Bath & Somerset Ghost Stories

Village Ghost Stories - Beckington

Sun, 19 Apr 2026 09:49:17 GMT

Village Ghost Stories - Beckington, near Frome

History -

Beckington is a small Somerset village with roots stretching back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it was recorded as a settled farming community.

In medieval times, it grew around the wool trade, with mills along the River Frome supporting local cloth-making.

By the 17th century, writers such as John Aubrey noted local traditions, including the claim that carrots were first grown here. The village also saw unrest in 1766, when rioters set fire to a mill during a period of hardship.

As the wool industry declined in the 18th and 19th centuries, Beckington became a quieter rural parish.

Its church became notable as the burial place of poet Samuel Daniel, while Beckington Castle remained a familiar landmark through changing ownership.

In the 20th century, Wool Hall found new life as a recording studio, attracting well-known musicians and adding an unexpected modern note to the village’s history.

Hauntings -

The Abbey -

The building known as The Abbey was begun in 1502 as a college for priests, later becoming a private house after the Dissolution.

Over time it has also been a school, restaurant, and dance hall, before returning to private homes.

Although it was never truly an abbey, local tradition says the area is haunted by a grey figure, believed to be an abbess.

The Castle -

At Castle Corner, The Castle was built in the early 17th century on the site of an earlier building.

It has been known as Castle House, and later served as a school, hotel, antiques showroom, and now offices.

In 1919, when it was advertised for sale, its reputation for being haunted was included as a selling point.

A dark shadow is said to pass through the walls.

Do you know of any other ghost stories for Beckington village?

Sources - Castle photo - George Love Dafnis/ Bath in Time

Know your Place Maps 1888

Drawing & Text © PJW Artworks & Somerset Paranormal

The Hauntings of Hinton House

Sat, 14 Mar 2026 11:53:56 GMT

In the village of Hinton St George stands the historic Hinton House, a medieval hall house—sometimes referred to as the Grange—rebuilt around the year 1500. Over the centuries the building has worn many identities. During the Second World War it was used as a school for evacuated girls, and later served as a nursing home before the estate was divided into private apartments in 1968.

Yet the house is remembered as much for its ghosts as for its history.

The Grey Lady of the Staircase -

One of the best-known spirits said to wander the house is a cloaked Grey Lady, believed to have been a member of the historic Poulett family.

According to local tradition, she once fell in love with a man considered beneath her social standing.

The two attempted to elope.

Her father discovered their plans and intervened violently, reportedly running the young man through with his sword.

The tragedy ended the lovers’ hopes forever.

The young woman is said to have died soon afterward—some say of grief—and her sorrowful figure is believed to linger still, haunting the old oak staircase where she is occasionally glimpsed moving silently through the shadows.

The Spirit of the Young Heir

Another presence associated with the house is that of a child: young Frederic Charles Poulett (1798–1808).

The boy died after a brief illness at only ten years old.

Stories claim that his spirit remains tied to one of the rooms in the house, where unexplained disturbances have long been whispered about.

The Ghost of Samuel Day

Perhaps the strangest tale connected to the house concerns Samuel Day (1756–1806).

Day was injured in a tragic accident when scaffolding collapsed during a parliamentary election in nearby Bridgwater.

Though he was taken to a local inn, he died several days later.

His body was returned to Hinton House in a lead coffin—so heavy that carrying it up the narrow staircase proved nearly impossible. Instead, the coffin was hoisted by rope through a bedroom window.

But disaster struck, the rope snapped.

The coffin fell, killing one of the men attempting to guide it inside.

After this grim event, reports began to circulate that Samuel Day’s restless spirit appeared near the bedroom window where the accident occurred.

According to legend, the haunting grew so troubling that seven priests were summoned to perform an exorcism. They were said to have banished his spirit all the way to the Red Sea—a place from which, the tale insists, no ghost could ever return.

Images - Rare Old Prints online 1829

PJW Artworks

Bumps in the Day and a Relentless Female Spirit at Widcombe Crescent.. Bath

Tue, 24 Feb 2026 21:02:00 GMT

Bumps in the Day and a Relentless Female Spirit at Widcombe Crescent.. Bath

Widcombe Crescent in Bath is an elegant terrace of fourteen Georgian houses, completed in 1808 to the designs of Thomas Baldwin.

Now designated a Grade I listed building, it is particularly noted for its connection to Sir James Brooke — the famed “White Rajah” of Sarawak in Borneo — who made his home at Number 1 between 1831 and 1834.

Widcombe Crescent is a quiet road off of Widcombe Hill, but two of its houses have ghostly tales.. the house numbers are with held for privacy..

Ghost Stories-

#1 - Bumps in the Day-

There was an old lady, who lived with her family, she spent a lot of her time in her bedroom in her twilight years and one day whilst

the family were having Sunday lunch she fell out of her chair in the room upstairs, she fell with such a thump that the glass

chandeliers rattled..

She sadly declined after the fall and died some months later.

The family continued to have their Sunday lunches the same time every week and started to hear a thump noise upstairs which

sounded like the sound made previously when the old lady fell out her chair, this started to happen with some regularity, but they could never find anyone there, they kept hearing the thump and just carried on as normal for the following months..

#2 The Terrifying Female Spirit

This tale starts with a seemingly normal family, the father was called away to business in London and took the elder son, as soon as he got there he got an urgent message to return home, where he found his wife had committed suicide by poisoning and had also tried to poison the younger son.

By some miracle he survived, although scarred physically by his ordeal.

The father carried on as a one parent family and was then after some time, suddenly interrupted by the appearance of a female spirit on the stairs..

She had an expression of sheer malice on her face, which terrified the whole household, people would avoid the stairs and run up them when they had to be used for fear of running into her.

It proved too much for the family so they moved away.

The house then had a multitude of tenants living in it who would always quickly leave and soon it got the reputation as being un lettable.

A local parish priest moved in, with a view of ridding the house of this spirit for good, but the female spirit took offence to this and started to appear even more and in all the rooms of the house.

The priest decided on an exorcism, which took place with no fewer than 40 priests in attendance, and the female spirit was reported to have been seen by someone in a doorway then..

However this did seem to work, and the female spirit was never seen again.. or has she??

Story Source - Haunted Bath by David Brandon

Photo - Widcombe Crescent general view c.1930s - Bath in Time

Google Streetview & Know Your Place - Map 1879-1888

#hauntedbath #ghostsofbath #bathghoststories #spiritsofbath #bathparanormal #paranormalbath

The Castle of Comfort Inn - East Harptree

Sun, 15 Feb 2026 11:33:51 GMT

East Harptree – The Castle of Comfort Inn

History
A hostelry since 1684, the Castle of Comfort Inn is believed to have earned its name from its role as a final stopping point for condemned prisoners being taken from Wells Jail to Gibbets Brow, half a mile away, where they were executed in the 1600s. The name itself is thought to reflect this function, offering a last moment of “comfort” in the form of food and drink before death.

During this period, the inn is said to have provided refreshments to prisoners sentenced by the infamous “Hanging” Judge Jeffreys, following the failed Monmouth Rebellion against King James II.

The building stands on a site of considerable historical significance. It is located near the Priddy Circles, prehistoric earthworks dating back to the Neolithic era, and lies on an old Roman road.

The inn also has literary connections to the wider Quantock Hills area, which is closely associated with the Romantic poets Samuel Taylor Coleridge and Dorothy Wordsworth, adding a quieter, more poetic layer to its long history.

Hauntings
The Castle of Comfort Inn is said to be haunted by the ghost of a murdered landlord, believed to be buried beneath the flagstones of the front bar.
He is often blamed for loud crashing noises that are reportedly heard during the night.

A cloaked figure on horseback has also been seen on the road outside the inn, described as leaping through a hedge on one side and vanishing through the hedge on the other.

In March 1879, a local man named Lewis Franks, aged 39, was crushed by his young horse nearby.
He was carried into the inn, where he later died, and some believe his spirit may also linger around the building.
See his inquest in the photos.

Source - Paranormal Somerset - Selena Wright
Rewritten
Images - Somerset Live & Know your Place 1894

British Newspaper Archives

Friday the 13th: A Day of Shadows, Magic, and Ancient Memory in Somerset

Fri, 13 Feb 2026 12:06:15 GMT

Friday the 13th: A Day of Shadows, Magic, and Ancient Memory in Somerset

Few dates carry the same quiet charge as Friday the 13th.

In Somerset, a county steeped in mist, myth, and old earth energies, the day feels especially potent.

From the tor of Glastonbury to village lanes lined with hawthorn and yew, Friday the 13th is often treated with a mixture of caution, curiosity, and half-belief.

Some people won’t begin new projects. Others avoid ladders, mirrors, or the number itself. Many will instinctively knock on wood, just in case unseen forces are listening.

The Old Superstitions

Across Somerset, the familiar customs surface every time the date appears:

Avoiding the number 13, with hotels and buildings skipping it entirely.

Refusing to walk under ladders or start important journeys.

Believing broken mirrors invite seven years of misfortune.

Feeling uneasy about 13 people at a table, echoing ancient fears of betrayal and imbalance.

Small protective rituals persist too: horseshoes, four-leaf clovers, rabbit’s feet, whispered charms, and the ever-present act of “touching wood”.

These habits are so ingrained they often feel less like superstition and more like instinct.

Where the Fear Was Born

The unease surrounding Friday the 13th is a tapestry woven from religion, myth, and cultural memory.

In Christian tradition, Friday became associated with sorrow through the crucifixion of Christ, while 13 was marked by Judas, the final guest at the Last Supper. Together, they formed a symbolic pairing of loss and ill omen.

Norse mythology adds another darker thread.

The trickster god Loki was said to arrive as the 13th guest at a divine feast, an intrusion that ended in tragedy and death.

Over time, these stories fused into what we now call paraskevidekatriaphobia — the fear of Friday the 13th — a superstition that feels ancient, even if its modern form is relatively recent.

The Hidden, Older Meaning

Yet beneath the layers of fear lies something far older and more mystical.

For Pagans and witches, Friday the 13th is not cursed at all, but quietly sacred. Friday takes its name from the Norse goddess Frigg, linked with love, fertility, destiny, and magic.

Long before it became a day of caution, Friday was considered lucky for unions, vows, and matters of the heart.

The number 13 itself reflects the rhythm of the moon — the 13 lunar cycles of the year — and the cycles of intuition, renewal, and feminine power. It is also the traditional number of a witches’ coven, a symbol of collective magic and balance.

To those who walk old spiritual paths, Friday the 13th is a liminal day: a thin place in time.

A moment when the veil feels lighter, dreams feel louder, and intention carries further than usual.

A Somerset Day Between Worlds

In a land like Somerset — where ley lines, holy wells, and Arthurian legends still whisper through the landscape — Friday the 13th feels less like a date and more like a threshold.

Whether feared or revered, it remains a day that invites reflection on unseen forces, ancient cycles, and the quiet power of belief itself.

In 2026, Friday the 13th returns twice: in February and March.

Two chances to step carefully… or step knowingly into the old magic that never truly left.

Image - PJW Artworks

Mary Shelley and Bath

Sun, 01 Feb 2026 13:45:16 GMT

Mary Shelley and Bath

Today is the 175th anniversary of Mary Shelley's death on 1st February 1851

Mary arrived in Bath seeking refuge, yet the city’s ancient stones and shadowed corners became a fount of dark inspiration.

Living in the looming presence of the Gothic abbey, she found herself drawn into the curious world of Bath’s medical pioneers.

Among them was Dr Charles Wilkinson, an early experimenter in medical electricity.

Mary attended lectures at his nearby laboratory, just around the corner from her lodgings, as she wove her tale of Victor Frankenstein—an audacious man who defied nature itself, stitching together life from the dead with the spark of galvanism.

Frankenstein, often hailed as the first science-fiction novel, bears the unmistakable imprint of Bath.

She lodged at the now-demolished 5 Abbey Church Yard upon her arrival in 1816, and much of her novel took shape within those walls, eventually published anonymously on 1st January 1818.

Mary was unaware that she was dwelling nearly atop the Roman Baths, which would remain hidden for six decades after her departure.

Her lodgings were swept away in the 1890s to make way for the Pump Room, and for nearly two centuries, her Bath connections lay forgotten—until a plaque was placed in 2018 on the bicentenary of Frankenstein’s publication, following the efforts of cultural historian Christopher Frayling.

Today, visitors can trace her footsteps at the House of Frankenstein, 37 Gay Street, where the city’s echoes of shadow, science, and imagination live on.

Sources: Portrait by Richard Rothwell

Find a Grave - Tina Jones

Imbolc - The First Whisper of Spring

Sun, 01 Feb 2026 10:16:52 GMT

Imbolc - The First Whisper of Spring

Imbolc is an ancient Celtic seasonal festival celebrated around 1st February, marking the quiet turning point between winter and spring.

It falls halfway between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox and symbolises the return of light, renewal, and the first stirrings of life in the land.

The name Imbolc is thought to come from an old Gaelic phrase meaning “in the belly”, referring to pregnant ewes and the promise of new life at this time of year. In the agricultural world, this was a subtle but hopeful moment — winter had not yet ended, but spring had begun to awaken.

Imbolc is closely associated with Brigid (or Brighid), a pre-Christian Celtic goddess of fire, healing, poetry and the hearth, who later became venerated as St Brigid in Christian tradition.

Both forms of Brigid represent protection, creativity, warmth and light returning to the world.

Traditionally, Imbolc is a fire and light festival.

Candles are lit to welcome back the sun, homes are gently cleansed or tidied, and simple rituals of renewal take place.

One of the best-known customs is making a Brigid’s Cross from reeds or rushes, which is placed in the home for blessing and protection for the year ahead.

In Somerset — with its ancient landscapes, springs, orchards and wetlands — Imbolc fits naturally into the rhythm of the land.

Many people mark it quietly by walking in nature, looking for early signs of spring such as snowdrops, birdsong, or lengthening daylight. Others light candles at home, reflect on intentions for the year ahead, or honour the festival as a moment of spiritual and emotional reset.

Imbolc is not a loud celebration. It is a soft festival, about subtle shifts — the promise of warmth, the returning light, and the gentle sense that something new is beginning, even while winter still lingers. It reminds us that growth often starts invisibly, beneath the surface, long before it can be seen.

The Haunted Manor House

Fri, 30 Jan 2026 21:10:21 GMT

Holbrook Manor House - Castle Cary Road Wincanton

History-

Holbrook Manor began life as a modest farm around the year 1200, gradually evolving into a gentleman’s residence.

From approximately 1550, the estate was owned by the Farewell family for nearly three centuries, shaping much of the house’s long and layered history.

In 1946, Holbrook was transformed into a hotel and spa, later becoming a popular wedding venue, known for its grand setting and historic character.

Hauntings

Staff at Holbrook gave any unexplained activity the casual nickname “Billy-Joe”, though reports suggest more than one spirit is said to linger within the building.

Guests have long described hearing footsteps and noises on the top floor, even when no one was staying there. There is said to have been a male suicide, involving a former resident who never wished to leave the house — and perhaps never did.

A phantom lady has been seen in the corridor between the bedrooms known as Hardy and Langport, and has also appeared at the foot of a bed.

In these same rooms, pillows have reportedly been found stacked in the centre of the floor, and knocks heard on locked doors with no one present.

In a bedroom called Wookey Hole, a guest claimed a ghostly man walked directly through them.

An older man has also been seen standing silently in the restaurant doorway.

In the reception corridor, a boy and a girl were once said to follow the restaurant manager, tugging at his clothes.

There is also a darker legend that murdered children were hidden within the walls — though this has never been verified.

In the cellar, staff have reported bottles rattling, curtains swishing, and doors swinging open on their own.

Source - Paranormal Somerset by Selena Wright

Wassailing the Trees - A Somerset Tradition

Sun, 18 Jan 2026 10:11:53 GMT

Wassailing the Trees

Wassailing is an ancient custom believed to have its origins in Anglo-Saxon England.

The word itself derives from a phrase meaning “be in good health.” Over time, the tradition developed along two distinct but related paths.

The first form of wassailing involved visiting homes with a communal bowl of spiced drink.

Revellers would knock at doors, offering seasonal good wishes in exchange for food, drink, or small gifts.

This custom became particularly associated with Christmastide and was a way for households to share goodwill and prosperity for the coming year.

In medieval England, wassailing visits also provided an opportunity for the lord of the manor to show gratitude to his tenants for their labour. Those who went from house to house often entertained families with music and dancing, commonly accompanied by an accordion.

Refusing to offer hospitality to wassailers was considered risky, as it was believed a curse might be placed upon the household.

Much like modern reactions to carol singers, opinions on wassailing varied.

Some people regarded it as vulgar or disruptive—an excuse for rowdy behaviour and demands upon wealthier neighbours.

By the 12th century, this strand of wassailing was gradually replaced by the more Christianised tradition of carol singing, which emphasised religious songs and the collection of alms for the poor. This adaptation made the practice more acceptable to both the Church and higher levels of society.

The second strand of wassailing was rooted firmly in the countryside and focused on giving thanks to cider-bearing apple orchards.

This tradition was especially strong in the West Country, and most notably in Somerset, long regarded as England’s cider heartland.

Before 1752, dates in Britain were governed by the Julian calendar. When the country adopted the Gregorian calendar to align more accurately with the solar year, eleven days were removed.

Despite this official change, many rural communities continued to observe longstanding customs according to the old calendar.

As a result, the 17th of January became the most common date for orchard wassailing.

This form of wassailing is believed to have pagan origins.

Alongside expressions of gratitude for past harvests, the rituals were intended to drive away evil spirits and ensure fertility for the year ahead. Proceedings typically began around 7 p.m.

A bonfire would be lit within the orchard, and the orchard owner would provide a wooden goblet of hot, spiced cider.

This wassail drink often contained roasted apples bobbing among pieces of toast and spices.

The revellers gathered around the oldest apple tree in the orchard, which was believed to pass its fertility to the younger trees.

A circle was formed, and the appointed Queen of the wassail was lifted into the tree’s branches to lead a ceremonial toast.

Singing, dancing, drumming, and general merriment followed.

Together, the gathered crowd would sing:

Old Apple Tree, I wassail thee,

And well mayst thou bear,

Hat full, cup full, rooms full,

For cider bright and fair.

Cider was then poured around the tree’s roots and thrown into its branches as an offering of thanks and encouragement for a plentiful harvest.

The soaked pieces of toast were placed among the roots as gifts for the robins.

Once the Queen had safely returned to the ground, the men would fire shots up through the branches to frighten away any lingering evil spirits.

At the height of the tradition, this celebration could continue late into the night, with multiple local orchards visited and honoured in turn.

Wassailing has not disappeared entirely.

The custom is still observed in parts of Somerset today. In Curry Rivel, the celebration takes place on the 5th of January and includes the burning of the ashen faggot, while Carhampton continues to observe the tradition on the old-calendar date of the 17th of January.

More local wassailing events are now at Kilmersdon and Coleford.

Images - lumix2004 - Pixabay , Google, PJW Artworks

The Hauntings of Curry Mallet Manor

Sat, 10 Jan 2026 22:10:58 GMT

Curry Mallet Manor, Curry Mallet

A private residence, Curry Mallet Manor is centred on a late-15th-century great hall, believed to stand on the site of William Mallet’s castle keep dating from 1060.

Legend tells that three subterranean streams flow beneath the house, said to lead toward the holy well at Glastonbury Tor.

Over the years, a number of human skeletons have been uncovered in the gardens, and the grounds are reputed to be especially haunted.

Within the house, the soft rustle of an Elizabethan lady’s gown is often heard.

When she is glimpsed, she is described as wearing keys at her belt, suggesting she may have been a housekeeper.

Another apparition, known as the “pacing man,” is said to haunt the Great Hall — an Elizabethan figure dressed with a ruff, endlessly walking its length.

In the courtyard, the echoes of clashing swords are still heard, as though a long-forgotten duel continues to replay itself through time.

Source - Paranormal Somerset - Selena Wright

Rewritten by Somerset Paranormal

Image - Google

Is there something Uncanny in Bath's Water ?

Sat, 03 Jan 2026 21:56:37 GMT

Is anyone else listening to the latest Uncanny series?

The first episode is a truly intriguing account of a “Haunted Street” in Bath.

Virginia moves to a quiet street in the city of Bath with her young family.

A series of strange events cause her to doubt her own sanity, until an exchange with a neighbour reveals that she's not the only one experiencing scary occurrences, where similar phenomena are reported in every house — many of them notably water-related.

It’s well worth a listen to hear all the details.

In the follow-up episode from last week, Danny speaks to CJ Romer, who mentions a case from somewhere in Bath dating back to 1963. This case describes a remarkably similar set of experiences: water behaving strangely and the same perceived type of haunting, although occurring in a different part of the city.

What I also found particularly fascinating is Evelyn Hollow’s theory involving the Roman curse tablets.

The Bath curse tablets are a collection of around 130 Roman-era curse tablets (or defixiones in Latin), discovered in 1979/1980.

These tablets invoke the intercession of the goddess Sulis Minerva, often calling for the return of stolen goods and cursing the perpetrators of the thefts.

The Roman Baths and the temple dedicated to Sulis Minerva in Bath — founded by the Romans as Aquae Sulis — were excavated between 1978 and 1983 by a team led by Barry Cunliffe and Peter Davenport.

During excavations of the Sacred Spring beneath the King’s Bath in 1979/1980, around 130 of these tablets were uncovered.

Evelyn raises the idea that, with so many curse tablets placed into the waters of the Roman Baths — many carrying negative intent — something may have been “activated” in the water deep beneath the city itself.

I won’t paraphrase her exact words here, but it’s worth listening to hear how she explains it.

I find the theory intriguing, although from my accumulated ghost accounts from around the city, there don’t seem to be many other hauntings that are clearly water-related.

Still, it’s an interesting possibility.

Have you heard of other water-related hauntings in Bath?

What did you think of the Uncanny Haunted Street episode?

Happy New Year to you all.

Image Source - Daily Mail/Bath Chronicle

#hauntedbath #uncanny #romanbaths #bathparanormal

The Sparkford Inn: History and Local Legends

Fri, 19 Dec 2025 21:46:13 GMT

The Sparkford Inn: History and Local Legends

The Sparkford Inn dates back to the 15th century and has long been an important part of the local area.

Originally a coaching house, it provided food, rest, and fresh horses for travellers passing through Somerset.

Over time, it continued its role as a popular hostelry, later serving those travelling along the A303 and via the nearby railway.

The inn has also acted as a posting house and a meeting point for local hunters, making it a well-used social space within the community for many generations.

With so many people passing through its doors over the centuries, the Sparkford Inn has developed a strong connection to local history and shared memories.

Alongside its historical role, the inn is well known for a number of reported paranormal experiences.

The most commonly mentioned is the ghost of a young boy, believed to be around seven years old, who is said to run through the bar, pool room, and dining area. He is often described as giggling and wearing scorched clothing, with visible burns.

Other unexplained activity has also been reported, including whispers heard in empty rooms and mild poltergeist behaviour such as objects moving or appliances switching themselves on and off. In addition, the presence of a man and a woman is said to be associated with one of the rooms.

These stories have led to investigations into the inn’s haunted reputation and remain part of its ongoing local legend.

Have you ever heard of, or experienced, any ghostly encounters at the Sparkford Inn?

Image created by PJW Artworks

The Enchanted Hawthorn: Somerset’s Tree of Fairies and Protection

Tue, 04 Nov 2025 22:10:55 GMT

The Enchanted Hawthorn: Somerset’s Tree of Fairies and Protection

In Somerset and across Britain, the humble hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) weaves its thorny branches deep into local folklore.

Revered and feared in equal measure, it stands at the crossroads of magic and faith—guarding thresholds, sacred wells, and the edges of fairy realms.

