Thursday November 4th 2021

Highly intrigued to see this image (above) posted on social media quite recently.  While no real detail of the locality concerned can be seen, it was supposedly taken at a site called Wallington Pool - on Wallington Heath - in Bloxwich, on the Northern-most edge of Walsall Borough.

 Wallington Heath itself, as many might already know, is the site of a reasonably famous 'ghost story'... that of the Old Kings Arms coaching inn and the 'bale of stolen cloth'....

The Kings Arms once stood just off the Stafford Road, on the aforementioned Heath, the thoroughfare being a highly busy route in centuries past.  One night, a stagecoach arrived at the inn, carrying - among it's usual array of weary travelers - a young woman with a consignment of valuable cloth.  Legend dictates that, during their overnight stay, someone associated with the inn (many versions of the story say it was a stable hand), decided to steal the cloth from the unfortunate girl and, in the process, murdered her!  No one was ever convicted of the crime and, in the years that followed, stories of a sad, ghostly girl - seen weeping under a tree, next to a nearby pool, were reported.  (*Some references say that, during the brutal attack, the assailant somehow 'cut off' the woman's hand... which subsequently 'went missing', for some reason?  Personally, I believe this detail to be a simple case of 'borrowing from one story to embellish another', perhaps, and can't help seeing a possible association with the 'Hand Of Glory' story from the White Hart Inn, in Caldmore, Walsall... one of the West Midlands most famous haunted sites!?)

Almost all references to this 'ghost' include the aforementioned 'pool'... but, over the years, a little confusion has developed as to 'which' pool is involved?  Most references mention 'Wallington Pool', which stands 50 to 100 yards from the Kings Arms site.  As indicated by the map below, another pool - a simple fish pond - is situated 'immediately next to' the Kings Arms location... so, surely, this would have been the most obvious pond for the ghost to appear near?  Whichever, both of these pools are still extant today, though - depending on the time of year - the fish pond is often SO covered by foliage and pond scum, it's reasonably hard to identify as a body of water!   

 

While the above story is almost certainly pure fiction - no names, or accurate dates, etc, are ever suggested and there is no historic data to support such a tale - the Old Kings Arms itself was indeed a long-standing feature of the Bloxwich landscape.  During the early years of the 20th, however, the coaching inn - already transformed into a private dwelling by this point - was converted into a Convent, for the usage of the Sisters of St Paul of Chartres.  With the addition of a Secondary School, built onto the existing complex just prior to 1910, the site stayed in the hands of the sisters until the early 60's, when it finally closed....

In the years following the closure, the entire area was flattened and a fairly up-market housing estate built on the site... and it is here, it seems, that the ghostlore of this particular spot takes a new direction, greatly reflecting on the more recent history of the locality.

In speaking to the partner of a friend around 25 yrs ago - a person that knew the area involved reasonably well - I was told that a close friend of theirs, whose family occupied one of the houses in the aforementioned estate, reported instances of poltergeist activity in their home... along with the appearance of a 'ghostly Nun'!? 

Subsequently, other reports of 'phantom Nuns' in the immediate area have surfaced... not only at the site of the former Convent itself, but also in the surrounding region, such as the Nun-like form that we have previously posted about, in nearby King George V Playing Fields, a little distance to the rear of the spot in question!  (The account of this latter sighting can be viewed HERE).

In light of these Nun-related sightings, it is interesting to just take another look at the photograph shown at the beginning of this post again.  While being under no illusions about the origins of the picture concerned - it's almost definitely nothing more than the breath of the photographer being highlighted by the camera flash - it is rather amusing to have, in scrutinising the pic, turned the image 90 degrees to the right and instantly noticed what appears to be a 'Nun-like face'... complete with head-gear... gazing off towards the left of shot!  Lol!  (Slightly darkened and sharpened below, purely to enhance the effect concerned!) 

  

         

 

Thursday November 4th 2021

For a number of months now, I find that I've been literally 'bending myself double' in trying to re-discover a little, archaic, 'spooky' mystery - first noticed some while ago now - that involves old 'Moseley Village', in the Eastern-most section of Wolverhampton Borough.

Skimming over details, for the sake of brevity, suffice it to say, there is a topographical feature, named as 'Hobs Hole', recorded as being situated 'near Willenhall' (just to the East of Moseley Village) in a number of old, historical references to the general region.  Unfortunately, a more exact location for this site is NEVER actually mentioned... perhaps leading to the notion that its precise position was already 'forgotten' by the time these references were made? (It's listed in 'The History Of Bilston', by GT Lawley, for example, which was first published in 1863. Again, there are a number of mentions in other publications, but the reference is always the same, very brief, 'Hobs Hole, near Willenhall...' and nothing more, leading the reader to surmise that all such references are, most likely, copied over from the same, vague source?)

