Tuesday 19th February  

The W.M.G.C. have investigated a number of sites around Warwick, Warwickshire, in fairly recent years, but it had been a break of almost 3 decades, since my last, casual, 'daylight' tour of the town....  It was, therefore, a pleasure to receive the opportunity to be able to visit such a beautiful and historic region again at the beginning of this month.    

It probably goes without saying that the most famous, allegedly 'haunted', site on offer to visitors is the impressive edifice of Warwick Castle and  there has been a fortification on this spot since a wooden fort was first built here by William The Conqueror in 1068.  As you might expect, ghostly legends associated with the spot are many... though, it has to be stressed that pretty much 'all' are just that: myths and legends.  However, this clearly hasn't slowed castle authorities any in manipulating their ghostly heritage to the fullest in recent years!

Almost definitely, the most famous ghost story associated with the castle is that of the ill-fated Sir Fulke Greville... and it is his legend that gives the sites 'Haunted Tower' its spooky reputation!  James 1st gave Warwick Castle to Greville in 1604 and the latter utilised the stronghold as his country home. 

Just over 20 years later and, while staying at his London home, Greville was the victim of a murderous assault by one of his servants, Ralph Haywood.  In a desperate endeavour to save the badly wounded man, his physician is said to have 'packed the wounds with pig fat'.... causing infection and, finally, an agonising death!  His body was subsequently brought back to Warwick, to be buried in the Collegiate Church of St Mary.   (Right).

In late October 2007, Members of the West Midlands Ghost Club - along with B.B.C. Radio W.M. DJ, Danny Kelly - were allowed to investigate certain portions of the castle overnight.  The resulting recordings were aired as part of a 'Halloween Special' show for that year.

Situated where West Street meets High Street, Lord Leycester Hospital, is a magnificent complex of buildings dating from around the 1100's, to the 14th and 15th Centuries. 

The 12th Cent. chapel of St James - situated over the West Gate Arch, seen in the accompanying pic - was being renovated some years ago, when a headless skeleton, encased in rusty armour, was discovered hidden in a cavity in one of the walls!  It should come as no surprise then that a ghost, in the form of a headless figure, was said to wander a number of rooms within the historic site......  However, after the mysterious remains were buried properly, a little while later, the ghost is said to have disappeared for good!?!

In December 2005, members of the W.M.G.C. were asked to take part in a proposed Central T.V. documentary - on the subject of Midlands ghosts - and the picturesque Tudor House Inn / Hotel, on Stratford Road, Warwick, was chosen as a suitable location for the project.....

The Inn is said to be haunted by at least three different ghosts.... those of a young boy and girl and a gentle, female apparition nick-named 'Jennifer'.  A further figure - a white, hazy 'form' - was also seen going up the bar stairs by two visitors to the hotel one evening.....

Numerous people associated with the site, both staff and visitors, have heard inexplicable, disembodied footsteps both moving across the bar area and in the (empty) 'Mary Tudor Room' directly above.  The sound of music and singing has also been reported by numerous people in the bar area of the building.  Some heavy gates, used to lock up the bar at night, have been heard 'rattling' quite audibly when there was no one around to interfere with them.....  Further audible activity has been reported from outside the property, when people have supposedly heard the sound of 'barrels rolling' in the middle of the night, nearby....!?

The 30 minute documentary - 'Central Extra:  Ghosts' - was aired in January 2006.

"BRIEF INVESTIGATION REPORT: The Tudor House Inn – Warwick – Warwickshire.

Date Of Visit: 11th / 12th December 2005.
Duration Of Visit: Approx. 7.5 hours.
Time of Arrival: Approx. 9.00 p.m.

Present:

Investigative Team - Leonard Jackson, Steve Chew and Nick Duffy. Also, for part of the investigation - Tudor House Manager ‘Sweetie’ and I.T.V. Film Crew x 3 persons.

For the duration of the night, three paying guests are housed in rooms situated on the 2nd Floor landing.