The Miracle of the Glastonbury Thorn

Perhaps the most famous hawthorn of all grows—or once grew—upon Wearyall Hill in Glastonbury.
Legend tells that Joseph of Arimathea, arriving in England after the Crucifixion, planted his staff into the Somerset soil.

Miraculously, it took root and blossomed—flowering not once, but twice a year: in May and again at Christmas.
This “Glastonbury Holy Thorn” became a cherished symbol of divine grace, with a sprig from its descendant still sent to the monarch each Christmas.

The Fairy Tree

In broader folklore, hawthorn trees are known as “fairy trees”, said to belong to the fae themselves.
Lone hawthorns standing in fields or by wells were often left untouched, for fear of offending the otherworldly beings who guarded them.
These trees marked boundaries between worlds—places where the veil between the human and the magical grew thin.
Many country folk would leave offerings or tie cloth strips, known as clooties, to their branches in hope of a blessing or a wish granted.

A Protector in Bloom

Despite its delicate blossoms, hawthorn has long been viewed as a tree of protection.
It was planted beside homes to ward off lightning and evil spirits, and carrying a sprig was said to keep travellers safe.
Yet its power was treated with care: while hawthorn flowers decked the garlands of May Day celebrations, bringing them indoors at any other time was thought to invite death or misfortune.

Hawthorn also played a part in hand-fasting rituals, its blossoms symbolising love that endures through both joy and hardship—much like the tree itself, beautiful yet thorned.

A Symbol of Thresholds

Whether sacred to fairies, blessed by saints, or cherished for its protection, the hawthorn stands as a living symbol of liminality—where life and death, blessing and curse, heaven and earth all meet beneath its boughs.
To this day, it blooms as a reminder that even the simplest hedge can hold the heart of a legend.

Somerset History and Mystery
Image - Somerset Photography

Shadows Among the Ruins

Thu, 30 Oct 2025 21:19:30 GMT

They moved to the village in the spring of 1952, when the hedgerows were just beginning to flower and the air still carried the faint chill of winter.

Arthur and Lillian made their home in a low, ivy-clad cottage on the edge of the village green, where the ancient ruined castle loomed over the village like a wounded sentinel.

The locals spoke of the castle with the careful hush of those who know better than to invite attention.

It had been shelled during the Civil War — a jagged rent in the south wall showed where the cannonball struck, still blackened after three centuries.

Yet older evils lingered there too: the witch trials, the whispered confessions, the women led weeping to the moat.

Lillian was fond of walking in the evenings, her cardigan buttoned tight, listening to the soft thud of her shoes on the damp lane.

The castle drew her — she said it had a sadness about it, like something forgotten but not gone.

Sometimes, as dusk fell, she fancied she heard voices by the water, a low murmuring as if the reeds themselves whispered.

One night Lillian woke to find the room filled with pale light.

From the window she saw her — a woman in flowing white robes gliding across the moat, her head bowed, her hair silvered by moonlight. Lillian thought at first it was reflection, until the figure paused and turned as though sensing she was seen.

Her face was lost in shadow, but the impression was of infinite sorrow — and something pleading.

Arthur dismissed it as a dream until, a week later, he came in white-faced from the pub, swearing he’d seen a mounted knight pass silently through the square.

The horse’s hooves made no sound; its rider was head bowed, the armour dulled by centuries of dust.

After that, things changed.

Footsteps creaked on the stairs though neither moved, voices — indistinct, pleading, angry — seeped through the night air.

Once, during a sleepless, restless Summer night, Arthur stepped outside to breathe in the crisp, ghostly air of the witching hours.

Behind him, he glimpsed the faint outline of a grand hall, its walls bathed in flickering torchlight.

Shadows of dark, floating figures drifted through the space, while faint strains of music and laughter echoed, as if an ancient celebration were replaying itself in the still of the night.

The scene felt suspended between past and present, a secret revelry hidden from the waking world.

Drawn by an irresistible curiosity, Arthur moved closer, and the outline resolved into a magnificent castle rising from the edge of a glimmering moat.

Its stone walls shimmered under the moonlight, and the water reflected the phantom torches with a trembling glow.

Every ripple seemed to whisper the stories of lords and ladies long gone, their mirth and sorrow intertwining in a haunting symphony. Arthur felt as though he had stepped into a memory etched into the very stones, a place where time itself paused to watch and listen.

By autumn, the couple had grown accustomed to the castle’s presence.

The ghostly whispers and fleeting shapes became part of the quiet rhythm of the village, strange companions rather than threats.

They would walk by the moat together at dusk, sometimes catching a glimpse of the pale-robed woman and smile at each other, sharing a shiver that was equal parts fear and fascination.

Though the ruins held the weight of centuries and sorrow, life went on.

The villagers eventually accepted the couple, and the castle — scarred, mysterious, haunted — remained a reminder that the past is never truly gone and sometimes, on quiet nights, Arthur and Lillian would pause by the moat and hear the softest echo of a distant horse, or the faintest sigh of someone longing for the light — a reminder that even in darkness, there is a strange, enduring beauty.

Footnote: While Lillian and Arthur are figments of imagination, the castle itself stands in reality, and the eerie lights, shadows, and unexplained occurrences that inspired this tale are drawn from true ghostly accounts associated with its ancient halls and the surrounding village .

Image © PJW Artworks

Punkie Night: A Somerset Spectre’s Tradition

Thu, 30 Oct 2025 18:03:24 GMT

Punkie Night: A Somerset Spectre’s Tradition

When the last Thursday of October descends upon Somerset, the air grows chill and the fields of the West Country whisper with an ancient song.

For on this night—Punkie Night—children parade through the lanes, their faces lit by the flickering glow of hollowed roots.

They chant a haunting refrain that echoes through the darkness:

"It’s Punkie Night tonight,

It’s Punkie Night tonight,

Adam and Eve would not believe,

It’s Punkie Night tonight."

No soul can say for certain how this eerie rite began.

Some claim it is bound to Hallowe’en itself, that night when the veil between worlds thins.

The word “Punkie”—an old English name for a lantern—hints at the light that defies the shadows.

But unlike the modern pumpkin, these lanterns were once carved from swedes or mangel-wurzels, their twisted grins glowing from pale, gnarled flesh.

Others whisper that Punkie stems from punk—tinder that sparks fire—perhaps a clue to the old ways now half-forgotten.

Across the centuries, the custom has glimmered in many places: upon the windswept crest of Castle Neroche in the Blackdown Hills, through Long Sutton, and most enduringly, in Hinton St George and Lopen, where the night still belongs to the Punkies.

The Legends Behind the Lanterns

Local lore tells of the men of Hinton St George, who would vanish to the fair at nearby Chiselborough, returning home drunk and stumbling through the black October night.

To find their way, they set candles within hollowed roots, their makeshift lights bobbing eerily in the mist.

Yet some tales turn the story on its head.

They say it was the women who carved the lanterns—fashioning Punkies from the harvest’s remains—and went searching for their wayward husbands.

Some even knocked at doors, begging for mangel-wurzels and candles, their plea giving birth to the Punkie Night song that still drifts through village lanes.

Others tell that when the drunken men glimpsed those ghostly lights, they mistook them for spirits or “ghoulies,” fleeing home in terror—proof that even the living may be haunted by their own folly.

Though cloaked in folklore, the roots of Punkie Night stretch much deeper—a flicker of Samhain’s ancient fire, carried down through the centuries.

It is a night when the old world breathes again, when lanterns gleam like souls in the dark, and the West Country remembers that not all lights are meant to guide the living.

©Somerset Paranormal

#punkienight #somersetfolklore #somersettraditions #somersetpunkienight #Halloween #halloweentraditions

A Halloween Ghost Story - The Customers that never left...

Tue, 28 Oct 2025 21:39:09 GMT

For this Halloween I thought I would try something a bit different and try my hand at writing a ghost story.

This semi fiction story is set in a location in Bath, in the mid to late 1990's and is based on some real life events and experiences by real people in that location over the years, with names changed and with a little help from AI to bring it to life.

The Customers that never left....

The restaurant in one of Baths most historical and affluent areas had opened only six months before, its proprietors keen to boast that it was “modern dining within a piece of Bath’s history.”

The building had once been Elliston & Co, a grand department store frequented by the city’s most fashionable ladies and in its heyday a destination for royalty.

Though the marble counters and mahogany cabinets had long since been replaced by gleaming tables and silver cutlery, the air still carried the faint scent of lavender polish and time.

It was a handsome space — lofty windows, ornate plasterwork, and a graceful wooden staircase curving to a mezzanine bar.

Yet after closing, when the laughter and the music had faded, the building changed.

Its echoes lengthened, its shadows grew bold, and the staff began to whisper.

The first to notice was the chef, a practical man with no patience for tales.

One regular early Friday morning, while prepping for the busy day ahead, he heard a sharp rapping upon the long window that was between the kitchen and restaurant, at that point in time it was covered over to conceal the kitchen from the restaurant and distractions beyond.

Three loud booming knocks — slow, deliberate, as though delivered by a gloved hand.

He froze, the knife slipping from his fingers.

Beyond the glass lay the empty restaurant, still as a grave in the early morning, as he was the only living soul in the building.

When he pressed his palm to the glass, it stung with cold, though the room behind him was warm.

A week later, the waitress — a timid girl named Lisa — began to complain of a presence that followed her after hours.

She could feel it when she moved between the tables to polish cutlery or gather napkins.

It was not merely unease, but the distinct impression of someone standing close behind her, breathing softly.

Once she turned so swiftly that her ponytail whipped her shoulder, and she caught a whiff of violets — an old perfume, cloying yet delicate, gone almost before she noticed.

The bar staff laughed, until they too began to hear the footsteps .

They came from the wide original stairwell that led from the front door, slow and measured — the step of a man ascending while carrying a heavy load.

Each night the tread reached the landing, paused, and faded.

When the barman dared to go and have a look, the stairs lay empty, though the air was thick with the smell of dust and old cloth.

Their manager, a Bath native with a fondness for local history, began to enquire.

The archives told him that in 1924, Elliston & Co. had suffered two tragedies.

A lady shopper, overcome by some sudden seizure, had died in the shoe department before assistance could be fetched.

Not three months later, a gentleman clerk had fallen from a stockroom ladder and broken his neck.

There had been talk of ill luck, then the matter was quietly forgotten.

After that discovery, the staff grew more cautious.

They never spoke openly of “ghosts,” yet a silent understanding spread among them.

The waitress avoided the far end of the dining room after midnight; the barman never went down to the cellar alone, as that was also a very scary dark and frightening area with a heavy oppressive feeling as it was under the very old vaults at the bottom of the building.

The chef, though he mocked them all, had begun to whistle as he worked — but after that one day, the knocking never happened again to his knowledge.

But things were about to take an even spookier turn-

One November night, a heavy fog crept up from the river.

The city’s lights burned dimly behind it, and within Elliston’s Restaurant, the world felt muffled and apart.

The staff lingered after closing, reluctant to step outside.

The bar lights glowed low, the last glasses polished.

Then came the footsteps again — clear, deliberate, climbing the stair from the cellar.

Everyone froze.

The barman exchanged a glance with Lisa, whose face had gone pale as milk.

Slowly, he crossed the floor and opened the door, then within it, the faint outline of a man appeared — tall, stooped slightly at the shoulders, dressed in dark waistcoat and rolled shirtsleeves. He ascended the final step and halted, looking about as though puzzled to find strangers in his place of work.

The light flickered against his face, and they saw it was drained of all colour, like smoke trapped in glass.

Behind him, the faint rustle of skirts drifted from the hallway.

A woman’s figure emerged, an older lady pale and fine-boned, her hat pinned neatly, her gloved hand resting upon a small handbag.

Her gaze travelled over the dining room — the tables, the linen, the flickering candle on the bar — with mild curiosity, as though seeking something once familiar.

The chef dropped his towel. Lucy gave a small gasp. The lady turned toward the sound, her expression gentle, uncertain.

“Excuse me,” she said softly, her voice the faintest echo of air through silk, “might you direct me to the haberdashery?”

No one answered.

The barman could only nod toward the stairwell.

The lady inclined her head with a gracious smile, then turned to the ghostly clerk beside her.

Together they descended the steps, the air growing still in their wake.

When at last the fog cleared and silence returned, the staff stood motionless for some time.

Then the chef, in a trembling hand, poured a small glass of sherry and set it upon the counter beneath the mirror.

It became a custom after that — a quiet offering whenever the lights dimmed and the building creaked with memory.

The mirror above the bar, once bright, now held a faint smudge that no polishing could remove — two silhouettes side by side, caught forever in the reflection.

And though Elliston’s no longer sold gloves or silks, those who worked the late shifts swore that, sometimes, in the hush before dawn, the scent of violets still drifted through the room.

For even now, the last customers had yet to leave.

Images © Somerset Paranormal

The Mystical Yews of Somerset

Mon, 27 Oct 2025 13:32:32 GMT

The Mystical Yews of Somerset

In Somerset’s folklore, the yew tree stands as both guardian and gatekeeper — an ancient sentinel woven into myths of death, rebirth, and the unseen worlds beyond.

Whispered tales speak of yews as living thresholds to the underworld, their roots said to intertwine with the bones of the dead, binding life and death in an eternal embrace.

One local legend even tells of a Devil’s pact that prevented a hundredth yew from ever growing in a churchyard, ensuring the balance between sacred and infernal remained unbroken.

For centuries, yews have been planted beside graves and church walls, their dark evergreen boughs symbolising immortality, resurrection, and protection from evil.

To the ancients, their longevity was proof of otherworldly power — a living bridge between mortal and divine.

Symbolic Associations

Gateway to the Underworld:

Revered for their age and proximity to death, yews were seen as portals between this world and the next.

Immortality:

Evergreen and enduring, the yew embodies eternal life — a symbol of unending renewal and the spirit’s persistence beyond decay.

Death and Resurrection:

With its capacity to regenerate from seemingly lifeless wood, the yew mirrors the eternal cycle of dying and rebirth so central to Celtic belief.

Protection:

Churchyards were often planted with yews to guard against malevolent spirits, their sacred presence believed to purify the resting dead.

Somerset’s Local Lore

The Chilcompton Yew:

This ancient tree is said to mark a place where the dying once came to pass into the next world — a site where mortal breath faded into ancestral spirit.

Some call it a “gateway tree,” where souls crossed from life into legend.

The ancient yew tree at Chilcompton church is estimated to be over 1,800 years old. (first photo)

The 99 Yew Trees Legend:

While best known at St. Mary’s in Painswick, the tale echoes through Somerset’s sacred groves.

It is said that when the ninety-ninth yew was planted, the Devil himself forbade the hundredth to grow, cursing any attempt to complete the number.

The yew tree at Holcombe Old Church is believed to be around 1,500 years old.

It is estimated to have existed even before the Norman church, which was consecrated in 928 AD (third photo)

Across Britain, such stories remind us that the yew’s presence is as much spiritual as it is botanical — a symbol of balance between light and shadow.

Other Folklore

The yew’s poisonous beauty has long inspired awe and fear.

Witches were said to use its wood and needles in dark workings, while travellers were warned of the vapours that gathered beneath its branches.

In old graveyard lore, it was whispered that yew roots crept through the eye sockets of the buried dead — holding them in place and binding their spirits to sacred ground.

Yew trees were the preferred material for making English longbows because of their strength and flexibility.

The wood's combination of hard, compression-resistant heartwood and flexible, tension-resistant sapwood was ideal for a longbow, and yew was used for centuries, contributing to English military success and played a crucial role in English victories during the Hundred Years' War at battles like Crecy, Poitiers, and Agincourt.

Images - Somerset Photography

St Vigors - Stratton on the Fosse

St Johns - Chilcompton

St Andrews - Mells

Old Church - Holcombe

The Dual Magic of the Blackthorn: Somerset’s Dark and Sacred Tree

Fri, 17 Oct 2025 12:14:48 GMT

The Dual Magic of the Blackthorn: Somerset’s Dark and Sacred Tree

In Somerset folklore, the blackthorn tree (Prunus spinosa) walks a fine line between the sacred and the sinister.

Its gnarled branches and cruel thorns have long stirred both fear and fascination—earning it a place in local legends as a tree of witches, fairies, and miracles alike.

Witchcraft and Dark Omens:

Dark, twisted, and defensive by nature, the blackthorn has long been woven into tales of witchcraft and ill fate.

Folklore holds that witches fashioned their wands and staffs from its wood—its spines said to carry curses or even draw blood for dark spells.

To stumble upon a blackthorn grove at night was once thought a bad omen, a warning that the old magic of the woods still lingered.

Winter, Fairies, and the Dark Mother:

In Celtic lore, the blackthorn belongs to Cailleach, the ancient winter goddess. Wielding a blackthorn staff, she was said to stir up storms and frost until spring’s return.

In Somerset, this connection deepened the tree’s mystical status: to harm or cut it without cause risked offending the fairies said to dwell among its branches.

Despite its thorns, however, blackthorn wood was also carried as protection—walking sticks made from it were thought to guard their bearer against evil.

A Tree of Shadows and Light:

Feared as a witch’s ally yet revered as a bearer of miracles, the blackthorn embodies the dual nature of old English magic.

In its dark thickets lies both danger and blessing—a reminder that in folklore, as in nature, beauty and power often dwell side by side.

For more like this check out my Facebook page - h ttps://www.facebook.com/SomersetBathHistoryandMystery/

Image - Somerset Photography

#folklore #somerset #somersetfolklore #magic

Your Ghost Stories

Sat, 04 Oct 2025 09:26:59 GMT

Hello everyone, thank you to anyone who is a regular visitor to my blog, and apologies for the lack of new material lately.

Its been a quiet Summer and sadly it seems there are not very many new ghost stories and experiences to unearth and share with you lately.

I would rather share new and exciting paranormal locations and stories than rehash over the same places...

So with that in mind, does anyone out there have a spooky, chilling or strange tale to tell?
Maybe a unforgettable strange experience at your workplace, have you visited somewhere in Somerset and left with a chill down your back and thoughts of 'What was that ?

Or have you recently heard a local ghostly story that has been whispered through generations and has just come to light ?

I am looking for guest writers and people who wish to share their most spine-tingling paranormal experiences, have you seen something you cant explain this year?

Along with taking a deep dive into the historical details and research around your location and experience, your story could be featured on my Facebook pages and this blog, bringing your account to a captivated audience of fellow believers and curious minds and added to my ever growing journal of paranormal experiences in Somerset.
Full credit can be given, or you may choose to remain anonymous.

Keeping location in secrecy is perfectly acceptable if that’s your wish.

I am interested in the areas around Bath and North East Somerset, Mendips, Wells, Frome, Midsomer Norton mainly.

If you’re intrigued and just want to offload and share, simply send me an email...

somersetparanormal@yahoo.com
Thank you ..

Artwork - PJW Artworks

A Somerset Ghost Story

Sat, 19 Jul 2025 09:26:39 GMT

A Somerset Ghost Story from an Anonymous Contributor, in their own words..

In 1978 (I believe Saturday September 23rd) a friend and I booked a weeks holiday in Somerset, in an old farm cottage, for the week fishing.

The holiday started off a little strangely in as much that, my friend being an excellent map reader, couldn't find the house we wanted...even though we knew we were on the right road, in the correct area.

We had approximate directions from the owners to their home, knowing the house was very close and on the main road.

We went to the owners property a mile or so 'down the road' at the arranged time.

We were taken by the lady owner to the house we were staying in and very briefly told where all the rooms were...and the lady was gone.

I don't mean she vanished, she just left abruptly.

Though we didn't think much of it at the time, we did later agree it was a bit 'odd'.

The cottage was clean but rather old fashioned.

We had a look around and decided on the twin bedded room to dump our cases of clothes.

Having eaten we set off for the first fishing session.

It was late September and I guess we returned to the house around 10pm.

We sat in the lounge eating supper while watching (I think) the news (or a movie) on TV.

We sat on the couch with our backs to the stairs wall, at each end of the couch was a door.

The one on my friends side led to the kitchen, the bathroom and outside.

The door on my side led to the bottom of the stairs, the front door, then through to the dining room, a door here led through to the kitchen.

The door on my friends side (leading to the kitchen and then outside) clicked open by itself and opened fully.

I think we both expected someone to come into the room.

My friend leaned over and pushed the door closed. (I really can't recall if it opened again later though something tells me it did).

Then the bumping started on the stairs.

It sounded rather like someone had dropped a ball down the stairs...hitting some steps and missing others in an irregular pattern.

I cannot remember now how long this bumping continued for, some time I think, as in hours rather than minutes.

At the time we thought perhaps an animal was in the house somewhere.

We had opened the window in the twin bedded room a little as it was a bit stuffy in there (before we went off fishing).

We decided we'd wait for daylight to go upstairs and investigate! but got no sleep that first (Saturday) night, sitting up on the couch all night, listening.

When daylight came we went fishing, returning about mid day.

On returning we checked around the house and found nothing out of place.

We closed the window we had opened in the bedroom, then ate and went off fishing again, returning again around 10 pm or so.

We got supper and lit the fire in the lounge as the nights were getting colder.

We had placed a suitcase by each of the lounge doors so they couldn't open again without moving a case.

The bumping started around 11pm and sounded the same as the previous night. (The memory plays tricks but I believe it went on for some hours).

We hadn't been up the stairs again and there was no central heating to make pipes rattle etc.

I slept for an hour while my friend stayed awake. (I'd done all the driving and needed desperately to get some sleep).

After an hour my friend woke me and we went into the kitchen together to make tea.

He told me that while I was asleep he got the impression someone walked through the lounge with a basket of lavender.

He said it was a strong, heavy smell though he saw nothing and apparently, also while I slept he was putting logs on the fire when he felt a 'pushing' from behind .

I stayed awake while he got an hours sleep.

Well, that was the plan but I fell asleep too and was rudely awoken by him swearing at me for dozing off!

We stayed awake all night after this and went fishing when the sun was up (It was now Monday morning).

Returning to the house in daylight, the place was fine.

My friend went first into the bathroom to clean up while I made tea and then strolled around the garden taking a few pictures (it was 35mm film in those days, not digital!). There were some nice views across the Kings Sedgemoor area.

I pointed the camera towards the rear of the house and thought I saw my friend in an upstairs window.

I went into the house and called to him up the stairs...he answered from the bathroom which was adjoined to the kitchen.

He came out when I called him and he was still dripping wet.

He assured me he wouldn't have gone up the stairs for anything. (I believe him and neither would I have!).

(Years later he confided that one afternoon he too had been walking around taking pictures and he thought he saw 'someone' in the same bedroom window...it wasn't me!)

It was my turn for the bathroom while he prepared a meal, we ate and lounged around for a while then went fishing.

As usual we returned around 10 pm.

Also as usual we sat in the lounge eating supper when the bumping started again.

My memory says it was louder and more persistent this night.

We were both getting really tired by now and rather irritable.

By 1am we'd had enough and decided it was time to face whatever was causing this bumping on the stairs.

I had my fishing knife on my belt so I pulled it and grabbed a torch, he got the long heavy poker from the fireplace. (yes we still thought the noise was natural, not even really thinking paranormal).

I opened the door to the stairs and reached around, fumbling for the light switch, the bumping stopped.

I led the way and headed up the stairs, it was lit but only by very dim bulbs.

We checked the bedroom we had intended using and all was ok.

We moved onto the little single room (the one I thought I'd seen my friend in in the afternoon)...nothing.

Closing the door we moved to the big old fashioned main bedroom.

While my friend stood on the top of the stairs I edged into the room...once I'd flicked the dim light on, my friend followed me into the doorway.

I looked under the big old bed and then walked around the foot of the bed toward the big old wardrobe.

