This first appeared in www.psychic-tymes.com, Vol 5 issue 1, Jan to May 2004
During February 2003 I had the good fortune to be able to visit a haunted inn in Hampshire, England. It proved to be very haunted, with grounded spirits ranging in date from the 1500s up to more recent times. As it was so active it was selected as the location for a pilot of a proposed television series.
My first visit to the Crown Hotel in the village of Bishop’s Waltham was with the Portsmouth Ghost Club, who had kindly agreed to me tagging along. I turned up at the pub (non-UK readers - that's "public house", or bar) at eight in the evening. We set up the Ghost Club’s instruments in the hall but would have the run of the building when it closed for business at eleven o’clock. The hall was in a Victorian extension to the main building, but the majority of the premises were mainly 17th century and there was even a part of the building dating back to the 16th century!
I had not met the members of the Portsmouth Ghost Club before. They got very busy re-arranging tables for us to hold a séance. I wanted to contact the various ghosts lurking about in the building. However, I was a guest so had to go along with the way the ghost club operated. We all sat down and held hands around the table. The usual things were said: “Is anyone there?” As there were a few mediums amongst us one jumped into the silence and proceeded to give out messages. The team was so keen to pick up ghosts that belonged to the building that they discounted the fact that they may be getting dead relatives of the people around the table. I felt at the time that the vast majority of the messages we were getting through were relatives rather than revenants from the Crown Hotel.
The Crown Hotel, Bishop's Waltham, Hampshire, UK. © 2003 Farncombe Publishing
A child came through who was playing with a dog. We also picked up a middle-aged large dark gentleman, who was a blacksmith, or some other related craftsperson, was picked up. I particularly felt that the blacksmith belonged to one of the Ghost Club members, especially as he looked similar! When I mentioned this to the others my comment was discounted. I was very glad when the group decided that it was time to go down to the main bar as closing time had arrived and we could look around the public house.
The leader of the group, Norie, put us into pairs so that one could get impressions and the other could make notes. I was paired with the landlord’s partner, Lucy. We walked around the ground floor of the pub making notes of where we found cold spots. There was a strong one near the main door to the back of the building. This was the entrance from the car park and was most used by the pub’s customers. If felt like a man, but was so tenuous I could not put a date to the occupant's period of life. Another spot that felt haunted was the wooden staircase going to the living quarters on the first floor. Later on that night Norie revealed some of the history surrounding the building and a lady in pink is supposed to go up and down the staircase, disappearing into the landlord’s flat.
Once we had completed an initial reconnoiter of the ground floor, we went up the stairs to the first floor to enter the rooms to the left of the staircase. The landlord’s flat was to the right and out of our remit for the evening. Once at the top of the stairs I was amazed to be grabbed by a female ghost, dressed in a long dress and wearing a mob cap. She told me her name was Sally and proceeded to explain how she died. Norie was standing with me and smiled, writing down all that I was relaying to her. Sally had worked as a maid at the Inn. She had been accused of stealing. She was the only one in her family who had a job and was so upset at the false accusation, and at losing her job, that she had gone into the woods and had hanged herself. She was so sorry and wanted to apologize to her father. This ghostly encounter happened at the base of a small winding staircase up to the second floor.
Norie and most of the Ghost Club went off to look at a wood-paneled room. Lucy followed me up the winding staircase. I had to stop on the top stairs and sit down because the second floor had a very nasty atmosphere to it, so nasty that I did not want to go any further without my husband Martin with me. There was a landing with three doors off it. I was made aware of a young lad, of about 12 or 13 years old, trying to talk to me. His chest hurt. He told me that he had been a stable lad at the Inn and he had had his chest kicked in by a horse. He had died of his injuries, he was gasping for breath. There was also a very nasty man with a ‘rat face’. He was in his late middle-age. He had a scrawny build. He told me his son had killed him. ‘He hit me over the head!’ Although I really did not want to hear too much of what this man said I relayed to Lucy the gist of the story. This man was a landlord of the Inn during the Victorian period. He liked to ‘meddle’ with the maids, who lived in the rooms on this floor. His eldest son fancied one of the maids. But he – the landlord – decided to ‘meddle’ with her. When he was seeing to the maid his son hit him over the head! It had killed him. He wanted revenge. I tried to point out to him that ‘meddling’ was just another word for rape and just because he was their employer he had no right to rape them! He was not prepared to listen to me. So I decided that I did not want to go further into the third floor and turned to go downstairs.
At this point Norie and the rest of the Portsmouth Ghost Club went up the small staircase. Lucy and I stayed on the first floor and went along to the room at the end of the corridor. The following transcript is taken from the recording we made at that time:
Lucy: Do you need the door shut?
Me: No I don't need it shut. Right….Hello?
Lucy: Smells like fags in here, or was that something that just wafted
in?
Me: I thought it was Norie when I came in because of Norie, she smokes
cigarettes, but…..it is very strong.
Lucy: Yes I am a non-smoker so I can really smell it.