Aims / Inv. Process:

General investigation of property, mainly focusing on sections of building noted as being of particular relevance / importance regarding the alleged paranormal history of the site. Investigation procedure incorporating:

1st person audio / visual observation.

(b) Static (area based) audio / visual recording, incorporating standard / night shot camera’s.

(c) General temperature recording. (Incorporating ‘ambient’ devices).

(d) Trigger objects – listed below:

*12” tall mannequin figure – positioned on table in Restaurant area of building.
*Cross – outlined on white paper – on small, corner window ledge of Mary Tudor Bedroom.
*Childrens chiming ball – situated on dresser in Mary Tudor Bedroom.
*Bible – placed on chair at top of Bar Room Stairs.

Brief Investigation Notes:

*9.00 p.m. – W.M.G.C. members arrive at site. Speak with Tudor House staff and gather general data concerning alleged haunting of site.

*10.00 p.m. – I.T.V. Crew arrive. Begin with filming external views of building, followed by ‘interview’ sessions – in Main Bar Area - with group members.

*11.30 a.m. – I.T.V. crew film group members setting up investigative equipment in Mary Tudor Bedroom.

Camera (utilising night shot capacity) positioned in (door / main window) corner of bedroom, facing – diagonally – towards small, corner window (on the ledge of which the ‘cross’ trigger object is positioned).

Thermometer and childrens ball situated on small dresser against corridor wall of room.

Door to M. T. Room locked at 12.15 a.m.

*Approx. 12.30 a.m. – I.T.V. Crew leave building.

*1.00 a.m. – video recording session in Mary Tudor Bedroom finishes. (At this point in the morning, ‘Sweetie’ retires for the night to Room 5 on the First Floor landing).

*1.15 a.m. to 2.00 a.m. – Group members conduct vigil on staircase between Restaurant area and 1st Floor Landing.

During this period:

Video recording session running in Main Bar Area. Camera facing up Bar stairs to 1st Floor area.

*2.10 to 3.00 a.m. – Group members conduct vigil in Bar Area.

During this period:

Camera 1: positioned on 2nd Floor Landing, looking towards Room 10 area.

Camera 2: positioned on 1st Floor Landing, facing upstairs towards 2nd Floor Area.

Camera 3: positioned in Restaurant Area, facing rear of property.

At approx. 2.49 a.m. Len Jackson walking along Reception Area corridor (going to retrieve camera 3 from Restaurant Area) when he hears loud ‘hiccup’ type noise. Cannot find source of sound and admits that the experience causes him to be momentarily reticent to enter Restaurant Area.

*3.00 a.m. to 4.00 a.m. – Group conduct vigil in Mary Tudor Bedroom.

During this period:

Video recording sessions in Main Bar Area. Camera 1 situated on Bar Balcony – 1st Floor level – filming down towards great fireplace end of room.

Camera 2 positioned facing Bar Stairs.

*4.30 a.m. – Group leave site.

Conclusions / Summary:

Nothing of an obvious ‘paranormal’ nature was detected during our visit. The only event of any potential significance was Len Jacksons experience at 2.49 a.m. in the Reception Area Corridor.

Temperatures within the building dropped steadily by 1.5 degrees during the course of the stay.

Doc Ends".

In more recent times, St Johns House Museum - a fine Jacobean house, set in its own gardens - appears to have become fairly popular with the 'Paid Ghost Hunt' / 'Commercial Ghost Venture' fraternity.  While we could find no real written records re. the alleged, 'haunted history' of this site at all, a quick check 'online' is pretty much all it takes to both 'set alarm bells ringing' and merit more than a slight 'sceptical grimace'...... 

To quote advertising blurb found on the net: "There have been many reports of paranormal activity and ghostly sightings at the mansion by staff and visitors alike, including the sounds of footsteps from empty rooms, dramatic drops in temperature and even a figure seen at one of the windows. It is thought two sisters both met tragic ends at the house; one was burnt to death when her clothing caught light while trying to dry herself by an open fire and the other fell ill after the house was broken into and many believe she literally died of fright".