With my torch in one hand and knife in the other I reached out for the door handles.

FLASH....BANG....DARKNESS AND BUMP BUMP BUMP ON THE STAIRS.

I was around the bed and down the stairs in what seemed like one second.

I don't recall either of us saying anything.

We walked side by side out of that place, across the yard to the car and drove away.

I can't recall now if we even bothered locking the back door.

We spent the night in a layby about a mile away and slept peacefully and returned to the house at daybreak, Tuesday morning.

As I said, by daylight the place wasn't so 'creepy'.

We went upstairs to the main room.

A quick look showed us what had gone down.

The wiring to the light over the bed was old, it was the type which was covered in a woven fabric!

The light socket had shorted out, the socket blew off, smashing the bulb on the bed.

That was the flash, bang and darkness covered. (This caused all the upstairs lights to go out ((it's a ring main)).

The bumping on the stairs was my friend legging it downstairs.

Good thing he did too because, had he stayed on the landing in almost total darkness, he would have been faced with the vision of a wild eyed lunatic with a knife and a flashing light coming at him through the darkness...and he might have hit me with that damned poker!

The rest of the week we slept at nights in that layby, we departed at the weekend, telling the owners about the light but we didn't mention the rest of it.

Before we left we collected a load of conkers (off the chestnut trees in the garden) for my friend's younger brother. (Look up 'conkers' online for a definition of the game).

He put the conkers below his laundry in a shopping bag.

Saturday night / Sunday morning back at his home, my friend sat with a cup of tea by the fireplace...sorting his clothes to be washed the next day.

The silver candlestick on the mantle fell off and into the top of the bag containing the conkers.

Later that night / early hours of Sunday, while settling the coal fire for the night my friend felt like someone was pushing him from behind...but everyone was in bed asleep. (This was the second time this sort of thing happened to him).

It would be 1985 when my friend and I and his wife and baby took another holiday in Somerset, this time the cottage we hired was much friendlier.

We were at Burnham on Sea and on the Wednesday we decided to take a ride to the Cheddar Gorge, a few miles away.

On the way back they were all dozing while I drove.

After a while I got the feeling I knew this area and recognised a few landmarks.

I said to my friend "do you know where we are?"......

He rolled up his sleeve, showing me the vertical hairs on his arm..."Yeah I know where we are"!!.... as we drove past the cottage from years before.

Thank you to the anonymous contributor for this very interesting story.

Image - Somerset Paranormal/ PJW Artworks

The Poltergeist in the Cheese Room

Wed, 09 Jul 2025 20:25:58 GMT

Witham Friary, Somerset – Farmhouse Incident

Late 19th Century

A curious and unsettling presence is said to have taken hold in the cheese room of a farmhouse near Witham Friary.

Chairs were hurled across the space, ornaments trembled and clattered without cause, and the disturbances grew so intense that the room was eventually abandoned altogether.

Local lore attributes the activity to the restless spirit of a servant girl who tragically took her own life in that very room.

Has anyone ever heard of this before in the area> or knpw of any other haintings in Witham Friary.

Source: Paranormal Database

Images - Somerset Paranormal & Know your place maps 1888

Pulteney Bridge - Bath

Fri, 18 Apr 2025 10:17:14 GMT

Pulteney Bridge- Bath

History -

Pulteney Bridge spans the River Avon in the historic city of Bath.

Completed in 1774, it was designed to link the city with the Pulteney family estate, which they intended to develop.

The bridge was conceived by renowned architect Robert Adam in the Palladian style and is particularly remarkable for having shops that line both sides across its full span—a rare feature among bridges worldwide.

It is now recognized as a Grade I listed building.

Within two decades of its completion, the bridge underwent modifications that expanded the shopfronts and altered the original façades.

In the 1800's businesses included a saddlers, milk shop, fishing tackle maker, boot & shoemaker, jeweller, dress & pelisse maker, tea dealer, milliner, umbrella & parasol maker, hairdresser, watch maker, confectioner and tobacconist amongst many more.

By the late 18th century, flood damage necessitated reconstruction, which largely preserved the original design.

Throughout the 19th century, further changes included cantilevered shop extensions on the north side.

In the 20th century, restoration efforts sought to conserve the structure and partially return it to Adam’s original vision, enhancing its status as a beloved tourist attraction.

Today, the bridge measures 45 metres (148 feet) in length and 18 metres (58 feet) in width.

Though proposals have been made to pedestrianize it, the bridge remains in use by buses and taxis.

Just steps from the city centre—a UNESCO World Heritage Site celebrated for its Georgian architecture—Pulteney Bridge and the weir below it remain among Bath’s most iconic and photographed landmarks.

Haunted?

There are no documented reports of any hauntings here, but that doesn't mean to say there may not be something there, all be it residual, a remnant of the past from the hustle and bustle of this busy bridge and shopping area.

Just a stones throw from the medieval East and North Gate and overlooking the area said to have a ducking stool in medieval times, the narrow stairs down onto the jetty area take on a distinct chill at night if you are walking there alone.

Has anyone ever experienced anything there at all? maybe you worked in a shop that had unexplained activity?

We would love to hear..

You can also email any stories to us if you wish to be anonymous-

somersetparanormal@yahoo.com

Sources -

Pulteney Bridge 1829

Credit- Shepard/ Allen/Jones

Source- Rare Old Prints

Bath in Time 1967 & 1949

Maps 1610 & 1888

Wraxall’s Ghostly Guardian

Thu, 06 Mar 2025 22:14:49 GMT

South Wraxall Manor is a private residence with a rich history.

At South Wraxall, about 3 miles North of Bradford on Avon, Wiltshire.

Built by the Long family in the 15th century, it dates back to 1585.

The manor is famously linked to Sir Walter Raleigh, who was a friend of the Long family, who is said to have smoked the first-ever pipe of tobacco in an English house here.

People have reported smelling the tobacco at different times.

Another well-known legend associated with the manor is that of the White Hand.

Lady Catherine, the second wife of Sir Walter Long, sought to secure her son Walter’s inheritance.

However, Sir Walter already had an older son, John, from his first marriage. Lady Catherine and her brother allegedly conspired to have John disinherited, ensuring the younger Walter would be named heir.

As the clerk prepared the new will, a ghostly white hand appeared over the parchment, preventing him from completing the document.

The apparition is believed to have been the spirit of John’s mother, protecting her son's rightful claim.

The hand appeared three times, unnerving the clerk so much that he refused to proceed.

Ultimately, a compromise must have been reached—John inherited Wraxall, while Walter was granted Draycott.

History -

The first known member of the Long family to own land in South Wraxall was Robert Long, a lawyer who sat in Parliament for several sessions between 1414 and 1442, mostly for the Wiltshire constituency.

He built South Wraxall Manor soon after buying the estate; he was living there in 1429 and a few years later exchanged lands in Wraxall with the Abbess of Shaftesbury.

He died in 1447.

His great-great grandson Sir Robert Long altered the doorway to the Long chapel in 1566, having his initials and badges carved into the stone above it.

Over the generations, the Long family acquired more and more land, until eventually they owned all the property within South Wraxall that had once belonged to Monkton Farleigh Priory.

During the Second World War, the manor housed evacuees from Kent, and was used as a convalescent home for children.

The last member of the Long family to live at the manor was Sara, the only daughter of the 2nd Viscount Long, and wife of Conservative MP, Charles Morrison.

The house was sold in 1966, together with 830 acres (340 ha), after five hundred years of family ownership.

Now owned by John Taylor of 80's band Duran Duran.

Source - Paranormal Wiltshire - Selena Wright & Wikipedia

Photo - George Love Dafnis c1920's & 1935- Bath in Time

Artwork - PJW Artworks

Snowdrops and the Supernatural: A Bloom Steeped in Folklore and Fear

Fri, 14 Feb 2025 21:35:04 GMT

Snowdrops and the Supernatural: A Bloom Steeped in Folklore and Fear

A crisp chill lingers in the air as I walk through the quiet churchyard, the ground firm with frost beneath my feet.

Among the weathered gravestones, snowdrops emerge, their delicate white petals standing in contrast to the dark, damp earth.

They weave through the cracks of ancient stone, small yet resilient, a sign that winter is beginning to loosen its grip.

The stillness of the graveyard, combined with the gentle presence of these early blooms, creates a peaceful atmosphere.

In the cold, surrounded by history and nature, there is a quiet sense of reflection—life continuing in the midst of remembrance.

Snowdrops were likely introduced to the UK by Norman monks, with the first recorded cultivation in England dating back to the 16th century.

In 1597, they were mentioned in Gerard’s Great Herbal , where they were referred to as "Timely Flowers Bulbous Violets."

Traditionally, snowdrops were planted in churchyards for Candlemas Day (February 2) and cultivated in abbeys for their medicinal properties.

Its Latin name is Galanthus nivalis.

Galanthus means milk white flowers and the nivalis element translates as snowy according to the great botanist, Linnaeus in 1753.

The Victorians planted snowdrops extensively in graveyards, churchyards, and cemeteries, leading to their association with death and earning them the nickname Death’s Flower.

During the 19th and early 20th centuries, a dark superstition surrounded these delicate blooms.

It was believed that finding a snowdrop inside the home was a bad omen, signifying impending doom.

Bringing the flower indoors from outside was thought to bring misfortune, with many fearing it foretold an imminent death in the household.

They were described by Margaret Baker in the 1903 ‘Encyclopedia of Superstitions, Folklore and the Occult of the World’ as:

‘So much like a corpse in a shroud that in some counties, the people will not have it in the house, lest they bring in death.‘

The most unlucky snowdrop was that with a single bloom on its stem.

Other folk traditions were described in a 1913 folklore handbook which claims that if a snowdrop was brought indoors it will make the cows milk watery and affect the colour of the butter.

Even as late as 1969 in ‘The Folklore of Plants’ it was stated that having a snowdrop indoors could affect the number of eggs that a sitting chicken might hatch.

Some other additional Symbolisms of Snowdrops

Hope – Snowdrops represent hope for brighter days and new opportunities ahead.

Rebirth – They symbolize resilience, overcoming challenges, and embracing life's transformations.

Purity – Their delicate white petals signify innocence, spirituality, and compassion.

New Beginnings – As one of the first flowers to bloom in early spring, snowdrops herald fresh starts and renewal.

Religious Associations

Christianity – Snowdrops are linked to the Candlemas festival, marking the presentation of Jesus at the temple.

Paganism – They are associated with Imbolc, a festival celebrating the transition from winter to spring.

So next time you find yourself in a churchyard on a cold February day, take a moment to notice the delicate white blooms peeking through the frost—beautiful yet solemn, a quiet reminder of life, death, and the whispers of those who came before.

A s you stand among the stones of the past, smile—because even in the stillness, even in the cold, life always finds a way to return.

P. Wallace

Photos - © Somerset Photography at Holcombe Old Church - February 14th 2025

The Poltergeist of Meadow Rise - Shepton Mallet

Wed, 12 Feb 2025 21:25:48 GMT

The Poltergeist of Meadow Rise - Shepton Mallet

Ghosts don’t just haunt grand old mansions with creaky floorboards—they can appear in modern homes too.

Take a house at Meadow Rise in Shepton Mallet, built in the late 1980s, where a poltergeist allegedly drove out two families.

In the mid-1990s, a woman fled after witnessing something terrifying: her seven-year-old daughter being lifted from her bed by an unseen force and then dropped back down.

The child later described seeing three figures dressed in black.

Unable to stay, the family swapped homes with another in Frome, but the new occupants lasted only two months before leaving in fear.

Their time there was marked by disturbing events, including the discovery of mutilated rabbits.

Another tenant also left in a hurry with her three children after her daughters endured relentless torment in their bedroom—pushed from their beds and even having scissors hurled at them.

In the kitchen, she stood frozen as plates mysteriously slid off the rack, crashing to the floor one by one.

A local historian later pointed out that the house was partially built over an old graveyard.

Even more chilling, during World War II, an American serviceman had either fallen—or jumped—to his death from a building once standing on the same site.

Thoughts -

Looking on the old maps, the one from 1888 shows a few buildings on the area of the current estate.

An old silk mill and gas works, it is also adjacent to the cemetery as stated by the historian, but the maps do show a boundary to the edge of the cemetery and it doesn't appear to go as far as the houses.

Has anyone else ever heard of these tales? does anyone still have any activity on this estate?

It would be really interesting to find out.

Source - Bristol Post

Artwork - PJW Artworks

British Newspaper Archives 1996

A Message from Old Orchid

Tue, 04 Feb 2025 21:46:59 GMT

A Message from Old Orchid

This eerie tale was recorded in Haunted Churches (1939) by Elliott O’Donnell, the renowned Bristol-born collector of ghost stories.

Mrs. Harrison, a resident of Weston-super-Mare, followed her usual Sunday morning routine by attending church.

Just as the service was about to begin, a verger approached her with an urgent message: she was needed at home immediately.

Alarmed, she rushed back, only to find that everything was perfectly fine.

Assuming the message had been some sort of mistake or cruel joke, she grew frustrated and was preparing to return to the church to confront the verger when a telegram arrived.

It was from her sister in Bath, their mother had fallen gravely ill, and she was urged to come at once.

Without hesitation, Mrs. Harrison boarded a train to Bath and arrived just in time to be by her mother’s bedside for a few precious moments before she passed away.

Had she remained in church, she would have missed her mother’s final words.

Back in Weston, Mrs. Harrison sought out the verger and demanded to know who had sent the message.

“It was a gentleman,” the verger explained. “A complete stranger to me.

He approached me at the main entrance, looked me straight in the eye, and said, ‘Please tell Mrs. Harrison she is needed at home immediately. It’s urgent.’”

When she asked for the man’s name, the verger hesitated before replying, “He told me to say only this—‘Old Orchid.’”

Mrs. Harrison then asked for a description of the man.

As the verger spoke, chills ran down her spine.

He had described, in exact detail, her own grandfather—who had passed away in Bath two years prior.

A man who had loved orchids, always wearing one in his buttonhole.

A man known to all who loved him as Old Orchid.

Source - Bristol Live

Image - Stockcake

#ghoststories #paranormal #ghosts #premonitions

The Curfew Pub - Bath

Tue, 04 Feb 2025 21:42:04 GMT

Curfew Inn, Cleveland Place West, Bath

History -

The Curfew Inn at 11 Cleveland Place West, Bath dates from around the 1820’s.

It was designed by Henry Edmund Goodridge, who’s other work include the Grade II listed Cleveland Bridge in Bath and the folly now known as Beckford’s Tower though originally named Lansdown Tower.

Originally three houses, the building was a bookshop, becoming a wine merchants in 1837 and eventually changing to a public house named the Curfew Inn around 1960.

Hauntings -

Strange experiences reported in 2009 led to an article in The Sun by Tim Spanton (dated 27th September 2010) in which he states

‘A poltergeist at the Curfew Inn was said to have interfered with beer taps in February and to have tried to play a pool shot.

Thoughts -

Its interesting that the building is in the centre of an area with a lots of Roman activity and discoveries..

The activity could possibly be a faulty beer tap, were the taps actually witnessed moving by themselves? could it be a drop or gain in pressure somehow from the beer lines.

The pool table not being level could account for the balls rolling by themselves...

Has anyone else ever heard of any other witnesses or stories in this place?

#hauntedbath #bathghoststories #paranormal #bathparanormal #SpookyStories #ghostsinbath #bathghosts #hauntedpubs

The Haunting of High Littleton

Fri, 31 Jan 2025 09:23:01 GMT

The Haunting of High Littleton

In August 1889, the quiet Somerset village of High Littleton was gripped by excitement and fear over reports of a ghost haunting a cottage beside the Wesleyan Chapel.

For several nights, around 11 pm strange noises echoed from the bedroom—described by one witness as resembling the crackling of small fireworks.

Chairs toppled over on their own, the fireplace fender mysteriously shifted, and eerie tapping sounds echoed from the walls.

Determined to get to the bottom of the mystery, members of the chapel and others gathered in the darkened room.

After a tense wait, a few of them, resting their hands on a chair, suddenly felt it jolt violently.

The strange rappings and unexplained sounds continued.

Word of the haunting spread, and by the next evening, a crowd of nearly 200 people had gathered outside.

Inside the cottage, the homeowner and a few companions devised a rather creative plan.

One villager, thinking practically, stretched a pig-catching net across the fireplace—reasoning that if the ghost was using the chimney as its entrance, it would be easily trapped.

But that night, the spectre was silent.

No ghostly disturbances, no flying furniture—nothing. Disappointed, the villagers eventually dispersed.

Or perhaps there never was a ghost at all.

Maybe the prankster responsible for the disturbances took one look at the pig net and decided it wasn’t worth the risk of getting caught…

Does anyone know of any other ghost stories for High Littleton?

Source - Bristol Live

News Article - Bristol Mercury 21st August 1889

Image - The Victorian Web

Duel at Dawn: The Ghostly Legend of Bathampton’s George Inn

Thu, 19 Dec 2024 10:24:54 GMT

Duel at Dawn: The Ghostly Legend of Bathampton’s George Inn

History -

The George Inn sits on the banks of the Kennet and Avon Canal in Mill Lane, Bathampton, opposite St. Nicholas Church.

There is some debate as to when exactly the inn was built.

Some sections seem to have been established as early as the 12th century, when it was part of a monastery for the Prior of Bath.

Though according to English Heritage, the current building is built from ‘coursed rubble with a Cotswold stone slate roof’ and dates from the mid to late 17th century, while the west gable is dated 1815.

It was used for inquests, the Coroners Inquest of local murder victim Elsie Adeline Luke took place here in 1893.

Hauntings -

The George Inn is said to be haunted by the ghost of Viscount John Baptiste Du Barre, a foreign noble, who died in the last legal duel fought in Britain.

A decadent man who held lavish parties, he was also fond of gambling.

Following a quarrel over a game of cards, a challenge was thrown down and he and his opponent met on Claverton Down at dawn on 18th November 1778.

Additional details-

The Vicomte du Barre came to Bath in the summer of 1778 with his wife and sister, and a Captain Rice, an Irish Jacobite whose grandfather had served in the French army.

They took a lease on 8 Royal Crescent, and arranged lavish card parties in the house, hoping to profit from the gambling mania that gripped the city at that time.

But one night they quarrelled over the sharing of £600 that they had won from a Colonel Champion, who lived at 29 Royal Crescent.

Rice threw down his glove, the challenge was accepted, and both men hastily appointed seconds and at one o’clock in the morning, a -coach was procured from the Three Tuns, in Stall Street and they made their way to Claverton Down.

A contemporary account describes the combat as follows : — “Each armed with two pistols and a sword.

The ground being marked out by the seconds, the Viscount du Barre’ fired first, and lodged a ball in Count Rice’s thigh, which penetrated as far as the bone.

Count Rice fired his pistol, and wounded the Viscount in the breast He went back two or three steps, then came forward again, and both, at the same time, presented their pistols to each other, the pistols flashed together in the pan, though only one was discharged.

Then they threw away their pistols, and took to their swords ; when Count Rice had advanced within a few yards of the Viscount, he saw him fall, and heard him cry out, ‘ Je vous demande ma vie,’ to which Count Rice answered, ‘Je vous la donne ; ‘ but in a few seconds the Viscount fell back and expired.

Count Rice was brought with difficulty to Bath, being dangerously wounded, though now he is in a fair way of recovery.

The coroner’s inquest sat on the Viscount’s body last Saturday, and after a mature examination of the witnesses and the Viscount’s servants, brought in their verdict Manslaughter.”

The Viscount’s body was left exposed the whole day on the Down, and was subsequently buried in Bathampton Churchyard.

His tombstone with an inscription that reads: ‘Here rest the remains of Jean Baptiste du Barre. Obiit 18th November, 1778’.

Count Rice recovered, was tried at Taunton for murder, and acquitted.

He died in Spain in 1809.

At that part of the Down where the Yeomanry were formerly reviewed, a bank slopes towards the wall.

It was on the other side of this wall, and a few yards from the gate, that the duel took place, where a stone slab marks the spot.

The ivory hilt of the sword once belonging to Count Rice is now attached to the city seal in the Town Clerk’s office.’

Robert Edward Myhill Peach ‘Historic houses in Bath, and their associations’ (Volume 2) (1883)

Thoughts -

Could the 'spirit' at the pub be a case of mistaken identity?

As from historical accounts, the Viscount died at the site of the duel, and there seems to be no link to the pub other than maybe that was were his body was taken for the inquest?

Some accounts say a spirit resembles the Viscount, but so far I have found no images of him at all, not even paintings...

Could the ghost/s at the pub be attributed to another person more entangled in the pubs history, I would love to find out more about the hauntings there and history.

If anyone has anything they can add, please email me at -

somersetparanormal@yahoo.com

Photos - News article from April 1779 on Captain Rice's trial.

The Viscounts Burial Record - Bath Burial Records

#hauntedpubs #pubghosts #haunted #hauntings #paranormal #paranormalactivity #bathampton #thegeorgepub #duel #bathduels #clavertondownduel #spirits #supernatural #somersethaunting #somersetpubs

News Article in the Bath Chronicle & Weekly Gazette from Thursday 19th November 1778

The White Lady Behind Bars - A Shepton Mallet Prison Tale from the 1960's

Sat, 14 Dec 2024 21:58:47 GMT

Grown men trained to deal with hardened criminals were left quaking in their boots at the thought of a female haunt at Shepton Mallet Prison in the 1960s
The female figure, known as the white lady was thought to have been beheaded at the prison in 1680 for murdering her boyfriend
Others believe that the spirit is the girl, shortly to have been married, who was found dead in her cell the morning of her execution, having died of a broken heart, and wearing her wedding dress.

Reports became rife of unaccountable banging sounds and heavy breathing noises along with an overriding feeling of a chilling presence in the night duty room.
It was taken so seriously to the extent that the Governor of the Prison spent a night in the haunted room and sent a full report to the Home Office.
He said " I was unable to find any satisfactory explanation for the happenings"
One officer refused to enter the night duty room after a horrific experience where he had the sensation of being paralysed in his neck for the whole of the night.
One 1960s warder said "I would not spend another night in the duty room for £1000
The extent of the belief is apparent in the way it affected the whole population of the staff, a senior warden at the Prison said " We are all scared and nobody has come up with an explanation"

Shepton Mallet Journal 18th July 1996

British Newspaper Archives.

Your Ghost Stories

Thu, 05 Dec 2024 22:20:53 GMT

Calling all seekers of the eerie and chroniclers of the unknown...

Do you have a chilling tale to tell?
A local haunt, an unexplainable encounter, or a ghostly story whispered through generations?
I am seeking guest writers to share their most spine-tingling paranormal experiences or hauntingly familiar legends.

Your story could be featured on my Facebook pages and this blog, bringing your account to a captivated audience of fellow believers and curious minds.
Full credit will be given, or you may choose to remain cloaked in mystery, anonymous like the spectre's you describe.

Remember, these tales will live in the public domain, so consider what details you dare reveal.
Keeping locations shrouded in secrecy is perfectly acceptable if that’s your wish.

If you’re intrigued, simply send me an email... if you dare.

somersetparanormal@yahoo.com
Thank you ..

Artwork - PJW Artworks

Photo - Somerset Photography

Paranormal Poems

Fri, 15 Nov 2024 21:37:32 GMT

A selection of local ghost stories rewritten as short poems, just a fun diversion, whilst experimenting with Chat GPT (AI)

"In Edward Street, where shadows play,

On floorboards worn, the spirits sway.

With whispered tunes from ages past,

Their dancing feet in echoes cast.

As autumn's chill begins to creep,

The spectral waltz stirs from its sleep.

Melodies drift through rooms so bright,

Then pause, like breath, at doors in sight.