However... and herein lies the rub... I KNOW that - some while ago - I saw an old map that has a site listed as 'Hobs Hole' marked on it, roughly in the position shown by the 'red circle' in the image at the top of this post.  For obvious reasons - given it's position - I'd assumed that THIS was, most possibly, the 'Hobs Hole, near Willenhall' mentioned in those numerous, historic references?
 
To clarify on the location involved: the spot concerned is just off the busy crossroads, formed by the meeting of Willenhall Road, Moseley Road and Neachells Lane, between Moseley Village and Portobello, on the edge of Willenhall.  If you follow Moseley Road in a Southerly direction, on pretty-much any map over 50 or so years old, an area called 'Moseley Hole' can usually be seen, on the left-hand side of the thoroughfare, around 200 yards from the aforementioned crossroads.  In trying to help with my research, a number of people have noted this locality and suggested THIS is actually the feature that I'm recalling... though I know this to be incorrect, as - in remembering the map - I ALSO recall seeing 'Moseley Hole' mentioned too.  'Hobs Hole', in my minds-eye, was situated North of 'Moseley Hole', on the same side of Moseley Road though... but much closer to the main crossroads.
 
In considering the version of map that I am currently trying to locate again, I have guessed that the source material concerned was of sufficient age - or 'copied from earlier maps' of sufficient age (as most mapping is carried out / created, of course) - to have had the site of this greatly forgotten 'Hobs Hole' still recorded on it, possibly?  In studying maps over the years, however, it is a often a practice to 'miss out' certain details on the newer map (being created / drawn) that are originally shown on the older map (being used as source material)... especially so, I'd imagine, if the feature concerned is possibly regarded as 'of little consequence' or of no particular, further importance?  (This kind of practice does actually work both ways, it should be noted, as long demolished sites can still be found on the most modern maps, despite having vanished literally decades and decades earlier!  As an example of the latter, I have an 'A to Z' from the 1990's which still shows the grand, old Moseley Court, Bushbury, on it... despite the fact that the property was actually demolished in the 1960's!  I've not seen a more recent 'A to Z' to check whether the place is still recorded as extant therein?)  With regards to the former suggestion, however, I'm just guessing that this is possibly why the Willenhall 'Hobs Hole' came to vanish from maps over time(?)
    
To say this conundrum is bothering me is a considerable understatement, as I've been wracking my brains over the matter for many, many weeks now!  Sadly - try as I might - I just cannot seem to locate the map concerned again!?  I've searched and re-searched all of the available map services online (that you could possibly imagine).... but all to no avail!  Inquiries at Wolverhampton Archives and Wolverhampton Main Library have also revealed nothing of use, though the History Centre service isn't 'up and running' properly as yet - due to ongoing Covid restrictions - so I wasn't able to exactly search the archive anywhere near as freely as I'd have wished, sadly.

In furtherance to the above conundrum, it is also interesting to find that nearby Deans Road was, at one point in time, called 'Buggins Road'. (Some listings call it 'Buggens' Road or Lane).

Also of interest, moving slightly North of the crossroads mentioned earlier, we find an intriguing (if somewhat tentative) suggestion regarding the origins of the name 'Neachells'... which, according to etymological sources could indicate it might, in some interpretations, translate as 'The Hill Of The Apparition'?

In following this vein, Ray Fellows - in his book 'Wednesfield Our Village' - mentions Hart Road (Neachells) and says: "At the bottom end towards the "Tube" many strange things have been seen here over hundreds of years.  It is said to have been a place where the devil, elves and goblins have appeared. I must say that it does have an atmosphere about it, that I cannot explain...."  (I must admit that I was most interested to see this comment, for a couple of reasons... not least because Merrills Hall - the site of which Hart Road literally 'leads to', from the direction of Wednesfield - was rumoured to be quite haunted).
 
In just attempting to round up the above waffle... I have, of course, neglected to really say anything about the archaic usage of such words as 'Hob', 'Bug', 'Pouk', etc, which greatly leads to them frequently being used topographically, in the UK.  As this post is already a bit of a ramble, I basically took this angle as fairly self-explanatory to anyone interested in the ghostlore of the British Isles and so forth. It is interesting to note, however, just how old most of the references possibly are... local examples, in such a highly industrialised and heavily populated region as this, standing out particularly, as most places holding such titles would have originally been isolated and greatly 'rural' in nature!  Lol!  I always refer to these words as 'archaic' when mentioning them, but we seldom realise just how truly ancient some terminology genuinely is, eh!?