All of the extremely limited data mentioned above seems absolutely standard from site to site.... which would basically lead the reader to surmise that all of the references are probably taken from the same, initial, very brief, source?  Whatever, its hardly 'riveting stuff', is it - 'dramatic drops in temperature' and 'a figure seen at a window'!?! - especially if you are being asked to, on the basis of such scant detail, dig deeply into your pockets, pull out your hard-earned cash, and pay handsomely for the pleasure of staying here, eh!?

In mid-2009, group members paid our most recent overnight visit to Warwick, when we were invited to investigate the lovely 'Lord Leycesters Hotel' in High Street.

Built around 1600, the ghost of a little girl has been spotted darting around one of the staircases of the building.  Upon being challenged by a member of staff, the child is said to have put her finger to her lips and - somewhat cheekily - told the person concerned to 'Shussshhhh....!!!' before disappearing!! 

A much more disturbing apparition altogether was the naked 'torso' of what appeared to be an 'Afro-Caribbean Gentleman' that was spotted by a cleaner, moving between some of the hotel rooms on an upper floor!

In this same area of the property, hotel equipment has been interfered with - hoovers and lights switched on and off, seemingly of their own volition - and, on more than one occasion, 'shoes' apparently witnessed 'flying through a wall'...!?! 

Visitors and staff have also reported uneasy and uncomfortable sensations, in a number of parts of the hotel, and a former chef claims to have had something forcibly 'brush past him' in the cellar of the site one day, even though there was nothing to be seen to explain the sensation........

In ending our little visit to Warwick, we thought we might part with a nice, gentle, historic ghost..... that of the genteel  Thomas Oaken.....

On my first visit to the town, the utterly gorgeous 'Thomas Oakens House'  - a 16th Cent. structure, lying within a stones throw of the castle - housed a 'Doll Museum' and 'Doll Hospital'.  However - today - is now a tiny, charming 'tea rooms', it seems!!

Oaken himself was born to a very poor, local family, but - through his hard work - he later became a very prosperous merchant in the region and was a great benefactor to the town!  While little has been published on the associated haunting, it is said that the quiet, gentle, spirit of Oaken walks through his former home at night.......

Monday 18th February 2018

It comes as a rather happy coincidence that three separate - and, of course, most interesting - images should find their way to us in the week leading up to this planned update of the blog!  It's always most stimulating to be able to put your mind into something visually challenging.... and, needless to say - at a basic level - there's nothing like a nice 'spooky photograph' to get the juices flowing, is there......?

All three of the images concerned have come to us via 'Facebook'.... the first (immediately above) being introduced in a post on the 'West Midlands Ghost Club' related page itself.  The Gentleman concerned explained:

"Hi folks.  Not saying this is a ghost - I know it isn't! - but this is strange....   What seems to be the outline of a fiqure of a person; never really bothered me until today!"

It is explained that the picture shows a wall situated inside the Gentlemans place of work and is a spot - perched on the radiator - that was a favourite 'resting place' of another, former, employee at the site.....  Sadly, the man passed away some years ago and, as the outline is roughly the same size and build of the man in question, it is relatively easy to almost imagine that the wall had somehow 'taken an image of him'.... as if to 'remember him by', perhaps?  The 'shadow' itself was initially noticed by a female member of staff not long after the man had passed away, which, of course, would doubtlessly prove to be significant in the time-line involved....

General concensus on the 'shadow' - on the WMGC Facebook page - is the simple reasoning that the mark concerned is simply 'dust' that has risen with the heat from the radiator and settled on the wall.  I'm sure most page visitors have seen this kind of effect - or variations on the theme - many times over the years and such a conclusion, therefore, is unquestionably the most obvious and most logical.  (Image below specifically 'darkened' to enhance the effect concerned).

However, whenever you find yourself dealing with such matters - in conjunction with some form of 'community' especially - there is always going to be the question of some type of 'lore' potentially appearing or developing and 'coming into play' too?  However insignificant this lore may be, it is - it should go without saying - of incredible importance to make note of, from a research point of view / angle.  For example, in the instance discussed here, it is said that the workforce involved openly acknowledged this 'effect', to the extent that it was referred to as:  'The shape of XXX'.  (XXX representing the name of the deceased). 

