YouTubers Document Criminal Damage and Fire Destruction at Former Knapp House, Triggering New Security Crackdown
Multiple YouTube videos reveal the full scale of fire damage, trespass, and criminal destruction at Grange Hall in Northam — formerly Knapp House — a listed building now dangerously unstable after years of abandonment.
By Ray Smith
A North Devon landmark in accelerating decline
Northam, Devon — New footage from multiple YouTube urban explorers has emerged, revealing the most comprehensive look yet at the fire damage, vandalism and structural collapse at Grange Hall, formerly the well-known Knapp House Activity Centre.
Once a thriving hub for outdoor learning, watersports and school residentials, the site fell into disuse following the tragic drowning of a four-year-old boy in 2017. After the centre closed, its contents were auctioned in December 2021, leaving the buildings empty and exposed.
In the years since, the site has suffered repeated trespass, arson, scrap-metal theft and large-scale vandalism, leading to collapsing floors, failing roofs and severe internal damage.
Drone footage exposes fire-damaged outbuilding
(Footage: TroyBot14 – https://www.youtube.com/@troybot14)
In his third visit to the site, YouTuber TroyBot14 published drone footage
showing:
a burnt-out outbuilding
collapsed roof sections
smoke-blackened rafters
signs of structural failure
Inside, his walk-through reveals:
charred beams and weakened supports
corridors coated in smoke residue and debris
collapsed flooring exposing joists
dozens of piled mattresses described as a major fire risk
extensive theft of bannisters, wiring and fixtures
nearly every window smashed or stolen
“Why burn a place like this down? It just ruins it for everyone,” he says.
Additional videos show roof collapse, decay and haunting remnants
Two further videos — one by southwesthikeruk and another independent explorer — reveal even more structural failure inside the main building.
1. Abandoned Knapp House Holiday Activity Centre Bideford (Urbex)
(southwesthikeruk – https://www.youtube.com/@southwesthikeruk) Full video:
2. Abandoned Holiday Camp Urbex Explore Knapp House Bideford
Full video: https://youtu.be/KkkBqR-x_7I
From these videos:
00:41–00:53 – severe fire scorching along ceiling beams
02:10–02:32 – ceiling collapse with daylight visible through broken roof
03:30–03:56 – original activity-centre posters fading on the walls
02:45–03:04 – stairwell to the pool area slick with algae and water damage
05:10–05:28 – dormitories filled with mattresses, some burned
One video also confirms:
the centre opened in 1982
operated by the Clements family
served schools and youth groups for decades
Explorers consistently describe the site as dangerously unstable, with ceilings failing, glass scattered and youths regularly entering to light fires or strip metal.
‘Car outside!’ — explorers confronted by site representative
(Footage: TroyBot14 – https://youtu.be/j7Qu8-mWBXs)
In this recording, the explorers hear a vehicle arriving and retreat through the building before encountering a man identifying himself as a representative of a company involved with the site.
He confirms:
the property is private
the recent fire was confined to one area
the site is not insured
it has not been sold, despite social-media rumours
trespass, scrap theft and break-ins occur weekly
calls for better security had been made but no action taken until now
“You could get nicked,” he warns, though the discussion remains civil.
New security measures installed — police partnership activated
Following the escalating criminal damage documented in the YouTube footage, the owners have now carried out a security overhaul, including:
a heavy-duty gate
new surveillance cameras
professional security patrols
a formal partnership with Devon & Cornwall Police
Security staff confirmed that the new measures were introduced specifically due to repeated break-ins, fires and the serious risk posed to trespassers entering unstable areas.
This marks the first significant intervention at the site in years.
A historic site at risk — future uncertain
For decades, Knapp House / Grange Hall played a central role in North Devon’s outdoor education scene. Generations of children passed through its doors.
Today, the building is:
open in places
structurally compromised
a target for repeated criminal damage
now under tight security
Whether this heightened security signals a new chapter — or simply buys time — remains unclear.
But the videos have made one thing unavoidable:
They show, in stark detail, how quickly a North Devon landmark can fall into ruin — and how urgently its future must be addressed.