Thursday November 4th 2021

I would always try and keep my personal views on politics - at least 'non-ghost-related' subjects - from being aired on this blog... but, having only come up in the local press in recent days, this is one item that I believe 'has to be' mentioned.... 

Greatly related to the post above, Pouk Hill - on the border of Walsall and Bentley - has been 'on my radar' for a number of years now, mainly due to it's name... and what such a title might signify in the region, historically speaking, in a potential, 'paranormal' context? 

As with topographical sites and features containing such words as 'Hob' and 'Bug' in their names, 'Pouk' is also a potential indicator of otherworldly influences, the Middle English translation for the term often meaning: 'An evil spirit, a devil, goblin; a devil, or the Devil, Satan', etc. 

Similar to a number of other terms, like those (most common examples) mentioned above, this is a name that was frequently associated with places or regions that had some kind of 'paranormal' history or reputation - such as a site that was thought to be 'haunted' and so on. Usage of such terminology is archaic at the vest best, however, so - in most of these examples - the reason for the usage, or 'the story behind' such usage, is completely lost to time, sadly.... 

In the Walsall example, however, I have been told - in more recent years - that some 'ghostly activity' is not exactly unknown! (Though I find that this is a distinct rarity, with these places, it has to be suggested?) A year or two ago, I was told by a woman that she was cycling through Pouk Hill during the early hours of the morning, returning home from work, when she saw a misty, figure-like form silently cross the road in front of her. The shape simply passed from one side of the thoroughfare to the other - within yards of the bewildered onlooker - before passing into the open space formerly occupied by the local quarry and out of sight....? 

And so... it now seems, according to recent, local press coverage, that a considerable portion of Pouk Hill is - the same as a LOT of the UK at present - in fear of vanishing forever, under some hastily erected, panic-built housing project! I shall purposefully leave my own views on the why's and wherefores of this current, highly destructive 'plague' out of these comments and, suffice it to say, it would be an horrific shame to see one of the few green areas in this region - especially with potential, supernatural history - disappear under an unwanted avalanche of brick and tarmac....!! An article on this matter - explaining the usage of the picture at the top of the post - can be viewed HERE

 

Monday March 8th 2021

As mentioned many times previously on this blog, Great Barr and Barr Beacon have, for a long time now, been sites of considerable interest to the West Midlands Ghost Club.  In brief, we have seldom come across such a relatively small region so incredibly rich in, quite varied, ghostlore....  This is made all-the-more intriguing by the simple fact that a lot of the area involved is semi-rural in nature and greatly unsullied by human presence.  Still, this greatly 'open' area is absolutely littered with completely diverse tales and accounts, making it a perplexing patchwork of ghostly tales and incredible weirdness!?

It is always a great pleasure to be able to add another story to the already bulging collection of strange scenarios in this region, so we were overjoyed to be presented with this incident only a few nights ago:     

One night, around a decade or so ago, three lads were walking home from a bonfire at a local rugby club.  Their journey took them along the A4041, Queslett Road, near the former St. Margaret's Mental Hospital ('Maggies') in Great Barr.

Passing a particular spot, the group saw some lights in a field that backed on to a wooded area.  For some 15 minutes or so, the lights were flashing from one side of the field to the other, as if someone were toying with a flashlight.  The light would stop for 10 to 15 seconds, then start again.  The peculiar thing was, the light would sometimes be seen 'above' the tree line... as if somehow floating above the distant canopy... then traveling back to ground level?

A cold night, two of the group protested that they were freezing and tried to encourage the third to carry on with their journey, but he says that he knew "something wasn't right, which, weirdly, made me want to watch it more; wait for it to come back....."

As the three stood there - the large, completely empty field spreading out in front of them - a 'white horse' suddenly 'appeared'......  This animal was larger than any horse our confidante had ever seen before and literally 'glowing' white! 

But the 'physical appearance' wasn't what shook the boys; it was that the animal 'appeared out of thin air', in front of them..... and it was already 'running at a gallop' when it materialised!?  (*The Gentleman informs me that he has purposefully returned to the same spot maybe 3 times since the encounter, standing on the site of their experience, and - on a recent visit - took this photograph, below.  We're told that the horse appeared just in front of the position of the lone tree in the middle-ground).