A twirl, a laugh, a fleeting sound,

In every corner, joy is found.

So linger near, and you may see,

The ghostly revels of history "

The Dancing Spirits of Edward Street

In one of the flats of these town houses, built c1794, there was an annual phenomenon of the sound of dancing feet on the wooden floorboards with the disembodied sound of music.

The sound was said to move around the rooms and stop abruptly whenever a door was opened.

Paranormal Bath - Malcolm Cadey

On Halloween night, as shadows creep,
In a ruined castle, where secrets sleep,
The whispers awaken, the ghosts take flight,
From ages past, they emerge in the night.

The Grey Lady glides with a sorrowful sigh,
Her silken veil trailing, as time passes by.
Once a maiden of grace, now bound to her fate,
In the castle’s cold halls, she awaits her mate.

A knight on his steed, with a heart full of quest,
Wanders the village, where legends find rest.
His armour still glimmers, though time has its toll,
In search of lost glory, his spirit feels whole.

And there, in the shadows, a witch stands alone,
Her cauldron abandoned, her powers overthrown.
Tried for her magic, she roams through the stone,
In the grip of the moat, forever her own.

The village around, with its lanterns aglow,
Once welcomed the brave, now no longer do so.
For the spirits now linger, their tales left untold,
In the castle’s dark ruins, where time has grown cold.

As the veil grows thin and the clock strikes its chime,
They awaken to dance in the echoes of time.
In the heart of the village, beneath starlit skies,
The spirits will roam as the past comes alive.

© Somerset Paranormal
Nunney Castle

The Royal York Hotel - Bath

Fri, 15 Nov 2024 21:27:30 GMT

The Royal York Hotel - George Street - Bath

History-

Formerly the York House Hotel, 1 York Buildings forms part of a pair of Grade II mid-18th century terraced townhouses by John Wood the Younger, later the Royal York Hotel, situated within the Bath conservation area and World Heritage Site.

1-2 York Buildings cumulatively form a grand, 3 ½ storey frontage along George Street.

The York House was once the most famous and expensive hotel in the city.

Its position was ideally situated for passengers coming into Bath by coach.

It boasted fine rooms, good food and attentive service.

A book written in the mid nineteenth century charts the decline in the hotel’s fortunes from its heyday in the Regency period:

“Who has not heard of the once-famous York House Hotel at Bath?

There is not a family of any eminence – scarcely a family of any respectability in the south of England whose members have not slept beneath its roof.

Bath has been shorn of its pristine glories and the hotel has only followed the general decline of the place…”

It was left empty for a number of years and suffered from neglect and had a lot of its original period features ransacked.

Now a Travelodge.

Hauntings-

A guest reported seeing a dark shadow flickering in the corner of his room and in the corridor and the temperature suddenly dropping down, despite the heating being on.

Also of being suddenly awoken in the early hours by a sound of their belongings being moved and a feeling of being watched.

Has anyone else ever witnessed anything paranormal in the hotel, had a strange experience, either whilst staying there or maybe working there?

We would love to know..

Account - Local Sources

Word Wenches/ Crosby’s Complete Pocket Gazeteer of England and Wales, published in 1815

Picture Source - 1869 Johns Charles Maggs, Rare Old Prints & Bath History & Mystery

Tales of the Theatre - Mobile Mystery

Thu, 31 Oct 2024 09:30:46 GMT

Tales of the Theatre - Mobile Mystery

Tim's Story - December 2002

Dearest Readers, for Halloween here we have another tale of the Theatre Royal from the many accounts and experiences logged by employees and patrons.

Tim had finished for the night and went into the Vaults Bar to sign off.

He was about to leave and realised he had misplaced his mobile phone, he looked all around where he was and couldn't see it.

So went back upstairs, where he meticulously searched the bar, kitchen and restaurant area, but there was no sign of the phone at all.

He then asked a colleague if he could borrow their phone to ring his number to track it down.

He did this and could clearly hear the ringing on the borrowed phone, but listening intently he couldn't hear it within the immediate area so went back upstairs, and still complete silence.

He searched high & low under tables, in corners, anywhere a phone could have hidden in the restaurant, bar and kitchen, all the while with the phone still ringing out with a clear tone through the borrowed handset.

He switched out the kitchen light and locked the door, and turning away to leave there was an almighty crash against the back of the kitchen door he had just locked up.

The bang was very loud and it sounded like an object had been thrown at the door with some force.

Tim was a bit alarmed and puzzled as there was no one in the kitchen, he unlocked the door and the kitchen was still and pitch black, he turned on the light....

As he light came on, a prickling feeling of fear came over him as he saw the item that had been thrown at the door.... it was his lost mobile phone...

With a feeling of disbelief and an urge to get out of that area as fast as possible, he left straight away.

He had sensed a malignant presence lurking in the empty kitchen.

On returning to his colleague, Tim was visibly agitated and his face was white as a sheet, on being asked if he was okay, he replied "No, not really , I will tell you later"

Tim just wanted to get away from the Theatre.

On recounting his story to Malcolm Cadey, the author of the book, he didn't really wish to talk about it and was apprehensive trying to explain how his phone appeared out of no where and had been flung by something in anger..

But what was it? what could have created this phenomenon?

Thoughts -

In parapsychology and Spiritualism, an apport is the alleged paranormal transference of an article from one place to another, or an appearance of an article from an unknown source that is often associated with poltergeist activity.

The word "apport" comes from the French word apporter, which means "to bring"

Could this be what happened here?

If anyone has any more recent tales of the Theatre that they would like to have told in a blog post, please feel free to email us.

We are always looking for recent experiences which can in some cases be corroborated with historic experiences.

Source - Paranormal Bath by Malcolm Cadey

Available on Amazon.

Rewritten by P Wallace/ Bath Paranormal

Photos/ Artwork - PJW Artworks & Somerset Photography

Email - somersetparanormal@yahoo.com

The Bell Inn - Buckland Dinham

Thu, 31 Oct 2024 09:08:22 GMT

The Bell Inn - Buckland Dinham

History -

In 951 King Eadred granted land at Buckland to his relative Ælfhere.

The village used to be known as Buckland Denham. Denham is believed to be a family name (there are many other villages with Denham in their name) whilst Buckland may refer to a former deer population.

The Bell Inn is a Grade II listed pub that was originally a coaching inn

Hauntings -

There are said to be three ghosts within the pub.

Emily is said to be a teenager who passed in childbirth in 1756, she is seen in the restaurant pacing, looking for her baby, who is said to be buried in the nearby barn.

An old man sips whisky at table 10 and a little boy is seen at another table.

There is said to be regular paranormal activity including bangs and crashes and a locked door unbolts itself and candles are said to light themselves during the night, which is a worry to the landlord..

Thoughts -

These are very specific descriptions, it would be interesting to know exactly where they came from, via physical sightings or a sensitive or medium ?

Are there any historical records to corroborate these claims at all ?

It would be interesting to hear of any recent hauntings or experiences or if anyone has investigated there at all..

Source - Paranormal Somerset - Selena Wright

Photos - Google & Somerset History & Mystery

Map - Know your Place 1888

Are Bath's Parade Gardens haunted ?

Tue, 29 Oct 2024 21:47:33 GMT

This beautiful and popular green area in the centre of Bath was once a fashionable promenade area in the Regency era.

We are asking, are they haunted ? do the spirits of the Ladies and Gentlemen of the bygone Bath still stroll amongst the borders and gravelled walks ?

The History-

Constructed in 1709, the site of Parade Gardens originally formed part of the Bath Abbey Orchard and lay outside of the city wall.

A mill, known as Monk's Mill, stood at the northern end of the enclosure with steps leading down to the river.

In 1709 Richard 'Beau' Nash encouraged Thomas Harrison to build an Assembly Room for fashionable visitors to the spa.

A gravelled walk lined with sycamores, known as Harrison's Walk, was laid out along the west and north boundaries of the triangular site east of the Assembly Rooms; the remainder of the site appears to have been laid out with lawns.

Admission to these gardens was by subscription, ensuring exclusivity.

A further Assembly Room was built by John Wood in 1730, while at about the same date a formal grove was laid out as a public garden with gravel walks immediately east of Bath Abbey, named Orange Grove in 1734 in honour of a visit to Bath by the Prince of Orange, 'Beau' Nash erected an obelisk at the centre of the Grove to commemorate the Prince's cure.

The Orange Grove and the subscription gardens associated with Harrison's Assembly Rooms, known as St James' Gardens, provided space for the recreation of fashionable visitors to Bath in the early C18.

When John Wood began to develop North and South Parades to the south of St James' Gardens in 1738, these achieved pre-eminence among the places of fashionable resort in the city.

Wood planned North or Grand Parade as a shaded summer promenade with steps descending to St James' Gardens which were to be laid out with a central circular lawn or bowling green and a sheltered spring walk below the retaining wall of the Parade. Harrison's Walk was to be retained along the north-west boundary of the gardens and a further tree-lined walk was to be created along the river. Although Wood's scheme was not fully realised, it appears from C18 and C19 plans of Bath that the layout of the gardens was carried out in accordance with his plan.

In 1824 the Royal Literary and Scientific Institution was built on the site of Harrison's Assembly Rooms and the gardens were renamed Institution Gardens.

The layout of the gardens appears to have changed little during the C19, but in 1895 an improvement scheme led to the demolition of houses to the east of Orange Grove and Lot Lane, and the northern extension of the gardens.

The Bath architect C E Davis constructed an Italianate colonnade along the western boundary of the garden which was continued beneath the new road, Grand Parade, forming a visual link with Pulteney Bridge to the north.

Further highway improvements in 1932 led to the demolition of the Royal Institution, and the appropriation of a small area of land at the south-west corner of the gardens.

The following year the late C19 colonnade was extended south-west and a new entrance comprising a domed ticket office and a grand double staircase descending from Orange Grove was constructed.

The layout of the gardens remains substantially unchanged from the C19, while significant elements of its design reflect the scheme devised in 1738 by John Wood as part of his development of North Parade.

Today Parade Gardens continue to operate as subscription gardens, while residents of North Parade have access to the gardens by a private gate.

Parade Gardens have remained in municipal ownership since the 1930s.

Jane Austen mentions Parade Gardens in her novel - Northanger Abbey, the Lower Assembly Rooms, where Catherine Morland meets Mr. Tilney.

Hauntings ? -

Has anyone ever spotted a ghost or something paranormal in these historical gardens, maybe late at night whilst the City is sleeping ?

Are there any old tales or legends attached to the gardens, the colonnades or vaults going up to the medieval East Gate area, site at one time also of the ducking stool at the end of Slippery Lane..

If you have heard a story or have had an experience or sighting, please pop me an email with your account, then we can add it to the sightings journal and blog.

Email - somersetparanormal@yahoo.com

Source - Historic England

Maps- Know your Place 1888 & 1735

Photo sources - Freshford com/ Bath History & Mystery

Haunted Houses of Bath - The Victorian Villa

Sat, 12 Oct 2024 20:54:01 GMT

Haunted Houses of Bath
A Victorian Villa with a Lady in Blue

There is a beautiful Victorian Villa which stands within extensive grounds in an area close to the city centre
Built possibly c1840, it appears for the first time on the 1844 map of Bath
(House name and address withheld for privacy reasons)

During the 1930s & 1940's it gained the reputation of being haunted.
The ghost of a lady was seen most frequently, wearing a blue dress and a bonnet, she had curly hair underneath her bonnet and she had a long nose and thin cheeks/ high cheekbones..
Whenever she did appear is was just fleetingly and to the observer she looked like she was bending down or dragging something which the witness could not see across the floor.
People in the house would also suddenly experience an extreme chill within the house, even when it was very hot weather outside.
This was said to be associated with the spirit of an old man, who was never actually seen, so not sure how it was pinpointed as an old man?
The sounds of scratching outside bedroom doors was another phenomenon. as if something was trying to get into the room, although nothing ever made it into the rooms..

Research - On looking at the Bath Historical Directories, there is a lady who lived there called Louisa, in c1870, maybe its her? and a man lived there from 1875.

It would be interesting to know if this house still has activity...?

Source- Haunted Bath - David Brandon.
Photo Credit - Lily Absinthe / Pinterest

Map - of the area where the house is 1888

#hauntedbath #bathghoststories #halloweenghoststories #paranormal #bath #cityofbath #ghoststories #supernatural #ghosts #haunted #hauntedhouses #victorianghosts

The Griffin Inn - Frome

Sat, 12 Oct 2024 20:36:54 GMT

The Griffin Inn - Milk Street - Frome

This pub was built around 1717

Hauntings -
Allegedly an elderly man haunts the top floor, called Albert who is said to be unhappy whenever loud music is played, however we are not sure how exactly this is manifested,,
When a new landlord moved in he decided to see what was behind a blocked up doorway in the cellar.
A vaulted ceiling was discovered and at the same time an icy chill went up through to the bar and a glass exploded, the doorway was quickly sealed back up again.
Another account of a glass shattering says that a woman was paying for a drink that had been poured in a tall wine glass and before she could pay, the glass suddenly shattered leaving just the stem, the barman said it was like the top had been hit with a hockey stick, the woman hastily left.
Its also reported that dogs in the bar sometimes go still and stare at a particular spot and their eyes appear to follow something unseen along a wall

Does anyone know of any other details or history of these hauntings?

Update - 15/11/24

I have been contacted by someone that used to work at the pub approx 15 years ago saying that they used to get a strange feeling in their stomach and a sense of being watched when they had to work on the top floor, also the area near the pool room and stairs had the same feeling and a few times the door was shut on them.

Regarding the area behind the wall, the landlord at the time told the employee above that the passageway went to the church down the road and was used as a means of escape from the church to safety.

Source - Paranormal Somerset - Selena Wright
Secret Frome - Andrew Pickering and Gary Kearley

Map - 1888 - Know your Place

The Boy with the Goldfish Bowl

Sat, 24 Aug 2024 21:18:12 GMT

The Boy with the Goldfish Bowl

Somewhere on the A37 to Glastonbury in the Summer of 2001

Approx Time - Early afternoon.

Whilst out driving along a straight stretch of road heading to Glastonbury, a driver, his wife and child spotted a young boy holding a goldfish bowl about 50 yards in front of them at the bottom of the embankment, the driver had a feeling he was going to run out up and in front of the car, he sped up so he would be past him before he could get up the hill then suddenly the boy was at the side of the road 20 foot in front of the car, which he must have done at superhuman speed.

The driver hit the brakes as the boy was in front of the car looking straight at him and then just vanished, with no sound or bump or signs pf an impact, just like that he had disappeared.

He thought he may have seen him continuing back across the road in his rear mirror, but wasn't sure.

Has anyone else ever witnessed anything like this?

Who is this boy? and why the goldfish bowl?

Thoughts -

The witness contacted me regarding their experience, they couldn't remember the exact road, it was an A road with a wide river running under the road (River Brue?) with a wide green embankment which ran up to the road.

After looking at maps and looking for crossing places over the river I found a possible location on the A37 outside Lydford on Fosse, Bridgefoot Bridge.

This area has some amazing history and could well have an intriguing ghost attached to it as well.

The A37 follows the old Roman Road alignment and there could well have been a crossing here 2000 years ago.

The bridge was built in 1820 and in 1958 widened which gave it wide grass verges at the side, matching the witness description.

But the witness tells me that's not the area, so we are left still wondering at this amazing phenomenon, but sadly without knowing the precise area, we are unable to go any further unless new information comes to light.

Story Source - Local Source

Artwork - PJW Artworks

The Old Chapel - Keynsham

Sat, 29 Jun 2024 21:02:09 GMT

The Old Chapel - Temple Street - Keynsham.

History -

The Bethesda Chapel, formerly United Free Methodist Chapel.

It wasconverted to commercial use in 1968, the graveyard remained in place, but was built over.

Hauntings -

Soon after it was converted to a hardware store, a tall thin man would be seen in a black cloak inside the entrance which had been the church hall by staff working late at night..

Another member of staff was touched on the shoulder whilst at their desk.

Poltergeist activity involving china/ crockery hitting the ceiling after seemingly flying through the air.

Lights turn on and footsteps can be heard, the building always seems to have a deathly chill of the cold, even when its warm weather..

An exorcism took place in the 1960's which seemingly stopped the male manifestation for a few years, however he did then return..

Thoughts -

It would be interesting to find out more about the chapel prior to its use, how old is the building etc.

Does anyone still experience any activity now? where is the activity on relation to the burial ground?

Source - Paranormal Somerset - Selena Wright

Map - Know your Place 1888

Bridgerton Haunted Locations - Edward Street - Bath

Fri, 31 May 2024 21:03:53 GMT

Bridgerton Haunted Locations.. Bath

To celebrate the release of Bridgerton Series 3, I am featuring some haunted hotspots on the sites in Bath where Bridgerton was filmed..

New for Series 3, a stone’s throw away from The Holburne Museum, which is where the exterior shots for Lady Danbury's home are filmed is Edward Street.

It is the newest Bridgerton filming location in Bath.

This residential Georgian street makes its debut in Season 3, with many of the scenes filmed just along from the Dukes hotel which can be seen in the opening scenes.

History-

These townhouses were built c1795

Dukes Hotel was originally two private houses, No's 53 & 54 Great Pulteney Street.

It was then a school then the houses were combined into an hotel called St. Monica's in 1919

In 1985 the name was changed to Dukes Hotel, in honour of His Grace the Duke of Clevedon.

Hauntings

The Dancing Spirits of Edward Street

In one of the flats of these town houses, there was an annual phenomenon of the sound of dancing feet on the wooden floorboards with the disembodied sound of music.

The sound was said to move around the rooms and stop abruptly whenever a door was opened.

It would be interesting to know if there is any activity in the houses now or over the years.. and if there are any stories for the hotel..

Source - David Brandon - Paranormal Bath

Photos - Bath in Time, Bridgerton Series 3 Ep 1 - Netflix screenshot.

Know your Place maps.

#ghostsofbath #bathghosts #hauntedbath #royalcrescentghosts #royalcrescentbath #bathroyalcrescent #ghostofsomerset #somersetparanormal #bridgerton #ghosts #regencybath

#bridgertonday #bridgertonlocations #bridgertonseason2 #bridgertonghosts

#bridgerton #bridgertonseries #bridgertonfilming #hauntedhouses #haunted #hauntedbath #paranormal #paranormalbath #hauntedmuseum #bathparanormal

Bridgerton Haunted Locations - Bath

Thu, 16 May 2024 10:05:48 GMT

Bridgerton Haunted Locations..

Dearest Readers,

To celebrate the release of Bridgerton Series 3 today, we are featuring some haunted hotspots on the sites in Bath where Bridgerton was filmed over the years and the Regency era was brought to life.

As Series 3 is Penelope Featherington & Colin Bridgerton's story, we will start with the home of the Featherington's.

The Royal Crescent

The Royal Crescent features in a lot of the scene-setting sequences in Bridgerton used to transport the viewer to Regency London, right from the beginning of the first ever episode, errand boys deliver the latest offerings from Lady Whistledown, and couples promenade.

In S1 Ep4, the characters gallop on horseback along the Royal Crescent and Beauford Square at night on their way to duel at daybreak.

At the farther end of the Crescent, Simon and Lady Danbury take a carriage ride together where the Crescent can be seen in the background and No. 1 Royal Crescent, on the corner, was used as the frontage for the Featherington House.

Hauntings -

Sounding like a plotline straight out of Bridgerton this ghostly tale starts off as a love story between classical singer Elizabeth Linley and playwright and politician Richard Brinsley Sheridan.

Elizabeth was born in Bath in 1754 and travelled the country with her family, singing.

Not only was Elizabeth a talented Soprano but was also the so called ‘Beauty of Bath’.

She had many admirers, the most persistent of which was Captain Thomas Mathews, who constantly harassed her, trying to force her to be his lover. Elizabeth, however, was not interested, and it was at this point she met Richard Brinsley Sheridan.

Sheridan was born in Ireland in 1751 and moved to Bath in 1770.

He got to know Elizabeth, who was friends with his sister, and quickly became her confidant.

One evening in March 1772, Elizabeth was at home at Number 11, Royal Crescent, and under the cover of darkness snuck out to meet Sheridan who was waiting for her in the horse-drawn carriage outside.

From there they journeyed to France where they secretly eloped, at the time they were both underage and didn’t have their parents’ consent, so they swore to keep it a secret.

Once back in Bath Captain Mathews challenged Sheridan to a duel, Sheridan was victorious and went to Elizabeth’s father to officially ask for her hand in marriage but was denied and they were banned from speaking to each other.

This spurred Captain Mathews to confront Sheridan again, resulting in another duel, which this time Sheridan lost; however, his life was saved by a miniature of Elizabeth that he carried in his breast pocket.

Eventually, once they had both come of age, after much persistence from Sheridan, and Elizabeth threatening suicide, her father agreed that Elizabeth and Sheridan could marry.

There is no happy ending to this love story though, as they were both unfaithful throughout their marriage and at the age of 38 Elizabeth died from tuberculosis, with Sheridan living until he was 64.

You can read Elizabeth's story here-

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_Ann_Linley

However, their spirits reunited, and they remain together in the afterlife, with the couple’s ghosts’ been caught haunting the Royal Crescent in a horse-drawn carriage, as they did the night they eloped.

Sounds of a ghostly horse and carriage can sometimes be heard.

In one of the houses (number withheld for privacy), there is a spirit that doesn't like female residents, so women find its hard to stay there.

Does anyone know of any other hauntings in the Crescent?

Photos - Google/ Shondaland/ Netflix

Rare Old Prints Online

Paranormal Somerset - Selena Wright

#ghostsofbath #bathghosts #hauntedbath #royalcrescentghosts #royalcrescentbath #bathroyalcrescent #bridgerton #ghosts #regencybath

#bridgertonday #bridgertonlocations #bridgertonseason3

#bridgerton #bridgertonseries #bridgertonfilming #paranormal #paranormalbath #bathparanormal

Ghosts of Longleat

Fri, 26 Apr 2024 21:17:34 GMT

Longleat House - Just on the border of Somerset & Wiltshire

History -

Longleat is a stately home about 4 miles west of Warminster.

Set in 1,000 acre of parkland landscaped by Capability Brown, along with 4,000 acres of let farmland and 4,000 acres of woodland.

It was previously an Augustinian priory.

The name comes from "leat", an artificial waterway or channel such as that which supplies a watermill.

A leading and early example of the Elizabethan prodigy house, it is a Grade I listed building and the seat of the Marquesses of Bath.

Built between 1567 and 1580, to put into perspective how old this magnificent house is, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I

Queen Elizabeth I was the first monarch to visit Longleat in 1574.

The Queen very much enjoyed her visit and later sent Lord Bath a hand-written letter thanking him for the 'fascinating' day spent at his 'beautiful house.

The house was built by Sir John Thynne and designed mainly by Robert Smythson, after Longleat Priory was destroyed by fire in 1567.

It took 12 years to complete and is widely regarded as one of the finest examples of Elizabethan architecture in Britain.

It has been lived in by sixteen generations of the Thynne family and it continues to be the seat of the Thynne family, who have held the title of Marquess of Bath since 1789

During World War I, the house was used as a temporary hospital.

During World War II, it became the evacuated Royal School for Daughters of Officers of the Army.

An American hospital was also constructed in the grounds; Henry Thynne, 6th Marquess of Bath (1905–1992) inherited in 1946.

Faced with considerable death duties he sold large parts of the wider estates; to allow Longleat itself to survive, he opened the house to public visitors.

Hauntings -

The Ghost of the Grey Lady & the Body Under the Cellar

The most famous of Longleat’s ghosts is that of Lady Louisa Carteret, who married the 2nd Viscount of Weymouth - Thomas Thynne in 1733.

