later started to flock to break into the now-empty Blobbyland.

Efforts were made by the owners to stop people breaking in - including blocking up an access tunnel - but eventually the site was demolished in 2014.



Ocean Beach,Rhyl

Rhyl's ocean beach funfair

Ocean Beach saw thousands of visitors annually at the height of the British seaside summer holiday.  It was so popular that it had to relocate in 1954 from Marine Lake to the bigger space at the West end of the promenade.

The park featured many rides of historic interest including a 1950s Ghost Train, a 1930s vintage toy set, Britain's first ever tubular steel roller coaster - known as the jet Stream- and the world's last surviving circular water chute.









The Pepsi Cola Loop at Rhyl fairground in the 1980 Rhyl's Ocean Beach funfair














Pleasure Island,Cleethorpes

The Tinkerboo Sign at Pleasure Island, Cleethorpes

The theme park welcomed its first guests to great fanfare on May 27, 1993, with a host of family attractions covering the 54-acre site which was previously home to Cleethorpes Zoo and the stock car racing stadium. 


   The derelict roller coaster cars

Thousands of thrillseekers used to flock to the site to enjoy the many rides and attractions - including six white-knuckle rides.

The iconic Cleethorpes theme park closed at the end of the 2016 season after 23 years of business, after seeing a gradual fall in visitor numbers.

The rides and fixtures were sold off under auction in 2018 leaving behind little of what was once a booming theme park.

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