Furthermore, we're informed that people sometimes believed that they could 'smell smoke' at certain timers, as the deceased Gentleman was a smoker......  It was always called 'The Ghost Of XXX'.

Our 2nd photograph for this post - below - was again introduced to us on Facebook and concerns a site in the South Staffordshire region, not all that far distant from Wolverhampton Borough.

The image was obtained around 10 o' clock one evening, and the lady who took the shot was going through a regular / highly familiar process of arriving home and entering her yard.  She had 'just' literally passed the area where the anomaly can be seen prior to pulling up and switching her vehicle off...... 

She tells us: 

"I always look around - on getting out of the car to open the gate - because sometimes there are deer in the nearby woods.  Normally, I just open the gate, wait for the car to pass through (with my husband driving it in)... and then lock the gates behind it.  This night, however, I felt that I was being watched; it’s a fairly isolated place, so I’m always mindful, but I pretty-much knew knew no one else was there, as I'd just passed the area (with the car head lights on) and there is no other direction someone can enter from.  Anyway, I felt a little eerie... I looked up, behind the car... and 'that' was there!?!  It didn’t appear to be moving at all... and I think that’s what scared me the most, as it appeared totally still and 'staring back at me'!? 

I opened the gate - my phone was in my hand, as I use the torch option to be able to see the padlock - and, as soon as I shut and re-locked the gate, I took a photo!!  I initially used the flash, but nothing showed up.... so I turned the flash off and took another picture, and THAT was the result.....!!  I'm not saying it is a ghost, just strange.....

I'm left feeling a little eerie by the situation; a touch strange and scared!  I didn’t tell my hubby until we were inside our home - basically as he is terrified of things like that - but he kept saying: 'What’s wrong? You're jumpy! What’s happened?  What did you take a picture of?'  When he eventually realised I was a bit frightened, he stopped asking more questions......

Every night now, I’m constantly looking and checking in case of reflections, effects from security lights, etc.... but Ive not seen it again!!"

As I'm not at all personally familiar with the area concerned, the young lady involved was kind enough to send me a photograph of the same scene during daylight hours.  (Above).  It should go without saying that you always need to know as much as you possibly can about a location, in this kind of scenario, so the lady explains:  "All that is behind where the anomaly  was is a very tall hedge... and a garden behind that... that’s it.  A forested area is off to the right.  The anomaly is actually situated on the concrete of a car park".

When the daytime image was posted on the FB page, a couple of people instantly noted the 'traffic cone' that can be seen in the background of the shot and queried whether the 'effect' involved could possibly be an effect created by that, somehow?  In response to such suggestions, it was mentioned that the cone concerned is a constant feature within the scene involved, being used to block a nearby drive, etc.  The position of the cone is some 7 or 8 feet away from where the anomaly is seen in the pic.  Also, seen with the naked eye, it was estimated the 'effect' was about 6 feet in height......       

Our 3rd image, included this update - below - ties-in-nicely with another of our recent posts, having been taken in the 'School Room' of Warwick Castle approximately 4 years or so ago.....

The lady seen playing the role of 'school mistress' in the image was actually a friend of the photographer and was 'conducting a lesson' for the children shown, following an official show.  As a result of this, the lady taking the photograph can be sure of precisely 'who' was present in the room at the time: the area was closed to the public and, apart from those clearly shown in the image itself, there was only another friend of hers - standing to her side as she took the shot - and herself there too.    

         

Nothing at all untoward was noticed during the taking of the images concerned - there were half-a-dozen pics of the children sitting in the room, etc - but the strange 'background anomaly' was only spotted on sending copies to a friend later. Of all of the images, this 'anomaly' appears in only one, single shot.....

A photographer gentleman, who had expressed an interest in the matter, viewed the image a couple or so years ago and suggested that the 'dress' shown was something from the 15th Century, possibly!? 

The lady who took the picture admits that she gets a 'female', 'Asian' impression from the image.... something which, I have to agree wholeheartedly with, I find!?