He agreed to allow her to bring her own serving staff to Longleat as part of their wedding arrangements.

One of her entourage was a young footman who’s adoration to his Lady seemed to go beyond what was expected of his post, at least that is how it appeared to a few of Longleat's household staff.

They grew jealous of what seemed to be favouritism by Lady Louisa towards this young man.

Rumours and suspicions grew as to the likelihood of there being extramarital liaisons between the two.

These rumours were quite untrue as it turned out but word got back to Thomas that his wife was having an affair.

Thomas, well known for his quick temper confronted the fellow at his earliest opportunity in a passageway outside the old library on the first floor beside a spiral staircase.

An altercation took place whereby Thomas accused the footman of indiscretions toward his wife, which he flatly denied. In a fit of rage, Thomas lost his temper and pushed the footman down the stairs breaking his neck in the fall.

Thomas, fearful of being implicated in his murder, quickly had the body buried in the cellar and made up a story for Lady Louisa that the footman had left without word.

She did not believe him, fully aware of his distrust for her servant.

She suspected her husband had imprisoned him somewhere inside the enormous house.

She spent many days and nights frantically searching every room, those that were locked she demanded be opened. Her search however proved fruitless, for she never found him.

It was on one of her nightly searches in the bitter cold that she caught a chill which developed into pneumonia.

Lady Louisa, much weakened and distressed by her husbands deceit succumbed to her illness during childbirth and died in 1736 at the age of 22.

She had been married just three years.

Shortly after her death, reports from staff claimed they had seen Lady Louisa prowling the passageway where the incident had taken place,

Even today she is heard banging on doors in a desperate and endless search to locate the whereabouts of her footman.

She was a beautiful young woman in life and it is said by those who claim to have seen her, that she retains her beauty in death.

The Grey Lady is the most frequently seen of Longleat’s ghosts, even the late Marquess of Bath claims to have seen her on occasion.

Her portrait hangs in the Lower Dining Room.

After his wife’s death, Thomas moved from Longleat, to live in the village of Horningsham nearby.

There were those who, at the time, spoke of his reasons for leaving; he lived in mortal dread of encountering Lady Louisa as she walked the passageway after nightfall.

Evidence to back up the death of the footman and subsequent ghost story are further endorsed when central heating was being installed in 1903.

It had been necessary to lower the floors in the cellar to accommodated the boiler and pipes.

Whilst digging up the flagstones, builders discovered the skeletal remains of a male wearing what appeared to be the remains of jackboots and fragments of a uniform of a footman of the period.

To avoid any scandal, the bones were collected and quietly interred in the local churchyard.

Ironically, as it turned out, only a few feet away from where 2nd Viscount Thomas Thynne is buried.

Source - Haunted Wiltshire Blogspot

The Red library is said to have two ghosts, one is said to be an old man in black that sits and quietly reads (Bishop Ken ?) the other is Lord Bath's elder brother that was killed in action in WW1

The main library is haunted by Bishop Thomas Ken (1637-1711) who hid in the house during the persecution of the Catholics.

He lived on the top floor for about 20 years and died there, he was laid out in his funeral shroud in his favourite room.

The original owner of the house Sir John Thynne (1513 -1518) has been seen here also as well as walking around the park and woods.

Other sightings include a cavalier, a stone throwing monk (see article) and a green lady in the grounds and on the top floor on Green Ladys Walk, she is called the green lady, as she appears to be wearing a green dress the same as her portrait, according to a former employee

several of the older housekeepers had seen her (speaking in 1999)

Source - Paranormal Wiltshire - Selena Wright

In a Western Daily Press news article in 1999 a former employee speaks of the various stories associated with the house including mentioning that the old elephant house used to be the site of the morgue during WW2 when wounded US soldiers were billeted there.

There is also the ghost of a black dog, which has been seen by people for generations and has a copse named after it, Black Dog Wood.

In 1975 Uri Geller visited the house and gave a demonstration of his skills in the 'haunted' library, bending the family silver and a sword from the Lansdown collection, it was reported that books fell off the shelves, a miniature fell over and an portrait smashed to the ground.

Maybe this was Bishop Ken showing his dissatisfaction at the spectacle?

In the early 1960's Ghost hunter and Clairvoyant Tom Corbett, who is featured in a book, The Stately Ghosts of England by Diana Norman visited the house, he was friends with the Marquis at the time and was taken up to the many passages at the top of the house and namely the Green Lady's Walk,

As he walked up one of the passageways he appeared to make contact with a spirit, he said 'No' several times, he made his way to another passage and stopped and announced that 'there was something there and something dreadful happened there'

'This is your corridor, not the other one'

It turns out that he was correct, they had shown him the wrong corridor to test his psychic powers and he had got it right..

He then went around the house picking out the various ghosts and the history books they had been identified in.

Tom Corbett was then ill for a week after he had visited Longleat..

Source - Daily Herald 4th March 1963

Thoughts-

I have been visiting Longleat for over 50 years and love visiting regularly, the stories intrigue me and I am interested to know and learn more.

It would be interesting to know if any paranormal activity still occurs, have any of the family, staff or visitors have ever witnessed anything?

Are the Green Lady and the Grey Lady the same spirit? or two separate Ladies? do they haunt the same area?

It would be my dream to investigate or even do a walk through.

If you are interested in the Ghosts of Longleat, keep checking back for updates, as and when I get any more information or photos.

Photos- © Somerset Photography

British Newspaper Archives

Maps - 1888 & 1659

Battlefields - Lansdown - Bath

Tue, 09 Apr 2024 21:14:28 GMT

Battlefields House - Lansdown - Bath

History-

The house was designed by John Wood the Elder in 1738 for Jeremiah Peirce and was originally called Lilliput Castle

It is also the previous home of John (Goldfinger) Palmer.

This striking castellated building is now split into luxury apartments.

Hauntings

The building is on the extensive Civil War battle site of July 1643, the sounds of horses galloping have been reported around the vicinity and on the drive way to the house, though they cannot be seen.

It is thought they are the residual energy of rider less horses fleeing the battle scene.

Old fashioned figures, two women and a man, are also said to haunt the area and have been briefly seen in bedrooms.

Does anyone know any other stories for the area?

Source - Paranormal Somerset - Selena Wright

Photo Source - taken c1972, Bath in Time

Allen & Harris Estate Agents

Maps 1742 & 1888

Tales of the Theatre Royal - Bath

Mon, 25 Mar 2024 21:28:32 GMT

Tales of the Theatre Royal - Bath

Ian's Story

Dearest Readers

Here we have another chilling and blood curling tale from the Theatre Royal, Bath.

Again I am not sure exactly what time period this is from and so its unknown whether this just happened the once whether it as happened since or prior to this occasion.

I have changed the name of the witness.

One afternoon.

Ian struggled to lug the heavy crates of beer that afternoon as he was replenishing the Theatre's four bars, he was normally front of house staff but had been asked to do some extra duties.

He had already done the Stall and Dress Circle Bars which were easy and was now heading for the Upper Circle Bar.

As he climbed up he was thinking about the strange event that one of the female staff had very recently had, where she witnessed the Grey Lady at close quarters.

He had never seen anything personally, but occasionally had felt an odd atmosphere, which made him prefer to work with company, rather than alone.

On reaching the Upper Circle bar, he heaved the crates across and started to check off his notes to make sure he had the right items.

As he was doing so, he heard a faint sound, but didn't think much of it, he then heard it again.

It was coming from the auditorium and sounded like a long sigh and low muffled moaning.

He heard it again and was getting curious, but wary and was starting to get an odd feeling come over him and a tingling feeling.

He decided to investigate and on reaching the door, heard the sounds several more times, he decided it had to be someone playing tricks on him, so deciding to confront whomever it was

he quickly pulled the doors open and looked over the empty seats, he was met with a strange sight...

He could see three strange looking shapes, stooped with drapes over them, two of them were semi transparent, the third was more solid looking and grey.

They were moving slowly and drifting diagonally through the rows of seats, the sighing seemed to be coming from the more solid one, and the other two were moaning.

Then as if aware that they were being watched they stopped and slightly turned as if to look at him.

The sounds then changed to a noise similar to chirping birds and the three shapes all converged together onto a black block shape, which changed to a triangular shape and suddenly shot up in the air into the chandelier above and just simply vanished!

Ian closed the door and turned and slowly walked back down onto the foyer.

When he got there, he said, to no one in particular -

" Tell the chief there are the orders, the beer is on the bar, I wont be back, after what I have just seen, tell him he can stuff the job, stuff the Theatre, stuff the ghosts, that's it! I have had it!

With that he stormed out of the Theatre and went next door to the Garrick's Head, where he had a stiff drink and told a few people of his experience.

Ian subsequently left his job, the Theatre and Bath, returning to his home town, never to return....

So dear readers, what do you think of Ian's story?

It is a little similar to the story from 'John' of The Thing, which was a similarly terrifying encounter of a shapeshifting mass..

See separate article.

Thoughts -

It would be interesting to know of there are any links to monks at the site, as the three figures sound like that's what they could have been?

Source - Paranormal Bath - Malcolm Cadey

Rewritten by P Wallace / Bath Paranormal

AI Art & Photo © Bath Paranormal

The Nunney Hitchhiker

Mon, 18 Mar 2024 22:03:47 GMT

The Nunney Hitchhiker - Nunney/Frome

A witness was driving on the Frome to Nunney Road in August 1977 when he stopped to give a man a lift, the hitchhiker got into the back of the car and the witness locked the car doors.

There was very little communication between the two apart from the hitchhiker's comment that it was cold.

But when the witness asked his passenger a question, he discovered that the reason he was receiving no response, was because no one was in the car! yet he was certain the car door not been opened during the drive.

The witness now being a little shaken up, reported of the incident to Frome police station, where he was breathalysed, but found to be sober.

There are very few cases to people who experience more than one phantom hitchhiker event, but this witness was to provide a second report concerning the same stretch of road sometime after the first event.

The second encounter was quite unlike the first in that the witness came across the hitchhiker standing in the middle of the road and skidded to avoid an accident hitting either a lamppost/ pole or the hedge.

Needless to say when the witness search the area for the cause of the problem, no trace of him could be found.

The man was described as in his mid 30's and dressed in a checked jacket/ shirt and flannel trousers.

In 1977, a similar case arose involving an accident when a man appeared in the middle of the road and disappeared.

The story was to take a turn for the bizarre when a local man who was organising the Silver Jubilee celebrations in the area decided to turn ghostbuster.

Concerned the local celebration should not be harmed by a phantom hitchhiker keeping people away or possibly even with an eye to the potential benefits of publicity the ghost might bring.

A series of Ghost Patrol's was set up to investigate the events, it does not appear to have been a serious attempt at research and adds little to the overall understanding of this case.

Suggestions for whom the hitchhiker is, have included the victims of Judge Jeffreys public hangings nearby, 12 rebels found guilty at the Assizes were hung, drawn and quartered and their remains strung up at Gibbet Hill, Gorehedge, although from his dress this spirit appears more modern than that..

Others include an American servicemen killed in a car crash and a husband wrongly hanged for his wife's murder.

He has been spotted at Critchill, going towards Gibbet Hill as well as closer to the village of Nunney as well..

Although it is not known whether there been any more furthermore recent sightings in modern times.

Source- The Encyclopedia of Ghosts & Spirits - John & Anne Spencer

#nunneyhitchhiker #nunneyghosts #nunney #ghostlyhitchhiker #hitchhikerspirits #paranormal #somersetparanormal #somersetghosts #hauntedsomerset #somersetghoststories

Ghostly Monks of Bath Abbey

Thu, 22 Feb 2024 22:03:03 GMT

Ghostly Monks of Bath Abbey

History-

Bath Abbey is a parish church of the Church of England and former Benedictine monastery in Bath

Founded in the 7th century, it was reorganised in the 10th century and rebuilt in the 12th and 16th centuries; major restoration work was carried out by Sir George Gilbert Scott in the 1860s.

It is one of the largest examples of Perpendicular Gothic architecture in the West Country.

The medieval abbey church served as a sometime cathedral of a bishop.

After long contention between churchmen in Bath and Wells the seat of the Diocese of Bath and Wells was later consolidated at Wells Cathedral.

The Benedictine community was dissolved in 1539 during the Dissolution of the Monasteries.

The present abbey is the last great medieval cathedral to have been built in England. Building work began around 1499, but was not completed and used as a parish church until 1616, meaning it took nearly 120 years to finish.

The first king of all England, King Edgar was crowned on the site in 973 and his coronation service set the precedent for the coronation ceremonies of all future kings and queens of England and Great Britain.

The abbey has 1,508 memorials in total – 617 on the walls and 891 on the floor.

There are estimated to be up to around 8,000 bodies buried under the abbey floors, the last one laid to rest in 1845.

So far, the earliest burial which has been discovered under the floor is from 1625.

Hauntings -

Dark robed figures have been said to be spotted around the abbey, which people report as monks.

There are also several reports of spirits captured in photographs, one from the 70's where a tourist was photographing the interior of the Abbey and on later developing the film discovered a diaphanous figure of a monk on two of the photos.

The photographer said that he was only interested in taking photos of architecture and had he seen a person there, he would have not taken the photo..

In 2005, someone took a photograph of a dark monk like spirit in front of the main door..

There are also reports of paranormal activity linked to nearby Abbey Green and the Roman Baths..

Sources - Haunted Bath - David Brandon, The Bath Magazine, Wikipedia.

Photos © Bath Paranormal/ Somerset Photography

#bathabbey #monksofbathabbey #bathabbeyhaunted #hauntedabbey #ghostwalks #bathghostwalks #blackmonk #monkghost #ghostsofbath #bathparanormal #paranormalbath #bathhauntings #bathghoststories

Ghosts of Grosvenor - Bath

Fri, 09 Feb 2024 10:10:11 GMT

Ghosts of Grosvenor Place - Bath

History-

Grosvenor Place in Bath was built around 1790 by John Eveleigh.

It lies alongside the A4 London Road and many of the houses are listed buildings, bordering about 20 acres of luxurious pleasure gardens to be called the Vauxhall gardens.

The grand entrance was through a large carriage arch to the centre of the hotel.

The scheme failed due to the unfortunate choice of a low-lying site which was prone to mists and floods, and its relative distance from town, Sydney Gardens, nearer to the city was preferred.

Hauntings -

There are reports of a Roman soldier in one of the houses or flats and in a second floor flat at an undisclosed address, a couple witnessed a monochromatic female figure silently drift through their living room, terrifying the cat!

It has also been seen on the stairs..

Thoughts/ Research

I cant find much history on any notable happenings there, so any spirits, possibly are just residual..

It would be interesting to know if people are still witnessing anything here...

I will add any updates here.

Source- Paranormal Database

Photo - Bath in Time/ Google Maps

Lithograph - R Woodroffe/ Rare Old Prints

http://www.rareoldprints.com/p/5853

Map - 1810 - Know Your Place

#ghostsofbath #hauntedbath #bathparanormal #bathhauntings #spirits #phantom #grosvenorplace #grosvenorplacehaunted

The SS Great Britain

Wed, 31 Jan 2024 20:41:19 GMT

The SS Great Britain - Great Western Dockyard ~ Bristol

History -

SS Great Britain is a museum ship and former passenger steamship that was advanced for her time.

She was the largest passenger ship in the world from 1845 to 1853.

She was designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel (1806–1859), for the Great Western Steamship Company's transatlantic service between Bristol and New York City and was the largest ship afloat when she was launched on 19 July 1843.

It was the world's first great ocean liner, carrying thousands of emigrants to Australia.

She operated on the England–Australia route for almost 30 years, interrupted only by two relatively brief sojourns as a troopship during the Crimean War and the Indian Mutiny.

On 8 December 1863, she was reported to have been wrecked on Santiago, Cape Verde Islands whilst on a voyage from London to Nelson, New Zealand.

All on board were rescued.

In 1882 Great Britain was converted into a sailing ship to transport bulk coal.

She made her final voyage in 1886, after loading up with coal and leaving Penarth Dock in Wales for San Francisco on 8 February.

After a fire on board en route she was found, on arrival at Port Stanley in the Falkland Islands where she ran aground, to be damaged beyond economic repair.

She was sold to the Falkland Islands Company and used, afloat, as a storage hulk (coal bunker) until 1937, when she was towed to Sparrow Cove, 3.5 miles from Port Stanley, scuttled and abandoned.

As a bunker, she coaled the South Atlantic fleet that defeated Admiral Graf Maximilian von Spee's fleet in the First World War Battle of the Falkland Islands.

In the Second World War, some of her iron was scavenged to repair HMS Exeter, one of the Royal Navy ships that fought Graf Spee and was badly damaged during the Battle of the River Plate.

Hauntings -

The ship's long history does include some tragic events.

Captain Gray is rumoured to have committed suicide leaping from his cabin window, a young bride, Mrs Cohen, died on board within weeks of marriage, a young sailor fell from the rigging to his death; others were swept overboard; babies, young children, and the elderly died on the long two-month voyages to Australia.

The ghostly figure of a woman on the Promenade deck was seen by workers just before completion of works for the ship's re-launch in 2005.

The woman vanished when workers approached her; the woman's identity is not known.

In 1992, Sonny Graffo, a 17 year old student of travel and tourism who was doing a work placement in the souvenir shop had a strange experience when touring the ship. "I was looking across a deep chasm into the bowels of the ship, about 30 or 40 feet below me there were beams of wood going across the gantries.

I did a double-take and saw a chap sat on a beam of wood, staring across the gap back at me.

He was wearing a white-collared shirt, had broad shoulders, a grey-white beard and looked scruffy.

He was just sat there swinging his legs, and looked like he had been dragged through a hedge backwards, a bit like Captain Birdseye.

I thought he was a workman and called across to him, but he just sat there staring at me.

Then I wondered how he could have got there, as there was no way of getting out to the plank."

When he got back to the shop and told the staff what he had seen, Sonny was told it was probably "Johnny", an apparition that had been seen before.

When shown a picture of Captain Gray he described the figure he had seen as "strikingly similar.

John Gray (8 December 1819 – 25 November 1872) was a Scottish merchant seaman and master mariner who served as Captain of the SS Great Britain for eighteen years.

He died in mysterious circumstances, after apparently jumping or falling overboard

On his two penultimate voyages to Australia and back, Gray, according to subsequent newspaper reports:

He suffered severely from liver and stomach complaint, brought on by pure anxiety to maintain the reputation of his ship in the strong competition with the London steam clippers.

On 25 November 1872, thirty days into another return voyage from Melbourne to Liverpool, Gray complained of pain in his bowels and returned to his cabin.

Near midnight he was seen walking towards the ship's deck.

The next morning, he could not be found, and one of the transom windows at the ship's stern was open, having been locked the night before.

The letter he had been seen writing that night could not be found.

Since there was no way to send a message ashore, his wife Mary Ann (née Jamieson) only found out that she was a widow when she and one of their daughters met the ship upon its arrival in Liverpool in January 1873.

His death was reported on the front pages of newspapers in the United Kingdom and in Australia.

In 1999 a consultant Derek Sinclair was working alone at night in the ship's Forward Hold, when he heard very distinctly and clearly the sound of heavy footsteps coming down the stairs inside the former Crew's Quarters in the next compartment.

Convinced that a colleague had come on board to find him, he put his head round the door only to find the room dark and empty.

He rushed off the ship to see his colleague who had remained in the nearby office building, and confirmed that no one else was even on site, let alone on board the ship.

A member of the events team, and SS Great Britain Trust Steward Bob Evans, reported hearing the sound of music playing within the ship when they investigated they could not find the source.

Martin Williamson, who acts as 'Mr Brunel' at the visitor attraction, saw the lower part of someone or something's leg disappearing through a door.

Whilst preparing for an event, on a late night in the summer of 2008, a member of staff reported seeing the face of a small child.

It was just outside of the Steerage compartment, as she was going down the stairs to the ship's Hayward Saloon.

Mr Wade, a security officer, claimed he experienced 'unusual goings-on' while doing his nightly check on board.

He said: "I saw a door move backwards and forwards and heard noises onboard, including the sound of locked doors slamming near the Captain's Cabin.

On one occasion I actually watched a door handle turn clockwise slowly and when I tried to open the door, it was locked.

When I used my key to open the door, there was no one in the room.

Then I heard a bang and heavy footsteps at the other end of the Promenade Deck, and watched a door slam shut.

When I checked it, the door was locked.

One night I heard distant voices and the room went really cold.

I am certain I felt a presence there with me." Mr Wade told how other colleagues said that they 'felt strange' on board and one or two security officers actually refused to work onboard the SS Great Britain.

Sources - Ghost Story. com/ The Haunted West Country Group/ Wikipedia

Photos - Google, SS Great Britain

Cannards Well Hotel, Cannards Grave - Shepton Mallet

Wed, 24 Jan 2024 22:01:42 GMT

Cannards Well Hotel, Cannards Grave - Shepton Mallet

Built in the late 17th century.. originally Cannards Grave Inn, now the Well Inn.

There was once an innkeeper here called Giles Cannard, who was involved in robbing the hotel guests and alleged sheep stealing, robbery and highway theft to subsidise his business

He was also known as Tom Kennard or Tom the Taverner.

When he was discovered plotting to steal common land, a lynch mob set out in pursuit of him.

The account was that Cannard had laid hands on a document that entitled him to this land and much wealth.

Merchants from Frome and Shepton Mallet disputed this, and, as in the manner of those lawless days, went after him.

The true cause of his demise is not 100% certain, but he was convicted of his crimes, and was publicly hung from a gibbet outside the Inn he owned.

He was the last person to be hung in public for his crimes.

Other reports say he was so terrified of the advancing mob that he committed suicide by hanging himself..

His legendary status now gives name to the area around the hotel, he rather ghoulish name of Cannards Grave.

Later, legend says a gravedigger buried his body at the crossroads with a stake through his heart.

His own pub has long since gone.

Cannard’s ghost has manifested on many occasions in the pub.

One of the first reports of this inn being haunted came from the Rev. H. Allen, Rector of Shepton Mallet.

He wrote 'The soul could not rest and frequently visits the scene of its former abode while in the flesh."

Source- Haunted Hostelries & Cannards Well website

#sheptonmallet #hauntedsomerset #somersetghoststories #hauntedpubs #hauntedtaverns #cannardsgrave #cannardsgraveinn #pubghosts #hauntedsomerset #haunted #paranormal

Upper Borough Walls - Bath

Wed, 24 Jan 2024 21:44:49 GMT

Upper Borough Walls - Bath

History -

Upper Borough Walls is a historic street in Bath.

Many of the local structures are listed buildings.

The street takes its name from the section of the medieval wall of the city which still remains.

The Royal National Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases was founded in 1738.

Hauntings -

The ghost of a grubby looking unshaven man has been spotted here.

He is thought to have a connection to the Seven Star Pub which was at No 2 & 3 and was known to be haunted.

This closed c1974

Further along opposite the Mineral Water hospital building is a courtyard, behind the section of medieval wall where there is a plaque that states that 238 peoples remained were interred there who had died at the General Hospital between 1736-1849.

The sound of screams and crying is said to be heard from this area, see separate post.

Thoughts -

Its unsure really from the report as to what it was about the 'man' that made the witness think it was a ghost, what would be more compelling in this story was if there were multiple sightings of this same male form over the years, it would be great to get more details on this.

As well as some background into the 'well known' hauntings of the Seven Stars pub.

Does anyone know of any other sightings in this area? or any stories about the pub?