Me: Yes, oh - hello my name is Judy and this is?
Lucy: Lucy.
Me: And this is Lucy, Lucy lives here as you know. Is there anything that
we can do to help the person who is stuck in this room to either move
on or come to terms with how they passed away? Someone has just said yes,
it's a man, a youngish man. He said he died of poison.
Are you sure you died of poison - not just food poisoning? Because in
your days food was not exactly clean.
No he is very emphatic that someone killed him, for inheritance purposes.
He came by coach, he visited the coaching inn. Your brother or your Uncle
was involved in this and you were done away with so that they could inherit.
Members of the Portsmouth Ghost Club climbing the stairs to the second floor of the Crown Hotel, February 2003. Photograph © 2003 Farncombe Publishing.
Have you not forgiven them?
I suppose it is a bit hard forgiving someone for killing you but, but
its not….to stay stuck here for so long……when was it? 1750's because a
lot of the spirits in here are from the 1800's but you are a bit earlier.
You have riding boots on. He is a nice young man, he doesn't really want
to upset people but he has been trying to tell them for a long time about
his Uncle. It is his Uncle; you wanted to tell your father that your Uncle
harmed you, your Uncle and your Cousin.
So you were an only son?
Yes he says, and when I died the inheritance had to follow the male line.
Therefore, after my father's death it would go the younger brother and
the younger brother's son, because he [the ghost] only had sisters. To
consolidate the line his cousin was going to marry his youngest sister,
which is incestuous.
No you can get dispensation for first cousins, it's not a good idea but you could. Yes but….
Lucy: Back then was it though?
Me: Yes, well they could have got a dispensation through the Church, first cousins. But that way they could keep the inheritance. I can understand why you were a bit freaked out about it…upset….upset isn't quite the right word.
How can we help you move on or at least go back to your own home?
He says they are all gone now. He sort of stayed where he died.
Lucy: Is that here then?
Me: Yes, he died in this room. It is so sad. He is holding - he is touching
my arm. He says pray for me.
Yes I will, once a year I go to church and I will pray for you next Christmas
eve. You see I am not a Christian; I only go on Christmas Eve [laugh].
I will remember you like I remember all the ghosts I see through the year.
I always pray for them on Christmas Eve.
What's your name?
George, like the dog [the manager has a dog called George] named after
the King. Something like George Hancock or Hanrahan or something like
that [he was] Landed Gentry from Southampton way. They were traveling,
he was traveling…..
Why were you traveling?
It was something to do with fox hunting, or hunting, or horse races. He
was on the way somewhere with his cousin and his uncle, and they did the
dastardly deed.
Oh, he says it is a great relief to talk to someone about it. Okay, George,
who is the old woman?
[I am aware that there is another ghost in the room with us] She is further
back - who is it?
No, she is, no I can't catch her as it is mainly George because he is telling us his story. Is there anything else you want to say to prove that you existed here, if you would like to say something onto the tape and I may catch it?
Who is the cigarette smoke? Oh it is his, he had a pipe. It is a way of announcing his presence.
Lucy: It is going away now, the smoke.
Me: Yes, I can still smell faint echoes of it, he is fading away now. Oh oooh, did you feel that tingle, like something is drained down? He is going away, he is saying thank you - you are welcome George, any time George, any time mate.
I became tired at this point of the visit and asked Lucy if there was a place we could sit down and rest? She took me to a room along the corridor, where Nick, the barman lived. Strangely enough this room was haunted too. An old man from the 1930's lived in it with Nick, and a few ghostly cats. He did not mind sharing his home with others. When I told Nick what I was getting he said he did notice odd things happen in the room. The atmosphere was pleasant and friendly. Norie and a few of the Ghost Club members were also having a brief rest in Nick's room before we went ghost hunting in other rooms again.
Once I had had my rest Lucy and I went up the second rickety stairs by the side of George's room. This time the landlord, Paul came with us. I had the foresight to turn on the recorder once more. The following transcript was from the room at the top of the stairs:
Judy: Servants quarters again, this where that woman is
- that woman from downstairs [Georges room] - this is where she lives.
Lucy: The woman you couldn't get downstairs 'cos George was talking?
Judy: Yes, she's up here. So this is an old woman. She is - what were
you doing? She did all the mending. She is just one person who has been
here. Obviously there has been many many servants who have stayed up here
over the years but she was - [Lucy coughs twice] yes that is her cough
- it's not you - its her cough.
Lucy: Oh no don't…..[laughs]
Judy: So what's your problem?
She is lost. She doesn't know where to go and she spent so much of here
life here that she didn't know where to go when she died. She didn't believe
in anything. If you don't believe in anything how do you know where to
go when you die?
She is feeling around my head - she is saying what have you got up around
your head? Why can you do this?
Why can you sew - it is a skill. Do you want to move on?
Yes.
But you did not care for anyone when you were alive?
No - no.