 

Upon seeing the horse, all three lads instantly ran across to the other side of the A4041 - a normally busy thoroughfare - without even thinking to check for oncoming traffic!  Only upon reaching the opposite side did they consider looking back, but there was no sign of the animal at all, by that point......?  Still, they subsequently 'ran all the way home', having been so thoroughly rattled by the sighting!

As with many such 'shared' experiences, the lads - upon meeting up again - had often spoken of their encounter and refer to it as 'The White Horse'.  In his most recent return to the site, the man was reminded that he had once, briefly, posted to our blog about this matter, leaving brief data on one of our Great Barr related stories. This thought had, thankfully, inspired him to re-establish contact with us and explain the experience in some detail.  The hope was, given the peculiarity of the matter, that someone else might have possibly encountered something similar and, in seeing this note, potentially let us know of their story too?

While we couldn't exactly add anything to the 'equine' aspect of the experience in this specific location, it had to be mentioned that there are actually a number of 'horse-related' tales attached to the immediate area!  For many years now there have been tales of a 'phantom coach' haunting the region, the sound of which is often heard in Chapel Lane, near St. Margaret's Church.  The coach was also 'seen' by someone in a location just off the aforementioned Queslett Road too.  In the former hospital grounds, I was once told that one patient would often speak of seeing a 'horse and rider' from the window of their room, but, because of their unfortunate condition, this information was always dismissed as some form of hallucination.  One morning however, a member of staff (the person who informed me of this matter) happened to glance out of the window concerned and swears that they saw the rear end of a horse and rider just in the process of vanishing from view, around the corner of the building!?  A similar sight was witnessed by a young boy delivering newspapers one morning, on a housing estate about a quarter of a mile away, during the 1950's.  The form that he saw was vague and misty, but in the general shape of a woman on a horse!  Many years ago, at the crossroads of nearby Chapel and Crook Lanes, it is claimed that a number of horses (being led by a group of men) 'froze solid' upon hearing the chimes of St. Margaret's Church clock, marking midnight?  The animals refused to budge a centimeter, despite the desperate urging of the drovers, until the chimes stopped... upon which they seemingly carried on, un-flustered.....!?

Returning to our 'White Horse' account, however, there is one aspect of this particular experience that - while not horse related - was a DEFINITE eye-opener for me!  In recently relating the story, the man concerned was (I'm most grateful to say!) thorough in his reporting of the facts and presented photographs of the exact site at which they'd had their encounter.....

Around 10 or so years ago, I was contacted by a woman who said that (some time earlier) she and 2 members of her family had been driving along Queslett Road, in the direction of West Bromwich, when a 'figure' had crossed the road, in front of their car, wearing what she described as 'period costume'.  She quite accurately gave the location where this had occurred - the figure moving off in the general direction of Barr Beacon - and the spot she mentioned was the exact location of the above-mentioned 'white horse' sighting? 

Needless to say, we are extremely grateful to the gentleman for so kindly taking the time to contact us with such a detailed account of his experience!  All concerned would be most interested in hearing from anyone who might hold data on similar, or potentially related, activity in the Great Barr area......

 

Monday March 8th 2021

To quickly give a little, simple, context to this post:  This is a picture - obtained during ghost investigations held between 1993 and 97 (approx.) - that I've just kindly been given permission to share here.  It was taken at a reasonably ancient site, in the English Midlands, that has a long standing history of haunting associated with it.  Clearly, the site is in a ruinous state, as shown in the photograph.  Topically, given our recent, purely coincidental, introduction to this image, the property concerned had - in more recent years - been mentioned in media sources concerning another (alleged) 'potentially paranormal' image, obtained there....  However, regarding this other picture, it should be mentioned that - a sign of this day and age - the scenario surrounding the taking of the photograph does strike as highly questionable indeed!       

Dispensing with the usual fluff re. 'leading people', it can surely be stated that the 'anomaly of interest' in the image shown above is quite easily discerned....!?  The slightly edited image below has had a simple 'Adjust Colour' option carried out on it, once, for the sake of experimenting with the clarity of the anomaly.

 

From a personal point of view, I'm often privy to numerous, alleged 'ghost photographs' and - while I'm always interested in seeing such images - it has to be said that the bulk of these pictures are... well.... far-from interesting.  Purposeful fakery (using phone apps, etc), pareidolia, dust particles (i.e. 'Orbs') and good, old wishful thinking clearly account for 99.9% of examples.  Even in offerings that might result in a slight, 'Wow - that's interesting!' factor, the truly objective viewer still cannot (obviously) afford to dismiss any of the aforementioned... which, to me, results in a simple, entirely non-committal, 'Nice pic!' style viewpoint.  I'll happily admit that, in the past, I've given the latter appraisal to a number of images which have turned out to be blatant fakes... such at the infamous 'Wem Fire' picture, etc.  Fake, pareidolia, or whatever.... you can certainly commit yourself as far as admitting you've 'seen a nice pic'; something that feels particularly good, right or potentially compelling as far as supposedly 'spooky images' are involved....! 