Any new information will be added here

Source - Paranormal Somerset by Selena Wright

Photos - Map - Know your Place

Burial Ground - Somerset Photography

Bath in Time 1983

Little Theatre - Bath

Tue, 16 Jan 2024 22:16:24 GMT

Little Theatre - St Michaels Place - Bath

History -

The building is just behind the site of St Michaels Within Church (within the city walls and free from plague! ) and next to St Johns Foundation, close to the Cross Baths, with the New Royal Baths opposite at one point.

A two screened multi-cinema which was originally a community theatre for the underprivileged of Bath, changing to a cinema during the 1930’s.

Built in 1935, the majority of the building has a Georgian design

In 1849, human bones were excavated just a few yards in front of the cinema.

Hauntings -

Staff have reported temperature drops, unexplained bangs and the projectionist even having a conversation with someone they thought had entered the room and there was no one there.

Screen 2 and the projection room is said to have a chilling presence.

There was also a story of a witness who saw a young ragged child in old fashioned clothing sat on the steps.

Research/ Thoughts

From the Bath Directories and Insurance Map Plans the building, No 7, St Michaels Place was formerly a cabinet manufacturers from 1880 and from 1890, Charles J Hughes who was a mineral water manufacturer until mid 1920's

Interestingly St Michaels Place used to be called Nash Street and Cross Bath Lane.

On doing research for this post I came across the staff photo from the 1950's showing the projectionist, Mr Tippett, could he be the one which is haunting the projection room, it is common for spirits to haunt a workplace which they loved and spent a lot of time at in their life.

Any further experiences or sightings would be great to hear about.

Sources-

Photos - Bath in Time - Entrance to the Little Theatre 1970's & A hand coloured formal pose.

The projectionist Mr C Tippett is standing on the far left.

Advert from Penny's Illustrated History of Bath & District 1898

Maps - Know your Place

#littletheatrebath #hauntedcinemas #hauntedcinema #ghostsofbath #bathghosts #hauntedbath #bathhaunts #paranormal #paranormalbath #bathparanormal

The Girl on the Road - Barrow Gurney

Sat, 06 Jan 2024 21:47:49 GMT

A Ghost on the Road.. Bristol area

The woman in white on the A38 near to the Barrow Gurney Reservoirs.

The reservoirs were opened in 1852 and comprise of three tanks which provide drinking water for Bristol.

There are lots of reports of a mysterious woman in white stood in the road close to this spot, who just vanishes into thin air after many a driver has slammed on their brakes to avoid hitting her.

It is said that some of the road is is covered in black tyre skid marks where different vehicles have had to brake to avoid her..

Who is this mysterious woman in white..?

Why does she appear in the road, is she a residual or intelligent spirit?

Maybe she drowned in on of the reservoirs? or perhaps she was in an accident.. its not clear on the eras/ time of the alleged activity either..

Is she anything to do with the Fox & Goose Inn on the road? or was she from the Barrow Gurney Psychiatric Hospital?

One to do a little more research on...

#barrowgurney #ghosts #ghostontheroad #somersethauntings #supernaturalsomerset #somersetparanormal #paranormal #paranormalsomerset

Spirits of a Former Department Store - Bath

Sun, 31 Dec 2023 21:36:25 GMT

Evans and Owen Building, Bartlett Street/ St Andrews Terrace - Bath

History-

Evans & Owen was located at 1-11 St Andrews Terrace & 8-13 Alfred Street (between the two streets) from 1880

Originally a terrace of houses, built 1773-1775. Probably by John Wood the Younger.

It was Bath's first department store.

During the 1850s, Owen's uncle Samuel was running a busy draper's shop in Bath and, needing help, took the boy in following the death of his mother. Samuel sent Owen to school in Taunton, then employed him in the shop in 1860.

Owen had a natural aptitude for the work and with his uncle's help, set up his own draper's emporium in Liverpool in 1878.

Within five years this business had over 120 employees, and Owen soon looked to expand.

During the 1880s, he became a partner in his uncle's firm, now renamed 'Evans and Owen' and a great Bath institution was born.

The store at its height came to dominate both Bartlett Street and Alfred Street.

Such was Evans and Owen's prestige, Queen Mary would do her Christmas shopping there, as reported in 1942.

During the Bath Blitz in April 1942, the whole row got some minor and some serious damage due to a bomb dropping on the Assembly Rooms directly across the road.

After closing in 1974 it became a restaurant and bar called Evelyn & Owen, then from 1986 Old Orleans Restaurant & Cocktail Bar until early 2000, now its the home of The Boston Tea Party with a complete overhaul from when it was Old Orleans.

Hauntings - A Personal Account

I used to work in this building when it was Old Orleans Restaurant, from 1992- 2002

There were a few unexplained things that used to happen in our time working there.

There used to be the sound of footsteps coming up the wooden stairs from the entrance downstairs and no one would appear or be seen in the concave mirror that was on the turn of the stairs.

There have also been subsequent reports of footsteps being heard on the old wooden floors.

You would quite often the feeling of their being someone behind you also, when you were stood at the till or doing the cutlery in the restaurant..

One member of staff, when alone in the building one morning had a sudden very loud knocking on the window which was screened off between the kitchen and main restaurant at that time which terrified her.

There was an alleged spirit who sat at table 5 in the corner by the beer room, as was reported by a member of staff that was a sensitive.

There were also tales of an old lady who had died in the Evans & Owens shoe department, which was where the kitchen was at that time.

Thoughts/ Research -

I have tried to research the story of the lady dying in the shoe department but no luck so far, so this could have just been a made up story.. this is yet to be verified.

I have found that in 1940 a gentleman aged 67 who was a well known and much esteemed and valued member of staff at the store for many years died suddenly on a bus on Lansdown Road.

Also in 1947 another gentleman, a long standing and valued member of staff just suddenly passed away on the premises at work, he was another buyer for the store as was the one above, both in their mid 60's.

Could either still be haunting their old workplace ?

The cellar was very dark and creepy, being part of the old vaults that front onto St Andrews Terrace, I would never go there alone..

I have also found a vague report that the store may have arranged funerals? but that would need more verification.

I would love to know whether the current occupiers still experience any activity..

History - Justin Hunter Estate Agents

Photos courtesy of Bath in Time

#evansandowen #oldorleans #bathparanormal #ghostsofbath #hauntedrestaurants #hauntedbuildings #ghostsofbath #hauntedbath #bathghosts #cityofbath #victorian

The Haunted Holly Bush of Bath

Sat, 23 Dec 2023 21:59:47 GMT

The Haunted Holly Bush of Bath

Close to a holly bush in Victoria Park, strange mists and whispering voices are said appear.

It is said to be haunted by a swordsman who was killed in a duel.

The mists are supposed to emanate from the tree itself.

Females are said to feel a ghostly kiss on the cheek or a feeling of being touched too.

Tour guides more recently say that if you feel this touch then the spirit will be your protector for the rest of your life..

It is said to be the location of a doctors tent which was set up when people used to allegedly fight duels there, or where bodies were left awaiting further arrangements after the results of a duel.

History.

The term 'Duel' signifies a single combat originating in a feeling of personal offence, and followed by a regular Cartel, or challenge, fixing a time and place, mutually convenient to the combatants.

These individuals are termed principals, and are usually accompanied to the field, by two gentlemen, in the quality of friends, or seconds, for the purpose of arranging, and superintending, all the preliminaries, and proceedings of the combat

Gilchrist in his 1821 book on ‘ordeals’ (Regency History. net)

Beau Nash came to Bath in 1705 as a professional gambler and succeeded Webster, the master of Ceremonies, who died in a

duel at the hands of one of his victims at play.

Nash sought to impose order on activities that were potentially harmful and drew up a code of conduct for public entertainments.

He banned the wearing of swords at the card table and duelling in the city streets.

Research

This area was originally Barton Fields.

There is no actual historical evidence to suggest that duels were fought there, so does this story have any truth or fact or is it an embellished story

for the tours?

Any new findings will be added to the blog below;

UPDATE -25/12/23

A recent strange eyewitness account from my Facebook post.

On a Winter evening, the witnesses were walking up Royal Avenue, past the area in question, they both clearly saw a man close to the tree in question looking at them, then from no where a wind whipped up which looked like it had bits of black swirling within, it then stopped as suddenly as it had started.

The man had gone and was now on the opposite pavement close to the Park Cafe, still staring at them.

They quickly headed towards the Royal Crescent, where to their disbelief he appeared again, watching them.

Sources - Paranormal Somerset by Selena Wright, Higgypop Paranormal

Maps - 1888 & 1742

Painting - A duel by Robert Cruikshank from The English Spy by B Blackmantle (1825)

A Tragic Accident at Christmas 1899

Wed, 20 Dec 2023 10:20:24 GMT

A Tragic Accident at Christmas - 1899

In Memory of the Five Lambs of Holcombe.

On 20th December 1899, five children left the local school, the Wesleyan Day School, Holcombe at about 12.15 pm heading towards a small cattle drink ( a high walled pond with a sloping bottom) which was frozen over and was near the Holcombe Inn.

They had not been there long and were attempting to slide on the ice, with a few other friends watching from the side.

There was a crack and suddenly five of the children fell through, the others tried to save them to no avail, the alarm was raised and a local farmer came to help but tragically it was too late.

They were all recovered from under the ice and the news soon spread causing shockwaves through the tight knit community.

Three of the children were siblings, Thomas (7), Bessie (10) and Clifford (8) Pole and the other two again siblings, Evelyn (11) & Ewart (9) Long.

The Pole family were from Pitcote - Stratton on the Fosse and the Long's of Kilmersdon Common.

At the Inquest held at the Holcombe Inn the jury returned a verdict of 'Death by Misadventure, by drowning, the jury gave their fees to the parents.

They are buried on Christmas Eve at Holcombe Old Church where its said there were over 1000 mourners for their funerals, they are all buried together in a single grave with a beautiful memorial stone, carved from a single slab of marble depicting five intertwined lambs.

A committee was formed who collected subscriptions from the community which paid for the funeral and memorial.

An inscription on one side of the slab reads -

Christ gathers in, in various ways, the children with his mighty arm.

It matters not from wence or how, with Him they're safe from all alarm.

This year is the 124th Anniversary of the tragedy.

The spirits of the children are said to haunt the churchyard where they have been heard playing.

The newspaper reports of the accident and inquest are below - Warning, they contain details that people will find upsetting.

Photos - © P Wallace/Somerset Paranormal

British Newspaper Archives

The Fox & Hounds - Farleigh Wick

Wed, 13 Dec 2023 13:45:40 GMT

The Fox & Hounds - Farleigh Wick - near Bath

History -

The origins of the pub are a little vague some reports say 16th century others mid 1700's.

It is just a little way along on the infamous Sally in the Woods road heading towards Bradford on Avon

It is currently permanently closed awaiting its fate.

Hauntings

The ghost is said to be Mary, the wife of a former landlord and wealthy landowner John Cottle.

She died in 1814 and is said to be seen sitting by the fireside smiling.

Outside the pub another female is seen, wearing a dark red/ maroon raincoat, with a hood up.

She is said to step out in front of cars.

Thoughts -

It wasn't until I discovered this story that I remembered I used to go in this pub many years ago, it was really welcoming and served lovely food, I seem to remember the toilets were a little creepy, as is the norm with a lot of old country pubs..

This is the same stretch of road to that of the mysterious sightings of a girl in white that runs into the path of cars, are the two linked? or separate energies?

I will have a look into the landlords wife, to verify this.

Was she witnessed by customers or owners and staff of the pub? and see if there are any other eye witness accounts of the woman in the red raincoat.

Have you ever heard of any stories for this pub or the village close by?

Source - Paranormal Wiltshire - Selena Wright

Photos - Google & Know your Place 1888

#hauntedbath #paranormalwiltshire #hauntedwiltshire #hauntedpubs #farleighwick #bradfordonavon

Wookey Paper Mill - Wookey

Mon, 04 Dec 2023 10:44:24 GMT

Wookey Paper Mill - Wookey - Somerset

History-

Wookey Hole Mill is the earliest known paper mill in Somerset, with the first reference to a paper mill on the site occurring in a lease of 1610.

In 1728 the lease was offered for sale in Farley's Bristol Newspaper and in 1736 the lease was taken over by Edward Band, a paper maker from Dulcote.

The Band family continued ownership of the prosperous mill until 1808, when John Golding purchased the lease and ran the mill with James Snelgrove.

Snelgrove took sole tenancy in 1819 and upon the death of his son John in 1833 the mill lease was sold to Robert Barlett Coles. In 1853 William Sampson Hodgkinson purchased the Mill outright from the trustees of Wells Old Almshouses, with the sale being completed in 1856.

The Mill was purchased for the low sum of £800, due to the buildings being in disrepair as a result of a fire on 20 April 1855.

In 1972 the paper mill was put up for sale and ceased making paper.

Production of paper was transferred to nearby St Cuthbert's Mill.

In 1973 the Madame Tussaud Group brought both the paper mill and Wookey Hole Caves and reintroduced handmade papermaking as a tourist attraction.

It is a three-storey building standing over the River Axe.

Hauntings

Shadowy figures have been seen, thought to be former workers who had perished through industrial accidents at the site.

Ghostly children have been seen and heard both inside and outside the mill.

The mirror maze now situated as part of the fairground exhibition is said to have a poltergeist, thought to be a male who is fascinated by the mirrors.

There is a private cottage near the mill which was built around 1878 and was inhabited by a lady for 60 years.

She died in 1947, going forward new residents of the cottage would see the ghost of a lady in a white apron walking around upstairs, sometimes with her hands clasped.

Footsteps are heard and doors open & close, someone was also touched on the shoulder.

Possibly not linked to the woman, but a smell of mould would come and go in waves until the house was blessed by a local vicar.

Most Haunted investigated here in 2009, Series 11, Ep24

Thoughts -

Its most likely that the mould smell, was just that, mould, as it is an old cottage and most likely damp, and possibly a coincidence the smell stopped after the house was blessed.

Hopefully the ghost of the lady is still there as it would seem she was still attached to her home and wished to remain there.

Source - Paranormal Somerset - Selena Wright

Photos - Britain from Above, Know Your Place Maps 1888

https://britainfromabove.org.uk/en/image/EPW041129?fbclid=IwAR29GjEI10AQPM_0dqSKA-WlL_7ZhHknVenZb8wB0nNLoPUMd6-05888nbE

#hauntedsomerset #somersetparanormal #paranormalsomerset #wookeymill #wookeyhole #ghostsofwookey

The Lone Soldier - Bathwick - Bath

Tue, 28 Nov 2023 21:58:13 GMT

The Crown Inn - Bathwick Street - Bath

History-

Bathwick was originally named “Wiche” or “Wicke” (old English for a farmstead), the prefix Bath being added later to distinguish the place from many others of the name. From the days of the Conqueror, who included it among the numerous West Country properties which was granted to Geoffrey, Bishop of Coutances in reward for his part in the Conquest, Bathwick has remained a single estate.

After the bishop’s death in 1093, Bathwick became Crown land, and then passed into the possession of Wherwell Nunnery, Hampshire.

At the Dissolution of the Monasteries, the estate reverted to the Crown and was bestowed by Queen Mary to the Neville family in 1553.

By the end of the 18th century, Bathwick was a tiny village, separated from Bath, with which it was not incorporated until 1835.

The Great Western railway, the Kennet and Avon canal, and the Warminster turnpike road pass through it.

Bathwick is believed to have formed an important part of the old city, and it contains now some of the best streets and most elegant Georgian buildings of the city, including Sydney Place, Laura Place and Great Pulteney Street.

Bathwick became one of the two wealthiest Bath suburbs.

Formerly of 22/23 Bathwick Street stood the Crown Inn/ Hotel, now a Chinese restaurant.

Hauntings

The ghost of a WW1 soldier was said to appear in a dark corner of the bar, quietly sipping his pint from a pewter tankard before disappearing.

Research / Thoughts -

Soldiers from the 12th Hampshire Regiment were billeted in Bathwick for about two months from March to May 1915 after which they moved on to Wiltshire for further training.

While in Bath they stayed in various large private homes in Bathwick hill and the surrounding area during this time local Bath photographer George Love Dafnis took many photographs of the men which can now be found on Bath in Time.

The photographs give a good insights into what the men got up to while they were in Bath.

Soldiers passed through Bath on the way to training camps throughout the war.

Whether or not there is any bearing on this story, there is also a war memorial plaque at St Mary's Church, Bathwick with the names of 38 fallen soldiers from the Parish of Bathwick, which could also provide a link to the pub potentially.

It would be interesting to know if anyone else witnessed him during the buildings time as a pub and what year this particular recorded sighting was.

Does he still appear now in the restaurant? we would love to know..

Update- After posting this in my Bath Paranormal Facebook page and Haunted West Country and Bath History & Mystery groups, I have got a few more details of other hauntings at this location.

One account was from a resident there in more recent times who says of seeing orbs in the skittle alley and the ghost of a lady in a long white dress, as well as other activity including objects moving and door stops being moved so the doors close.

Sources - Madison Oakley, BANES, Bath in Time

Photos - 1989 & soldiers in 1915 (George Love Dafnis) & Pinterest

Paranormal Somerset - Selena Wright

#hauntedbath #bathghoststories #bathparanormal #paranormalbath #hauntedpubs

Poltergeists of Peasedown

Sun, 26 Nov 2023 21:04:20 GMT

Poltergeists of Peasedown.

History-
Just South West of Bath is the village of Peasedown St John
Archaeological and documentary evidence shows that the site has been occupied from at least the early Iron Age.
There is good evidence of Roman and Saxon villages in the area, the Saxon settlements resulting in several entries in the Domesday Book of 1086.
The medieval settlement of Eckweek was excavated in 1989 and now lies under the Peasedown Bypass and Underknoll Road.
Peasedown used to be a coal mining village, and after the last of the mines shut in the 1970s it became a dormitory village for Bath.

Hauntings-
During 1988 & 1989 there seemed to be a brief outbreak of poltergeist activity.
But what was strange about this is that is was reported in several houses at the same time, another possible significant link is that they were all council houses.
It was standard poltergeist activity including pictures flying off the walls, small objects being knocked off and also disappearing and reappearing in a different spot.
This poltergeist activity then spread to the pub, The Waggon & Horses, which in itself has ghost stories of a man that sits in a chair at the bar and around the stairs of the cellar area.
One of the family members that lived there woke up to feel their face being stroked by an unseen hand, empty crates were thrown around the beer cellar and the pressures altered on the beer pumps.
It is not known when it stopped or why and whether it has ever occurred again?

Source- Haunted Bath - David Brandon

#hauntedsomerset #somersethaintings #poltergeist #poltergeistactivity #peasedownpoltergeist #ghosts #somersetghoststories #somersetparanormal

Haunted Villages - Cheddar Gorge & Caves

Tue, 21 Nov 2023 22:25:27 GMT

Cheddar Village, Caves & Gorge

Cheddar's distinguishing feature is the natural phenomenon of Britain’s largest Gorge.

The Cheddar Yeo in Gough’s Cave is Britain’s biggest underground river, and the Gorge Cliffs are Britain’s highest inland limestone cliffs.

Gough’s Cave is an internationally famous archeological site because of its Late Upper Paleolithic finds (12-13,000 years old) and contained Britain’s oldest complete skeleton (9,000 years old).

The Gorge itself lies within the Mendip Hills

The Village of Cheddar has a long and ancient history, having been an important Roman and Saxon Centre. Cheddar’s Kings of Wessex Academy occupies the historical site of an Anglo Saxon Palace, with the ruins of the 13th century chapel of St. Columbanus still visible today. As early as 1130 AD, the beauty of the Gorge was recognised as one of the “Four wonders of England”. Historically,

Cheddar’s source of wealth was farming and cheese making for which it was famous as early as 1170 AD.

Cheese is still made in Cheddar today and some is stored in the caves to mature.

Hauntings-

The empty Coxes Mill Hotel was reputed to have several tragic hauntings there is a phantom woman who sits by the bar, small items have been known to move themselves to new locations, orbs have been seen as well as an audible voice.

The room overlooking the millpond had been a scene of a great tragedy, story goes that a women came upon the room to find her husband with another woman, in such distress she threw herself from the balcony into the waters below and drowned.

(For details see separate post on this page)

Sadly this has now been demolished.

Several pubs are reported to be haunted - Gardeners Arms, White Hart and the Kings Head, although exact details are not known at this point of writing..

Also the supermarket is said to have activity too, one report on Paranormal Database states in the car park close to Tesco

14 June 2018, 17:30, just after parking and walking towards the grocery store, this witness found himself around ten steps behind two young people.

The couple turned and walked through what the witness thought was a side door to the shop, but as he approached, realised that the section of wall was solid with no doorway.

Several other places in the village are said to have paranormal activity too..

At the top of the gorge - on the B3135 between Green Ore & Cheddar, a witness reported driving by a figure standing on the side of the road; just after passing, the vehicle cut out.

While the car lights remained on, they were quite dim, and the vehicle would not turn over.

After several minutes trying the engine, the figure appeared again, and moved into nearby woodland.

The vehicle suddenly started, and the witness quickly drove away.

Can you add to the Cheddar ghost stories?

Source - Paranormal Database

Photos - Somerset Photography

#cheddar #cheddargorge #ghostsofcheddar #ghostsofsomerset #somersetparanormal #paranormalsomerset #hauntedsomerset #somersetghoststories #hauntedhotspots #supernaturalsomerset

#cheddarvillage #cheddarghosts #hotelghosts #paranormal

Debunking the Myth - The Mystery of the Plane Tree - Abbey Green - Bath

Tue, 14 Nov 2023 22:26:07 GMT

Debunking the Myth - The Mystery of the Plane Tree - Abbey Green - Bath

If you visit the city of Bath now and happen to walk through Abbey Green, you will be met by the magnificent sight of a fantastic plane tree, which engulfs the surrounding buildings, thriving in the midst of the bustling and busy City.

But this tree, slap bang in the middle of a Bridgerton set is the subject of many a dark spooky tale including the most famous and widely repeated label of it being used for hangings, thus known as the Hanging Tree, there are stories that witches were tortured and hung there too.

So, as you can see, dear Readers, some of these tales seem to be getting more wildly speculative as the years go by.

Being Bath born & bred, to us, it was just the tree in Abbey Green, with no spooky stories, so lets look at the facts, and once and for all get to the bottom of the history of this fantastic tree.

The Stories

It is said that hangings used to take place here and that there is a patch of soil around the base of the tree where nothing will grow, as the tree was used as a gallows...

Someone else told me recently that they were told it was used to torture and hang witches.

Paranormal wise, there was a report of people or someone having seen the apparition of someone hanging here..

History-

Abbey Green is in the centre of the city and used to be within the Abbey boundaries, called the Bath Abbey Quarter, it was used as an orchard and was part of the Abbey grounds.

You can view more historical detail on the link below

Research & Facts-

Most of this can be worked out from the many maps available of the Abbey Green Quarter going back as far as 1100, where the green is shown open, without a main tree in the centre.

A water colour by James Blackamore dated 1785 reveals a large Green surrounded by cobbles but no tree.

Some sources say it was planted as a sapling in 1793 and others say the tree was not actually planted until c1880's

As maps show it was not there in 1852, but first features on the 1888 map.

So it could be from 140 - 230 years old, approximately.

A fantastic photographic resource is the Freshford.com website which has many photographs showing the tree at various stages of its life, being a smallish tree around 1911...

So that particular tree would have been way too small for any hangings, not that they would have taken place in the centre of the city in the late Victorian era..

Recorded hangings in the city took place at Three Holes at Entry Hill , Odd Down and Tog Hill, or at Illchester prison.

Although apparently a John Butler was hanged on the green by the former Hobgoblin pub - in 1780, but this is about 5 minutes walk from Abbey Green on Lower Borough Walls and would have been just roughly the other side of the Medieval City Walls.

There is a story of a witch and the Pigeon Park, but again this was at the City Walls, just down from the area mentioned above.