Bitter, lonely, pissed off, didn't like her life. Felt she wasted all
her time. All she did was help other people. All she did was 'do the housework'
'do the mending' and no-one gave a thought about her. No one listened
to her, no one talked to her, and she just did all the housework. And
now she is dead no one gives a toss.
George in his riding costume, as portrayed by the actor in the pilot
of the series 'Ghost Quest'.
© 2003 Farncombe Publishing
There must have been someone you loved? It could even just be a dog like George [managers dog is called George]. There must have been someone or something that you loved? I'll tell you exactly what I tell all the people who get stuck and left behind. The only way that you can move on is to remember someone or something - it doesn't have to be human… it has to be a living thing… a cat, a dog, a horse or even a canary, or it could be your sister, your brother, your dad or your mum, or your grandparent or your grandchild. You have got to be able to remember someone or something that you loved because you have got to feel that energy of love to be able to move on. As long as you sit here feeling bitter and angry because you just wasted your life you will actually keep the people who loved you, and who you loved, away from you and that is why you can't move on.
She is sitting and she is thinking about it. She is sitting in the corner
over there - and she is actually in a rocking chair.
Paul: In both parts of this room?
Judy: Yes, she was downstairs as well.
Paul: I get a different feeling in that part then when you go over there
[points to other half of the room past the joists].
Lucy: Maybe it was two rooms?
Judy: It probably is two rooms.
Paul: If you go over there you get a different feeling. At least I do.
Judy: Let me finish talking to this woman, this old lady.
Lucy: An old lady is it?
Judy: Yes, she was the one that was downstairs. She is having a think.
She is not going to move on but she is less angry.
Norie and the Portsmouth Ghost Club table-tapping in the main bar at the Crown Inn, Bishop's Waltham, February 2003. Photograph © 2003 Farncombe Publishing.
Lucy: Can you hear that banging?
Judy: I heard a little tap [slight rocking thump thump heard on tape if
you turn it up load]. It could be the rocking chair. Right you want me
to move down this side? [Gets up and moves down to the opposite side of
the room] Hmmm. It is a different feel - a bit colder.
Lucy: It might be that it just isn't carpeted?
Judy: Hmmmmm - I feel like throwing up. This is a continuation of the
feeling in there [points through wall to right hand side] and the horrible
man. I think here may have been a door coming through and that was where
the girls were who he was interfering with. I don't like him. I think
you are going to have trouble with that one.
Lucy: was that woman the same time or was she before this….
Judy: George was about 1750, Sally was 1810. I think the nasty man is
early Victorian period. And he was the one who's son killed him. I do
not think his son meant to kill him….I think it was just…..
Paul & Lucy: In anger?
Judy: He just hit over the head a bit too
hard, you know? I don't like that man. You are going to have to get someone
else to deal with him. But what I suggest you do is… quiet often when
I have to work with haunts over a long period of time, one of the things
you have to do is to start talking to them. So if you have to go into
that room for any reason you just start talking to them. You say - "I
hope you don't mind me coming up here guys but we have to do some work
to help keep the house going, I'll try not to disturb you too much."
What happens is that the dead people, because normal people on the whole
are not aware of ghosts, they shout at you to get your attention. That
is why the hair on the back of your neck goes up because they are basically
shouting at you all the time to get your attention.
So gradually as you start talking to them the atmosphere will calm down
a bit. And you get a sort of 'dialogue' going. In time what happens with
very persistent spooks, because they feel accepted and part of the family,
they calm down. Once they calm down then they start remembering their
humanity and other emotions.
Lucy: But we have never really disturbed them so maybe they feel relaxed
anyway? We don't use this [referring to room]. We don't disturb them.
Judy: I think she isn't going to be too bad, she is going to think a bit
and start roaming around a bit like Sally did. Lucy: She sounds very like
me, that one.
We finished in this room and went downstairs to the first floor.
By now all those involved in the Ghost Hunt had explored and exhausted the upper floors of the Inn. Norie gathered us together and ushered us down to the ground floor, and the grand finale of the night. We were going to hold a table-tapping session in the main bar. She comes from a long line of women involved in Spiritualism and enjoys table-tapping. I was very tired by this time - it was 2am! So I chose to sit out of the session. They had a great time, the landlord's father was contacted and this made his night. One or two of the Inn's resident spirits also made an appearance. This went on for about two to three hours. I left for home and snuggled into bed at 5am. It had been an eventful night.
Later on in the month I met up with Eric Blavier, a Belgium documentary
maker. He wanted to work with me on a pilot for a television series. I
described the Crown and its ghostly inhabitants. He was so entranced by
the stories that he wanted to use it for the pilot. This was completed
in June 2003. If you follow the link you can watch it:
Farncombepublishing.com
web site television web page
If any of you know of a television commissioner who might be interested
in commissioning a ten-part series of ghostly properties in the UK please
get in touch with me via this email address:
judy.farncombe@farncombepublishing.co.uk
Although Norie has been in contact with some commissioning agents we have
yet to win a contract. Unfortunately for us the 'Most Haunted' team seems
to have sewn the UK up!