Monday 19th February 2024
'The Hednesford Road Happening’ – Part 2: Heading Further Afield… But Still Quite ‘Local’?’
Immediately following the appearance of the 2, local, newspaper reports, group members had decided that a night-time investigation of the Hednesford Road might be of some interest. As frequently happens though – just as a by-product of a media appeal - we were also made aware of some ‘other’ ghostly matters, in the Brownhills region, so, in the end, it was decided that we might ‘split the visit’ and observe a small handful of locations within the same evening... It should be pointed out that none of these locations – albeit in the same, rough area were at all related and included a segment of Brownhills Common where a figure, resembling a corpse in a shroud – but around 7 to 8 ft in height! – was spotted on 8 or so occasions. At one point, after constantly reporting such sightings and being laughed at by their partner, the latter had accompanied the witness to the spot in question and they too had also seen the figure, allegedly! Near to this latter spot were the ruins of a building, where a figure in a top hat and cape had been seen.
Possibly needless to report, the event concerned – taking place in late April, 2003, and incorporating all of the sites mentioned above - passed without incident. As frequently happened at that point in time, however, the wonderful Craig Winyard – Staff reporter at the (now long defunct) ‘Walsall Observer’ – took a keen interest in the exercise and kindly covered the matter for the newspaper. (*The image situated at the top of this blog entry came from the article concerned).
The aforementioned media responses, as you might expect, had ranged from the fascinating to the ridiculous: tales of sexual assault, suicides, evil local characters, haunted / cursed houses and even ‘dragon sightings’ were just a few of the different matters reported to the group!
However… within this collection of responses, certain details – at least according to paranormal culture – could well be construed as possibly ‘contributing to’ such a scenario as previously reported? Without going into great detail, certain things were said to have ‘occurred on’ the Hednesford Road, over time, that – as far as some areas of ‘supernatural speculation’ are concerned – could well be ‘to blame’ for ‘generating’ some form of ‘evil’, or ‘negative’, presence in the locality?
Amid these reports, there was one particular account that stood out… In a report from the Great Wyrley area, a gentleman reported having seen a black, ‘triangular-shaped’, figure, while walking along a fairly secluded trackway. It was described as a large and seemingly hooded form, giving the impression of someone ‘wearing a cloak’… and exuding an ‘evil’ sensation?
(This encounter occurred near to an old property that – at one time – was used as a local mortuary? As you might guess, the property is said to be haunted!)
In relating this sighting – which had occurred almost 30 years earlier – the man had also mentioned an encounter, in roughly the same location, reported to him by a friend… In that instance, the acquaintance had been riding a motorcycle, when he found himself seemingly ‘being chased’ by a figure adhering to the same description, just mentioned. In attempting to accelerate away from his pursuer, the man claimed to have reached speeds hitting some 80 mph… but the bizarre form had allegedly managed to ‘keep up with him’ for a distance, at least!?
Again, as within the initial account mentioned in the previous post, there was a considerable degree of emphasis put on a ‘sense of evil’ pervading these encounters!
At this point, we have to jump forward some 2 years, the general topic having ‘gone quiet’ by this point in time. A ghost hunting acquaintance, from the Cannock area, contacted me and drew my attention to some reports that had recently appeared in their local press. Checking on the matter, I discovered that an A.S.S.A.P. affiliated group had been mentioned as investigating what they were reporting as a ‘unique’ phenomenon in the Great Wyrley area… which sounded remarkably like the same events that we had looked into, just 2 years earlier!? (*The waters were slightly muddied, however, by somewhat rambling – and wholly bizarre – suggestions that the figure reported somehow tied in with ‘Mothman’ sightings reported in Virginia, USA, in the latter half of the 1960’s!?) I had subsequently contacted the club involved and it transpired that one of the accounts they were looking into was indeed the ‘motorcycle chase’ scenario…
As a result of the contact, I was kindly invited to accompany members of the group on a visit to the locations concerned. I had previously toured the ‘motorcycle’ location, but a 2nd sighting in the village, known by the group – entirely ‘fresh’ information to me – was also generously shared with me. (The sites involved were a half-mile or so apart).
Needless to say, never having personally spoken with the source concerned, I couldn’t possibly expand on the latter situation too much. Also, given that the data is not mine to openly share, I can only say that a witness had apparently come forward with a report of seeing a gigantic, black figure ‘stepping over’ a 5ft tall, chain link fence..! After this, it immediately – with one stride – allegedly cleared a 10 to 12 ft. wide water channel! (See image below).
Due to the measurements involved, someone within the group had suggested an estimated height of 9 feet (for the black figure), which, I had suggested, was a little on the ‘short’ side, given the ‘stepping over’ – not ‘jumping’ - suggestions made above? For some reason, this had elicited not only further musings re. ‘Mothman’ from a member of the club, but also a most peculiar suggestion involving ‘Spring Heeled Jack’ too…?
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