As for the reason why nothing grows there, in 2017 BANES finally conceded that planting new turf around its base every year was a waste of money as the grass was always dead by the time summer was over.

Instead they are tried something a bit different to find a solution that is more appealing, durable and authentic.

The soil surface has been carefully removed using an air spade to prevent damage to the tree and will be replaced by a self-binding gravel, a type of surface used historically.’

Conclusion -

So its pretty conclusive evidence that the tree there today was not used for hangings or torture etc and that the stories have just come about as a fanciful tale to tell and embellish to scare the tourists, as it looks like the type of tree that may have been used for a hanging.

Thus creating a snowball effect of tales, repeated and embellished over and over, quite possibly more apparent this century with the internet and boost in walking tours around the city.

The alleged sighting of a ghost hanging there is a one off I think, so without multiple accounts of this phenomena, it could be attributed to a shadow, an environmental factor, or maybe too much booze in Bath's many pubs and clubs..

The site has a lot of layers of history going back to the Romans, so its quite possible for there to be some kind of paranormal activity there, be it possibly more residual.

If anyone has witnessed anything or knows of any stories, or who can present any concrete evidence on any further history of the tree, then please feel free to let us know.

Sources - Freshford.com

Bath Newseum 2017

Photos - as above and Instant Street View

Paul De Ath

Gilmours Map 1694

https://www.freshford.com/Plane%20Tree%20in%20Abbey%20Green%20Bath.html

#abbeygreen #abbeygreentree #hauntedbath #ghoststories #bathghoststories #hangingtree #bathhangingtree #bathparanormal #paranormalbath

Haunted Houses of Multiple Occupants - Bath

Fri, 10 Nov 2023 22:00:59 GMT

After listening to the latest podcast episode of Uncanny by Danny Robins on the BBC, it compelled me to write this post with a question.

Do students or people that live in houses of multiple occupancy or are converted apartments/ flats experience more paranormal activity than others?

As a lot of accounts of ghost stories come from people who were students living in shared accommodation at sometime in the past.

Now Bath has possibly most of its grand houses around the city centre converted into flats and has done for many, many years,

so do the occupants ever experience any paranormal activity in any of these once bustling town houses that would have housed some of Bath's more affluent residents..

Also the newly built accommodation blocks in the Lower Bristol Road area was once busy industry with Bath's many factories, businesses, pubs on that area, is there anything residual left over there?

We would love to know..

If you have a story to tell, please message the page or pop me an email.

Any updates and information will be added here

Pictures - Marlborough Buildings & Lower Bristol Road

A Chilling Premonition

Mon, 06 Nov 2023 21:33:13 GMT

West Monkton (Somerset) - Park near Hestercombe - Somerset

A minster was walking across the park, en route to meeting with the Warre family at Hestercombe House.

Where he encountered a ghostly old man who said, 'Prepare thyself for such a day you will die'.

The minster shared his encounter with the Warre family who thought he joked, but the minster subsequently died three days later.

This happened around 1665.

Are there any other stories of spirits appearing to people and foretelling imminent doom?

Source - Paranormal Database

AI Artwork - P Wallace/ Somerset Paranormal

#hauntedsomerset #somersetparanormal #paranormalsomerset #ghosts #ghoststories

Fleur De Lys Pub - Norton St Philip

Fri, 03 Nov 2023 21:46:17 GMT

Norton St Philip - Fleur de Lys Public House

It was opened as an inn in 1584.

Not long afterwards, in 1615, Queen Anne of Denmark, wife of James the First, stopped here to dine on her way back from taking the waters at Bath.

Samuel Pepys, his wife and maid, also dined here on their way to Bath in 1668.

On the north wall of the 'Fleur' can still be seen a coat of arms, much worn away, but with sufficient detail left to suggest the arms of the Fortescue family who owned land in the district in the 16th century.

During the Monmouth Rebellion in 1685 and the Battle at Philips Norton, the George Inn opposite was the headquarters of Monmouth's army after his retreat from Bath.

Norton Town, however, had little cause for rejoicing in the aftermath of the collapse of the rebellion.

The defeat of the King's army here was not forgotten.

Evidence was not in great demand at the Autumn Assizes in the West Country, presided over by Judge Jeffreys and four other judges, required to deal with the large number of prisoners.

Those from Norton would have appeared before Assize Court at Wells.

Apart from men transported, fined or flogged, 12 men from the village were brought back here and hanged in Bloody Close, behind the Fleur de Lys.

Their bodies were then hung about the village, until taken down, burnt and buried in field behind the Fleur.

In the Churchwardens' book there is an item of 12s for fa gots (bundles of sticks) for the pyre.

The story goes that as they were brought through the pub to the area behind, allegedly one poor customer, who simply stopped for a beer, held the gate open for the miserable wretches as they went to their doom as a sign of respect as punishment for doing this they promptly strung him up too !

He is known as the 'Wrongly Hanged Man' and now said to occasionally appear in the pub in the form of a shadow figure.

Former landlords and landladies have encountered a shadowy figure and have heard the jangling of chains.

The skittle alley which used to be outside has a dark feeling of dread, this is thought to be where the condemned men passed through to meet their fate.

One of the passages is unusually icy cold and dogs are known to suddenly get very fearful when it is out of character for them to react in this way..

Thoughts -

The story of the wrongly hanged man may not be historically accurate as there is no mention of him on the village history website, and there would have been 13 men executed, but only 12 bundles of sticks for the pyre were mentioned..

Have you ever had any paranormal activity here? or know of anyone who has..

Is there any activity around the area of the executions?

As there is now a housing estate there..

Source - Paranormal Somerset - Selena Wright

Map 1840 Tythe

Interior - Butcombe Brewery

#hauntedsomerset #somersetparanormal #paranormalsomerset #nortonstphilip #hauntedpubs #paranormal

The Garrick's Head Pub - Bath

Tue, 31 Oct 2023 16:23:20 GMT

The Garrick's Head Pub - Bath

History -

The Garrick’s Head at 7-8 St. Johns Place, Bath can be found adjacent to the Theatre Royal and is Grade II listed.

The Garrick's Head was constructed by Thomas Greenway for Richard ‘Beau’ Nash circa 1720.

It stood in splendid isolation just outside the city walls and was evidence of the expansion of Bath in the early 18th century.

It was once one of the homes of the dandy and Master of Ceremonies for Bath, Richard Beau Nash (Born 18 October 1674 – Died 3 February 1761)

Nash is best known for his role as the Master of Ceremonies and undisputed social leader of Bath when the spa town was a fashionable destination in the 18th century.

The house was referred to locally as a palace and this further enhanced Nash’s image as the ‘King of Bath’.

The theatre was built in 1805

The Garrick’s Head bears the name of famed 18th century actor David Garrick.

He was among the later tenants when the building was still used for residential purposes to save him the bother of having to go out into the streets to go into next door he had a doorway made through the wall into the theatre.

Hauntings -

The building has many ghost stories and seems to have a traumatic past.

One is that a murder took place when a husband who had discovered his wife was having an affair find himself sitting at the gambling table close to the man that he knew was his wife's lover. He was suddenly overcome by insane jealousy and is said to have pulled out his sword and attempted to run through his heart and kill the man.

Apparently he missed his heart but succeeded in his intention to kill him, his wife took this very badly.

On finding out of her lover's death she rushed to the scene, screaming for her husband who had since left.

She then took it upon herself to very dramatically leap out of the window but it's not sure whether this show was intentional and she was trying to commit suicide or whether she was just in such a state of hysteria she was unaware of what she was doing..

It's thought that this possible outburst emotions and energy could have created psychic or residual energy which explains the alleged scream which can be heard audibly in the pub as it's thought the demented woman relives her full and massive sense of loss.

There is also a lot of poltergeist activity that items get moved sometimes in front of onlookers including candles and bunches of keys, in the 1990's a heavy old fashioned cash register was moved from the top of the bar and thrown across the room with such a force that it smashed a chair.

Wall cupboards shake for no obvious reason and money goes missing only to reappear later on few days later in locked rooms.

The pubs cellar has its fair share of activity with items having been moved around and then disappear.

A Regency styled gent with a large wig has been seen making his way through the door in between the pub into the theatre, this is thought to be David Garrick.

The strong but pleasant smell thought to be jasmine is also smelt in the pub as well as the cellar and is thought to be linked to the ghost of the lady who is said to have hung herself in one of the bedrooms.

She was apparently the prize to be won in a duel between two men one of whom she loved but was killed.

Her presence is thought to be of her remorse at his death which will not let her rest in peace, although it's not clear whether this is the same lady as previous mentioned or another one again as a death seems to be similar circumstances of a lover being killed and then subsequently committing suicide.

The smell of jasmine is also reported in the theatre accompanying the Grey Lady there.

When the two buildings were as one and its said that the box in the theatre where the Grey Lady is sometimes seen, was actually her bedroom in the original building.

She has also been spotted by Liza Goddard whilst she was on stage.

Guests staying in the pubs rooms also seem to have disturbed nights with knocking on doors in the dead of night, door handles turning , mysterious footsteps and a sinister laugh!

One of the rooms is said to be particularly alarming as a guest woke up to feel rope burns on his neck only to be told that it was the room that a lady had hung herself.

Another anomaly is said to be that of a blood stain which allegedly appears in the exact same spot at a certain time of year on the pub’s floor.

In the 1970's, Margaret Royal was a lady in Bath with a great deal of psychic knowledge.

She began to investigate and acquire stories from the witnesses of paranormal events in Bath.

Margaret Royal decided to create a ghost walk starting from the Garrick's Head and heading into the most haunted parts of Bath, telling the various stories she had uncovered on the way.

It was on this that it was discovered that the Theatre Royal and the Garrick's Head shared the same spirits.

Additional Third Party Comments-

*The Garrick’s website states that ‘Our two resident ghosts have yet to put in an appearance during our time at the pub however there are countless first hand accounts of supernatural happenings.’

*The author and investigator Andrew Green (Born 28 July 1927 – Died 21 May 2004) gave the following account of the case:

‘The ghost here is so closely linked with the Theatre Royal next door that it is assumed to one and the same, though mysterious knocks and raps and an occasional poltergeist incident associated with the haunting effect only the pub.

Establishing that the apparition who visits the theatre is a woman is the ‘scent of beautiful jasmine’, though experienced mysteriously in the cellars.

A number of artists appearing in a production at the theatre have witnessed the misty grey shape in one of the boxes, and others have noticed that it travels out of the window in a room just above the main bar.

Frequently the smell of jasmine accompanies these ‘visitations’.

The phantom is supposed to that of a young woman who jumped to her death in the 1800’s when here lover was killed in a duel with her husband.

Another belief, however is that she hanged herself in a bedroom.

But why should she frequent this pub, especially it seems the cellar, is an utter mystery.

Could it be that the site of the dual was in the pub or perhaps she may be buried beneath the barrels?’

Thoughts-

There seem to be lots of different reports of these various women in and around the building which all have similar details but all separate.

Are they the same woman? or several?

What is causing the poltergeist activity and audible knocking and footstep sounds ? or is it just an old building settling down.

As for the blood stain, there is no photographic evidence and this is not mentioned in reputable ghost books about the pub, so is this a figment of an overactive imagination and a gruesome story to tell the patrons of Baths ghost walks over the years.

As I was aware of this story back in the 1990's

Or is there an element of truth to it and could it have a natural or environmental explanation?

Together with the stories from the Theatre which are many, one starts to wonder Dear Readers, what happened in this spot and on this land to create such a maelstrom of paranormal activity, making it truly Bath's central paranormal hotspot.

I will have a look to see if I can find out anything about the suicides of the women and look back to see what may have been there prior to this building although its on the edge of the old City walls.

Sources - Spooky Isles, Garrick's Head website

Paranormal Bath - Malcolm Cadey

Haunted Bath - David Brandon

Photos - Bath in Time 1945

Maps 1645 & 1888 - Know your Place

#hauntedbath #bathparanormal #paranormalbath #bathghoststories #ghostsofbath #hauntedpubs #Halloween

Somerset's Most Haunted ? HMP Shepton Mallet

Tue, 31 Oct 2023 16:00:52 GMT

HMP Shepton Mallet - Shepton Mallet

Possibly the most haunted location in Somerset and a ghost hunters dream!

History -

Shepton Mallet Prison, often known as Cornhill or The Mallet, housed its first inmates in 1625

It was the place of execution for Somerset from 1889, having taken over from Taunton and civilian executions took place there up to 1926.

After the abolition of public executions in 1868 and the closure of both Ilchester and Taunton gaols, Shepton Mallet Prison became the County Gaol and was then responsible for overseeing executions.

Between 1889-1926, seven men convicted for murder were executed within the prison.

Their remains were buried in the grounds of the prison; they remain there to this day.

The prison population started to decline in the early 1900s; the last women left in 1918 and by 1930 the population was around 50 male prisoners.

Due to the size of the population and the deterioration of the site, the decision was taken to close the prison in 1930.

At the start of WWII, the prison reopened to become a British Military prison, known as the Glasshouse.

This changed in 1942 after the US entered the conflict and took over the prison.

At one time between 1942-45, over 700 US servicemen were incarcerated here.

16 US servicemen were also hanged and a further 2 executed by firing squad during these years.

Throughout the war, the old women’s wing became a Top-Secret repository for the National Archives as three hundred tonnes of records and archive materials moved from the Public Record Office in London for safe keeping; this included such priceless items as the Magna Carta and Domesday Book.

After the Americans left at the end of the war, the prison reverted to a British Military Prison.

It was during this time that the prison held the infamous London Gangsters, Ronnie and Reggie Kray.

Hauntings -

Spirits include The White Lady, a woman wrongly convicted of murdering her fiancé, and sentenced to death.

C Wing is reputed to be haunted, reports of a man in uniform, who is thought to be the spirit of a member of the American Army’s firing squad, who was killed out in the yard after a bullet ricocheted off the wall during an execution and killed him.

Also the grim tale of Captain Philip William Ryal, who in 1914 was able to climb onto the roof of the prison via an unattended ladder in the exercise yard.

His final words before he jumped ‘get back, get back, get back’ were heard echoing around the yard by dozens of inmates in the years to follow.

Almost every perceived type of paranormal activity has been reported here, from footsteps, doors banging, people being pushed and shoved and even burnt!

Many EVP have been captured and dark shadows seen lurking on the upper levels.

The prison also featured on TV on the ghost hunting programme Paranormal Lockdown.

Have you ever visited or investigated here?

Did you capture anything or see something that terrified you?

Happy Halloween, Dear Readers..

Source- Shepton Mallet Prison com & Bristol Live

Photo Credits - P Wallace / Somerset Paranormal

Postcard - Nikki Copleston/ Somerset History & Mystery

Map 1888

Interior Photos - © Jamie Lock Photography

#hmpsheptonmallet #sheptonmallet #cornhill #hauntedprisons #somerset #hauntedhotspots #mosthauntedplaceinsomerset #prisonghosts #paranormal #sheptonmalletprison #paranormallockdown #somersetparanormal #spirits #supernatural #Halloween

Chilton Cantelo and the Screaming Skull !

Mon, 30 Oct 2023 20:10:02 GMT

The Screaming Skull... Yeovil..

Higher Chilton Farm, Chilton Cantelo, Near Yeovil, Somerset

(Not open to the public)

During the English Civil war, Theophilus Brome, had originally been a staunch Royalist.

However, so appalled did he become of the way in which the King's Troops treated their prisoners that he defected to the Roundheads.

After the War ended and King Charles II was restored to the throne, Theophilus lived quietly at High Farm with his sister.

But he feared that, upon his death, his head would be disinterred and put on public display as a traitor to the King.

Thus is was that he made his sister promise that his skull would to be preserved in the house for all time.

This promise his sister made every attempt to fulfil.

When he died, his head was removed from his body and kept in the house.

Eventually the sister died and the farm had a number of tenants.

Several attempts were made to dispose of the cranium but whenever this was done, the most frightful screams were heard in the house accompanied by poltergeist activity, and so the screaming skull now sits in a special cabinet over a door in the hall.

Brome's tomb can be seen in St. James' Church, Chilton Cantelo and although there is no mention made in the tomb's inscription, there is some circumstantial evidence that suggests that there is some truth to this screaming skull legend.

During restoration work on the church, the tomb was opened and Theophilus' skull was found to be missing!

AI Artwork - © Somerset Paranormal/ P Wallace/Nightcafe

Story Source- Real British Ghosts Com

#screamingskull #skull #skulls #hauntedskulls #somersetskulls #somersetparanormal #paranormal #mythicalsomerset #supernatural #unexplained #Halloween

The Disappearing Man - Bath Theatre Royal

Sun, 29 Oct 2023 10:17:31 GMT

The Disappearing Gentleman at the Theatre Royal - Bath

This is a story which was told by visitor to Bath, it's not clear what the date was.

The witness was on holiday in Bath and had come to the Theatre Royal to visit his brother-in-law who was a member of the front of house staff.

It was still quite a light evening and was around 10 p.m when this sighting took place.

He was just waiting around with a drink to pass the time watching the people going by outside and was starting to relax and as he went to take a drink, out of the corner of his eye he saw a figure descending the stairs from the Upper Circle.

He turned slightly to see who it was and saw the figure of a man in full evening dress.

The witness didn't know anybody else at the theatre and that as the show was not over yet, just presumed it was just the manager or someone else important.

As the man came into the foyer the witness felt a strange sensation as if something wasn't quite right but couldn't put his finger on it, the whole scene seemed to him to be unreal and a bit strange.

He then turned and looked again and felt a sudden stab of fear as the area was now empty and the man had gone and seemed to have just vanished into thin air!

There was no way that the man could have returned back up the stairs and there is no where else he could have gone in that brief look away.

He later related the story to his relative and it turned out there was already a tale of a disappearing man who had mysteriously vanished on his way to the stalls in 1948, this man had also been wearing full evening dress this and it had never been reported since.

So now for some strange reason it appeared that the ghost had walked again in the presence of the complete stranger to the theatre.

There are a couple of other sightings of a similar apparition walking through the Dress Circle Bar and disappearing in 1997 and in the late 1970s a witness was following someone up the stairs in a dress suit as they reached the turn at the Upper Circle level the man kept walking straight on and vanished through the wall into the Circle Bar

This is where the witness later on in 1997 saw the same figure leaning on the bar.

Thoughts -

It would be really interesting to know of any recent sightings, is it the same apparition? could it be a patron of the theatre repeating his journey through the Theatre and be a residual ghost?

Who is he?

I will have a look at the newspaper archives for 1948 and see if there is anything there.

This post is shared across my Facebook pages and groups, so will update with any new or interesting information.

Source- Paranormal Bath - Malcolm Cadey (Available on Amazon)

Rewritten - P Wallace - Bath Paranormal

AI Artwork - © P Wallace with Nightcafe

#paranormalbath #bathparanormal #bathghoststories #theatreroyalbath #ghostsofthetheatreroyal #hauntedbath

The Twerton Poltergeist

Sat, 21 Oct 2023 21:10:01 GMT

The Poltergeist of Cameley Green - Twerton - Bath

In 1975, the lives of a family in a seemingly normal house in Twerton, Bath were made a misery by what was described as a phantom with horrible wrinkled skin.

The apparition appeared over three nights, manifesting itself to a woman of the house who was in bed, the first night she woke up her heart palpitating and in a cold sweat and she then would spend the rest of the night tossing and turning reliving the horrors of what she thought had been an intense nightmare.

When the vision reappeared on the following two nights all she could do was scream and thrash about in the bed for a few seconds and then thankfully pass out? by this time she knew it was not a nightmare.

Her experience obviously disturbed and alarmed the rest of the household, the apparition however then moves on to others in the family.

It also appeared before a young woman who was nursing her baby in the middle of the night.

It also caused other phenomenon including causing a picture on the wall to swing with the intensity of a windscreen wiper, this phenomena was accompanied by a chilling fall in the temperature.

It was first described as about 5 foot high and looking rather like a pile of washing on its repeated manifestations.

Those who saw it then modified their description and called it the creature with the horrible wrinkled skin.

The effect on the householder's was traumatic, whatever it was continued to make occasional appearances over the next fortnight and the family were left with little alternative but to hand in their notice.

Some of them were already receiving medical attention for stress, and an attempted exorcism of the home seemed to have made things worse,

Not surprisingly these events made the news and the house then became vacant.

For a while it was the council's most wanted property, although those who moved in later had no weird experiences at all and the case soon became history.

Research - On looking at the land, it was just fields, the estate was built in the late 1940's, post war, so it wasn't effected by the Bath Blitz..

It seems plausible then that the story is either an embellished story, for attention, as it was around the same time as the famous Enfield Poltergeist Haunting, or the woman in question was suffering from night terrors or an illness that could create hallucinations, or that maybe something was attached to someone in the family, hence making perfect sense why subsequent later occupants didn't experience anything at all....

But it would take a very powerful entity to be able to consistently show itself to people and cause strong paranormal activity, so in the absence of any hard evidence or video captures (not around at the time) it is difficult to ascertain whether this was a true haunting or a cleverly woven story/ hoax...

Locals think is was a ploy to get a better house, as the family were moved on to Cranmore Place, which strangely has reports of poltergeist activity, but I am unsure if its the same family or a coincidence.

Source - Haunted Bath - David Brandon

Photos - Know your Place & Instant Street View

#hauntedbath #hauntedtwerton #ghostsofbath #twertonpoltergeist #bathghoststories #bathparanormal #paranormal #poltergeist #nightterrors #hauntedhomes #hanuntedhouses #bathpoltergeist

Disturbed Spirits at the Medieval Walls - Bath

Sun, 15 Oct 2023 11:02:18 GMT

The Medieval City Wall (Upper Borough Walls) and Burial Ground - Bath

History-

There is a part of the city that still exists from medieval times, which would be largely overlooked by the hustle and bustle of modern day Cosmopolitan Bath.

Opposite the old Mineral Water hospital is a wall, but not just any wall, one of the only existing remains of Bath's ancient medieval past.

The North Wall is enclosing the former burial ground to the Bath General Hospital (Mineral Water Hospital) on the opposite side of street,

the walls probably followed the course of the Roman walls. (Map 1610)

Here you will find steps which lead down to long narrow courtyard which is actually a burial ground, at the end of enclosed space wall there is a tablet inscribed as follows-

"This piece of ground was in the year/1736 set apart for the burial of/patients dying in the Bath General/Hospital and after receiving 238/bodies was closed by the Governors/of that Charity in the year 1849/from regard to the health of the/living

A passage was cut through the wall in 1743 in order that coffins could be taken from the newly opened hospital to the burial ground, formal permission for the use of which was only granted in 1767.

The burial ground has considerable historic interest for showing the revival of the Roman practice of extramural burial, but within an already crowded edge-of-town position.

The high number of burials in the adjoining confined space is also notable.

It was the location of the burial ground that saved this stretch of wall from demolition.

Hauntings-

A local myth states that the long drop on the other side of this wall is where plague-infected bodies were thrown - the upset spirits are still heard complaining about their treatment.

People have reported hearing crying, groaning and wailing and possibly the small shop next to the wall, which was 'The Butter Pat' was possibly haunted too.

It would be interesting to know if any of the other buildings immediately behind and on the burial ground have any unexplained activity..