With the above statement in mind, I should admit that I don't personally think it IS possible to photograph a 'ghost', as - simply put - I don't believe 'ghosts' are actually made of the kind of 'stuff' that can possibly be recorded in this way, etc.  This still doesn't stop me from identifying a 'Good pic!' when I (rarely) see one... with the image presented here genuinely being one of the best that I've seen in absolutely ages now!

It should be stated clearly that the person who has kindly shared the image with us is an experienced investigator, with - suffice it to say - a very good background for the general subject... being (bona fide, academic-level) educated in psychology and parapsychology.  Their own appraisal of the image is:  'Obviously we've always said that in our opinions it's probably 99% pareidolia but we just love it.  And it's our very own ghostie lol...."    

       

Needless to say, we'd VERY much like to hear from page visitors regarding what they might think about this intriguing image?  Please DO feel free to leave a comment below!

 

Monday, March 8th, 2021.

A recent, chance discovery of an old photograph of The Manor House, at Stone Cross, West Bromwich, instantly put me in mind of a particular experience that was recorded on the very first, overnight visit, by the W.M.G.C., some years ago now.....

A vigil was being held in the 'Function Room' section of the property during the early house of the morning.... a spot that was always jokingly referred to as 'Crossroads Motel' (by club members), because of it's overwhelming 60's / 70's style and general vibe. 

At one point, just after 3 a.m., group member, Steve Chew, clearly reacts with considerable surprise to something and informs the group that he had 'seen a figure' just outside some nearby glass doors!  Members present react immediately, but nothing can be seen upon investigation?

At the point in question, Steve had been in a position directly facing the doors concerned and says that the figure had moved from his left to right - speedily, in what he'd taken to be a 'gliding motion' - seemingly quite close to the glass.  He reported that the form had been tall and thin... but moving in a 'stooping' position, as if traveling against a considerable wind!?  (Of which there was none, on the night in question).  From what he could tell, it had appeared to be wearing a long cowl or dress-like garment, light-greyish in colour.... and he got the impression that it's arms had been 'tucked in front of it', very much like when you see stereotypical images of 'monks', with their hands secreted inside the sleeves of their tunic.....

Referring to the photograph at the head of this post (taken around the time of the first investigation): the area being discussed here is the windowed section of building - actually part-hanging over the moat - nearest the position of the photographer.  The glass doors mentioned are, while being viewed from a slight 'side' position, still clear in the shot.  As the viewer can see, there is a low set of 'railings' between the external, patio-like area and the moat, which probably reaches around 'groin height' on someone of average height.  Taking Steve's experience into account, the 'figure' that he witnessed would be traveling in the direction / position of the arrow in image 2 above... meaning that the only place that the swift-moving form could possibly go was.... well.... 'over these railings' and 'into' the moat.....?

In contrast, the aforementioned 'old' image, showing roughly the same angle (below) - which inspired this post - was supposedly taken around the late 1940's / early 50's.  At that point in time, it is widely claimed that the Manor House of West Bromwich - while being known to have existed in the past - was regarded as 'lost'... probably demolished at a point long ago?  (Quick note*  This fact has been refuted numerous times - albeit mainly on social media - the suggestions made being that the local corporation knew exactly where the Manor House was, but, basically, didn't really care!?)  The official story is that the property was happily 'discovered again', in the 1950's, during the demolition of 'slum buildings'... the framework of the old property being simply 'found', hidden underneath the exterior of the hovel-like structure.....? 

 In viewing this angle again, from this time, we basically see the same route taken by Steve's figure... though with the 'Crossroads Motel' section of the property yet to be constructed and the moat excavated, etc.   In visiting Sandwell Archives, some years ago, numerous images revealing different versions of this side of the property were discovered and - in the very corner of the site, where the red arrow roughly originates - there was a doorway to one of the so-called 'slum dwellings'.  From this doorway there was, clearly shown in a lot of pics, a 'footpath' of some type, leading away from the door in the exact location that Steve had witnessed the figure moving!?  In the archived photographs - again, without the presence of the later excavated moat - the trackway is seen to simply progress in a straight line, 'out of shot' across the field, to wherever.....!?