Source- Historic England, Bath Magazine, Bath Heritage, Rare Old Prints

#medievalbath #upperboroughwalls #bathcitywalls #hauntedbath #bathghosts #ghostsofbath #bathshauntedhotspots

The Bird in Hand Pub - Glastonbury

Sun, 15 Oct 2023 10:41:13 GMT

The Bird in Hand Pub - Westhay - Glastonbury

Built in 1853 and a beerhouse by 1871
The spirit of a former landlord who was tragically killed in a fire at the premises in the late 19th century, has been reported wandering around his old home.
The fire started when he fell asleep holding a glass of cider and a cigar.
Other phenomena that have been attributed to him include the movement of objects and “a sharp tweak of cold air blown on the neck”
Most of the trouble started after a licensee demolished a wall in the pub while refurbishing.
Glasses started flying around, with mirrors fell from wall hangings. Traditionally, an inn sign for the Bird in Hand showed a mailed fist on which a falcon was perched.
In medieval times, the sign of the Bird in Hand also indicated it was a brothel.

Source - Haunted Britain by Antony D. Hippisley Cox & Ghost Pubs

#Glastonbury #Glasto #glastonburyghosts #spiritsofglastonbury #Paranormal #somersetparanormal #somerset #haunted #hauntedsomerset #somersetpubs #ghostsofglastonbury
#entity #haunted #spirits #paranormalactivity #paranormalresearcher #paranormalstories #ghoststories #somersetghoststories

Richmont Castle - East Harptree

Thu, 28 Sep 2023 13:10:01 GMT

Richmont Castle - East Harptree - Somerset

History -

Richmont Castle was an 11th-century motte-and-bailey castle near the village of East Harptree, Somerset.

Now totally ruined, it once included parkland, an artificial lake and served as the local minery court.

Built probably soon after the Norman Conquest of England in 1066.

The name probably means either "rich mountain" or "strong mountain.

The castle may have been founded by William FitzJohn de Harptree

During the 12th century, Richmont Castle was involved in the civil war known as the Anarchy, during which King Stephen and the Empress Matilda attempted to establish control of England.

The castle was controlled by Sir William de Harptree, who supported Matilda.

In 1138, after failing to take Bristol, Stephen advanced on Richmont and, according to chroniclers, took the castle through subterfuge.

Stephen set up his siege engines at a distance from the castle and then, when the garrison attempted to take advantage of this by coming out to attack him, quickly attacked and burnt the main gates behind them, successfully taking the castle.

The castle was also visited by King John in 1205.

The castle was used by the De Harptrees and De Gournay families for most of the rest of the medieval period, forming the administrative centre and law court for one of the four Mendip mineries in the region

The castle was ruined and abandoned by the 1540s, with the stone being reused to build local houses.

The Newton family excavated the foundations to build a house nearby called "Eastwood"

The site was mined extensively between the 17th and 19th centuries for lead and calamine, used at the foundries at Bristol

It was also used in the filming of the TV version of The Lion, Witch and Wardrobe

Today the site is a scheduled monument and a small fragment of the keep can still be seen on the site.

Hauntings -

The ghost of a man in a black hat and cloak is said to haunt the ruins, thought to be one of the De Gournay's who previously owned it.

He is said to have died in a duel and is protective of his land.

Has anyone ever heard of any stories for the area at all?

Sources - Paranormal Somerset by Selena Wright & Wikipedia

Photos - King Stephen - Miniature from Matthew Paris's Historia Anglorum

Empress Matilda, - Wikipedia

Historic England & Know your place maps

#hauntedsomerset #somersetparanormal #supernaturalsomerset #somersetghoststories #richmontcastle #eastharptree

Popes Walk - Widcombe - Bath

Sat, 23 Sep 2023 10:41:38 GMT

Popes Walk - Widcombe - Bath

History-

Popes Walk is a historic route within Bath, also known locally as Hangmans Lane or Hanging Lane and Blind Lane as shown on old maps.

Its modern day name comes from the poet Alexander Pope who advised Ralph Allen with planning his landscape garden for Prior Park, which was built in 1740.

The Dry Arch or Rustic Bridge was built to carry one of the many driveways which Ralph Allen laid out around his estate.

The lane was used as a route into the city centre from the village of Combe Down and passes two cemeteries, Perrymead and Bath Abbey Cemetery, coming out on Ralph Allen's Drive at the bottom.

It was a popular spot for padfoots ( highwayman & thieves) to stop and rob people.

Hauntings -

One story also says of a headless horseman that rides there, who lost his head going under the bridge.

Another story is of another horseman, possibly the same one as above, was riding through and the wind caught his cape and blew it up and it caught on the bridge and hung him.. hence the name of the lane...

It is known locally as a spooky lane and many fear to go through it at night...

Thoughts -

There are no newspaper reports of anyone having a riding accident on that lane or in the area which would have been.

There are a few reports of 'muggings' and convicted thieves who operated in the area.

One more rational explanation for the term Hang Lane or Hanging lane is that is was a name given to routes which were very overhanging with trees.

Although in the late 1800's - early 1900's it was called Hanging Land Lane, which has a more simple meaning of 'land on a slope' and Blind Lane up to the mid 60'

Sources -

Maps 1742, 1880, 1894

Photos - George Love Dafnis c1920 - Bath in Time & Somerset Photography & Know your Place

#bathparanormal #bathghoststories #perrymead #popeswalk #bathghoststories #paranormalbath #hauntedbath #haunted #paranormal

Jack and Gill at Kilmersdon -The Tragic Story behind the Nursery Rhyme

Fri, 08 Sep 2023 10:50:15 GMT

Another story from my Dark Somerset - History Mystery & Paranormal Facebook Page.

Jack & Gill at Kilmersdon, Somerset - The Tragic Story behind the Nursery Rhyme

We all know the following nursery rhyme, but do you know its sad and tragic story said to be based in the small village of Kilmersdon in Somerset -

Jack and Gill went up the hill

To fetch a pail of water;

Jack fell down and broke his crown

And Gill came tumbling after.

"Jack and Jill" (sometimes "Jack and Gill", particularly in earlier versions) is a traditional English nursery rhyme.

The original rhyme dates back to the 18th century and different numbers of verses were later added, each with variations in the wording.

Throughout the 19th century new versions of the story were written featuring different incidents, there are a number of theories whichstill come forward to explain the rhyme’s historical origin.

Jack and Gill Hill in Kilmersdon is supposed to have been the inspiration, which is between Ames Lane and School Lane.

Which has a narrow and steep pathway up to the school at the top, with the well, which is filled in and newly restored.

See photo (September 2023 © Somerset Paranormal)

There are several theories about the origin of the rhyme.

One story which is the most popular is that Jack and Jill were an unmarried (some say married) couple, who lived in Kilmersdon in 1697 at the bottom of the hill.

Its said that they went up the hill every day to collect water from the well at the top, it was quite a rough steep and dangerous route and there was a quarry at the top, Badston or Badstone Quarry where quite often rocks would dislodge and roll down the hill.

One fateful day Jack went up the hill as usual when he was killed by a loose boulder, which hit him on the head, killing him instantly.

Jill died of a broken heart shortly after giving birth to their son, who was then raised by the villagers of Kilmersdon and known as Jill's son.

The surname Gilson is very common in the Kilmersdon area and can be seen on many gravestones in the local churchyards.

Although there is no longer any trace of the quarry or their graves.

The proper name of the hill is Badson, but it became known as Bad Stone after the tragedy.

It would be interesting to know if they are buried in the churchyard, are a Jack or Gill on the Parish records from 1697, when does the first person with the name 'Gilson' appear in Kilmersdon.

Where did they live?

On a spooky note, does the spirit of Jill still haunt the area searching for her lost love?

Does anyone know of any other theories?

Photos - © Somerset Photography 3/9/23

It was a hot day when I took these, so didn't go all the way up the hill, but when its cooler we will walk to the top and take a look at the well and add more photos.

News article from the Somerset Standard 1964

Map from 1888

Strange Lights at Gare Hill - Frome

Sun, 03 Sep 2023 20:35:35 GMT

Strange Lights at Gare Hill near Frome

Location - Unnamed road between Gare Hill Road and Witham Friary

Date / Time: March 2023

Driving a van to Witham Friary down a single track lane, a driver and colleague spotted headlights coming towards them down the hill.

They pulled into the passing place at the bottom however the headlights never arrived.

There was nowhere for the car to have gone.

Source - Paranormal Database

Thoughts -

I cant find a lot of history for Gare Hill other than that it used to be a small hamlet with several churches, St Michael's was repurposed as a house.

There have been a few wildcat sightings in the area and there was a Roman Road close by too, see map.

There are many explanations for what this could have been, were they sure that whatever had caused the lights hadn't turned off into an unseen entrance, it was dark if they had headlights on, so may have missed a turning.

It could have been a tractor or quad bike as there is a narrow farm drive nearby, not knowing the exact location its hard to say exactly.

It would be interesting to know if anyone else has ever seen anything in the area to maybe give this report more credibility.

I will update if I get anything after posting on the Somerset Paranormal Facebook page.

Dark Somerset - Murder in Wellow

Sun, 20 Aug 2023 10:26:27 GMT

This story is from my Dark Somerset page on Facebook

A Shocking Murder in Wellow - October 1863

A dreadful affair nearly amounting to a double murder was perpetrated at the village of Wellow situated about 5 miles from Bath.

Several young farmers had been enjoying themselves on a Wednesday evening at the New Inn in the village and left about 12am

On reaching the residence of Hannah Roberts (45), which was a few doors along from the pub, who lived with her father and brother, they remained outside joking and mucking around.

When the woman came out and requested them to move on they all did so, with the exception of one George Cole who instead of doing so, picked a handful of some *pea haulm which had been left from the annual fair held last Monday and threw it at her.

This seems to have exasperated her and she ran into the house and got herself a reaping hook, they continued to thrown it her door.

On returning to the street she ran at Cole and struck him a severe blow in the chest which induced him to exclaim 'I'm a dead man'

Two or three of the others had by this time returned when Hannah Roberts made a rush towards Jeremiah Haynes who in his endeavours to get away from her stumbled over a heap of the pea haulm and fell, with the woman falling on him.

She then threatened she would kill him shouting 'Murder' and commenced striking at him most violently with sickle after inflicting several blows it appears she left him and returned to the house.

The cries of murder attracted several who were in bed out to the spot, who on seeing the condition of the unfortunate man sent for Mr. Hinton of Charterhouse but before his arrival, life had departed and he was dead.

She went back inside, locked the door and put the reaping hook, which had belonged to her brother, back up where it was hanging by the door, where the police found it still dripping in blood.

Hannah Roberts was taken into custody.

She admitted to killing Haynes, but had intended to hurt no one but George Cole.

The inquest was held in the George pub with a verdict of 'Wilful Killing'

On examination it was found Haynes had received a severe wound in the neck which had penetrated several inches as well as horrific injuries to his side, arms and hands.

The deceased was reported as a quiet inoffensive man and is said to have had nothing to do with annoying Roberts.

The doctor as a witnesses at her trial said she was an invalid and suffered from tumours on her spine, which made her short tempered and incapable of determining right from wrong.

The villagers had a habit of annoying her at night and messing around with her garden.

She was tried at Taunton Assizes with the testimonies of several eye witnesses and was found guilty of manslaughter and shown mercy and sentenced to imprisonment for 12 months.

Jeremiah Haynes, aged 37 on his death is buried in the churchyard at Wellow.

Hannah Roberts died in 1877 at the age of 60 and is also buried in the churchyard.

George Cole recovered from his injury.

There are much fuller accounts of the incident over the months after, but this is just the outline, more details can be read on the photos.

*Pea Haulm is the stalks left over after harvesting peas, which was used as animal bedding for the village fair.

Source - British Newspaper Archives

Rewritten - P Wallace - Somerset Paranormal

Photo - Bath in Time 1890

Map 1888 - Know your Place

'The Thing' at the Theatre Royal Bath

Wed, 09 Aug 2023 19:56:30 GMT

Dearest Readers

I hope you're prepared as I am about to tell you one of the most chilling and blood curling tales from the Theatre Royal, Bath.

I am not sure exactly what time period this is from and so its unknown whether this just happened the once whether it as happened since or prior to this occasion.

I have changed the name of the witness

Simply called The Thing....

John, as we shall call him, had just finished locking up after the night show.

He turned to walk through the corridor that led to the stalls ,the walls of the corridor were bare apart from a couple of tattered old posters of shows from the past.

One of the posters caught his eye and John remembered that particular show as one of his friends had been in it, so he stopped to see whether the name of his friend was on the poster, but little did John know that he was not alone in the corridor that night and that something truly horrific was about to happen.

As John continued to look at the poster, he was unaware of this insidious being that was slowly forming behind him, as he was looking through the list of names on the poster he found his friend and as he did he felt a prickling sensation sweep over his back.

John knew without any doubt that something or someone was behind him.

He felt as if he was in a field of static electricity and every nerve and fibre of his very being was tingling with fearful anticipation, there was something not right going on behind him and John was too afraid turn around to see what it was.

But as he continued to look at the poster, he just couldn't focus on the words and was so conscious of the presence of whatever it was behind him that he knew he would have to face it.

John steeled himself, ready to confront whatever was behind him and he quickly looked round, but he wasn't prepared for what he saw and his mind he felt go fuzzy as it tried desperately to comprehend what it was manifesting in front of him.

It was the rough shape of a human but blurred at the edges and it seemed to be made of swirling black pulsing smoke as if it was trying to form but couldn't quite manage it.

It had what can only be described as an awful looking face or faces as it kept rapidly changing from one face to another as if there were hundreds of faces all trying to get through at once, it then tried to lean towards him, which is when John feared if it touched him, he would die..

The black smoky pulsing mouth opened really wide as if it was going to scream and John was terrified at the sound he might hear but and it just kept on opening until the whole head part of it was one big gaping hole then the rest of its the swirling smoke mass flowed up into that hole like smoke going up into a chimney rolling in on itself and then just disappeared.

John ran to the bar manager who was in another area and told him his story, at first his colleague thought that John had been drinking, but soon realised that he wasn't somebody that would make that kind of thing up.

So the bar manager had a look around that same area where John had described just seeing it, and had almost given up when he felt a strange ominous sensation behind him.

After hearing John's story, he didn't want to turn around to find out, but he was in no doubt that what John experienced had been something very frightful.

So what was it ?

Other people have experienced seeing similar smoke like phenomenon including a lady who wrote in a letter to a friend that worked at the theatre thant when she last visited and was watching a show, witnessed a white cloud like funnelling smoke spiralling on the stage and disappearing up into the Gods.

She thought at first that it was smoke and part of the act but then realised that it wasn't, then was wondering where the fire was? she was very intrigued with this.

So was it the same thing? but a different manifestation? as it certainly sounds very similar in the way it moved.

The Grey Lady is also said to manifest in a swirling smoke like phenomena before she appears but this thing seems completely different.

Is there some kind of vortex within the theatre ? it would be interesting to know what the theatre was built on how this came to be.

This is such an intriguing phenomenon and seems absolutely terrifying.

It would be interesting to know whether anything remotely like this has ever happened even in the last 20 years or so ?

What are your thoughts?

Source - Paranormal Bath by Malcolm Cadey

Rewritten - © P Wallace - Bath & Somerset Paranomal

AI Artwork - © Somerset Paranormal

The Origins of the Lychgate

Sun, 30 Jul 2023 09:50:43 GMT

The Origins of a Lychgate.

If like me you love visiting old churches, you will often come across one with a covered porch area at the main entrance, which is called a Lychgate or corpse gate.

The term 'lych' evolved from the Saxon word for corpse.

In the Middle Ages, before mortuaries, and at a time when most people died at home, the dead were placed on a bier and taken to the lychgate where they remained, often attended against bodysnatchers, until the funeral service, which may have been a day or two later.

The lychgate kept the rain off, and often had seats for the vigil watchers.

Bodies at that time were buried in just shrouds rather than coffins. At the funeral, the priest conducted the first part of the service under the shelter of the lychgate.

It is also said to mark the division between consecrated and unconsecrated ground.

The word Lych is also used for a lych bell, the hand-bell rung before a corpse; lych way, the path along which a corpse was carried to burial, this in some districts was supposed to establish a right-of-way.

Lych owl, the screech owl, because its cry was a portent of death; and lyke-wake, a night watch over a corpse.

Lychgates consist of a roofed porch-like structure over a gate, often built of wood.

They usually consist of four or six upright wooden posts in a rectangular shape.

On top of this are a number of beams to hold a pitched roof covered in thatch or wooden or clay tiles.

They can have decorative carvings and in later times were erected as memorials.

They sometimes have recessed seats on either side of the gate itself, for the use of pall-bearers or vigil watchers.

Stone lychgates may create an increased aural awareness of the transition from one space to another by creating a tangible contrast between sounds inside and outside.

In England, there was a folk belief that the spirit of the last person buried stands watch at the gate till the next is buried, leading to funeral fights at the entrance to decide which corpse should be buried first.

Locally there are lychgates at Kilmersdon, Camerton, Bathford and Buckland Dinham (As pictured)

Also Blagdon, Keinton Mandeville, Goathurst, Norton Fitzwarren, Dunster, Holford, Brent Knoll, Loxton & Langport.

Photos © Somerset Paranormal

St Michaels at Buckland Dinham

The Battle of Sedgemoor - 6th July 1685

Thu, 06 Jul 2023 12:14:42 GMT

The Battle of Sedgemoor

History-

The Battle of Sedgemoor was the last and decisive engagement between the Kingdom of England and rebels led by the Duke of Monmouth during the Monmouth rebellion, fought on 6 July 1685, and took place at Westonzoyland near Bridgwater in Somerset.

The Duke eventually led his troops out of Bridgwater at around 10:00 pm to undertake a night-time attack on the King's army.

They were guided by Richard Godfrey, the servant of a local farmer, along the old Bristol road towards Bawdrip .

With their limited cavalry in the vanguard, they turned south along Bradney Lane and Marsh Lane, and came to the open moor with its deep and dangerous rhynes .

There was a delay while the rhyne was crossed and the first men across startled a royalist patrol.

A shot was fired and a horseman from the patrol galloped off to report to Feversham.

Lord Grey of Warke led the rebel cavalry forward and they were engaged by the King's Regiment of Horse which alerted the rest of the royalist forces.

The superior training of the regular army and their horses enabled them to rout the rebel forces by outflanking them.

After the battle, about 500 of Monmouth's troops were captured and imprisoned in St Mary's Parish Church in Westonzoyland, while others were hunted and shot in the ditches where they were hiding.

More were hanged from gibbets erected along the roadside.

Monmouth escaped from the battlefield with Grey and they headed for the south coast disguised as peasants.

They were captured near Ringwood , Hampshire .

Monmouth was taken to the Tower of London , where he was, after several blows of the axe, beheaded on 15th July 1685

Many of Monmouth's supporters were tried during the Bloody Assizes .

Many were transported abroad, while others were executed by drawing and quartering.

Hauntings -

When you visit here the first thing that you are likely to notice is the two huge trees that seem to be watching over the memorial stone that commemorates the lives lost on both sides.

The stone reads: ‘To the glory of God and in memory of all those who doing the right as they gave it fell in the battle of Sedgemoor 6th July 1685'

The raw emotion of this blood stained battlefield, turned mass burial site can still be felt and not surprisingly, there are spirits here too.

The local farmers have often reported seeing galloping horsemen racing across the field and also eerie disembodied voices urging them to come on over the River Carey!

A ghostly band of soldiers are said to haunt the area around King's Sedgemoor Drain, and some have reported the cries of “Come on over!” floating across the landscape.

Some have also claimed to have seen the shivering form of Monmouth making a cowardly retreat from the battle.

Perhaps one of the most haunting ghost stories of this place is that of the young girl who was forced to look on as her lover was executed after the opposing troops promised he would be spared if he could out run the horses, only to go back on their word when he did just that.

Her heart broken, the girl drowned herself in the river.

Since that time, her spirit has been seen accompanied by the sounds of “running feet, laboured breathing and galloping hooves”.

Source - Wikipedia, History UK

#ghostsofsomerset #somersetbattlefields #sedgemoor #sedgemoorbattlefield #monmouth #dukeofmonmouth #monmouthrebellion #battlefieldghosts #ghostsofsoldiers #hauntedbattelefield #hauntedhotspot

The George - Norton St Philip

Thu, 15 Jun 2023 21:02:33 GMT

The George Inn - Norton St Philip

History -

The Inn was built in the 13th or 14th century and was originally a wool store for Hinton Priory at Hinton Charterhouse, the next village and also accommodated travellers and merchants coming to the annual wool fairs that were held in the village from the late 13th century until 1902

Someone I know used to work at the pub in the 90's and thought there was a tunnel between the pub and the Priory.. ?

The pub later became part of the stage coach route between London and South West England.

There are three famous men from history linked to the pub, Samuel Pepys, Judge Jefferies (The Hanging Judge) and the Duke of Monmouth.

On 12 June 1668 Samuel Pepys, with his wife and servants, passed through Norton St Philip on their way to Bath from Salisbury.

The entry in his diary can be viewed here - https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1668/06/12/

The Inn was earlier used as the headquarters of Monmouth's army, during the Monmouth Rebellion (Pitchfork Rebellion) of June and July of 1685, after his retreat from Bath.

The Duke, who was the illegitimate son of Charles II, led a ragtag army of 8,000 locals armed with muskets, scythes and pitchforks against a professional army of his uncle James II.

Legend says that the Duke was in his room shaving and was narrowly missed by a bullet shot from outside, which he managed to dodge, and it lodged in the wall, its unknown whether there is actual physical evidence left of this.

A bloody battle took place in a field just a stones throw away from the pub at Bloody Lane (Chevers Lane) so called as the hill or lane at the time ran with blood after the battle in the pouring rain.

In the aftermath of the failed rebellion Judge Jefferies used the George Inn as a courtroom and conducted 12 executions on the village common, as part of the Bloody Assizes.

See other blog post for more details of the Battle

https://somersetandbathparanormal.co.uk/the-battle-of-norton-st-philip-27th-june-1685

Hauntings - Judge Jefferies and the Duke are possibly reputed to haunt the pub,

Dogs have been reported to react aggressively towards something unseen in the bar areas, and the atmosphere is said to change at times.

Considering this is one of the oldest pubs in England and is relatively unchanged over its lifetime, its must have its fair share of spirits, maybe more residual than intelligent..

Words © P Wallace

Photos © Somerset Photography

#thegeorgeinn #monmouthrebellion #judgejefferies #nortonstphilip #hauntedpubs #spookypubs #oldpubs #paranormalpubs #dukeofmonmouth #paranormal #ghostsofsomerset #hauntedsomerset #supernaturalsomerset #somersetparanormal

The Friendly Spirit Pub - Cannington

Thu, 08 Jun 2023 19:57:02 GMT

The Friendly Spirit Pub - Cannington

History -

Originally called The Anchor, Blue Anchor or Old Blue Anchor, was recorded in 1767 and was kept by the May family until the 1840s.

It was renamed The Friendly Spirit in 1986.

The pub stands in the area of Cannington Priory, which was a Benedictine nunnery established around 1138 and dissolved in 1536.

It was attached to the Church of St Mary and was first populated by Benedictine nuns (from Dorset), who were later transferred to Colwich Abbey.

The building was converted into a mansion but later reverted to being a nunnery.

It was disestablished as part of the Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1536.

Cannington Court incorporates some of the remains.

Hauntings-

The ghost of one of the nuns from the Priory Maude de Merriete is said to haunt the pub, seen in upstairs rooms, kitchen and corridors.

She was beaten to death for disobeying holy orders, her remains were buried on site and her heart buried in the church at Combe Florey, where there is a heart shrine in the wall.

One of the bedrooms is said to always have a chill and possibly a 'ghost cat' has been felt walking across beds at night.

Thoughts -

The church website states the following about the heart shrine-

The Lombardic inscription above the shrine reads ‘Le quer dame Maud de Merriete, nun of Cannington’.

Although the family name, de Merriete, is the same there is no connection between this heart shrine and Mary the first wife of Sir John.

The lady whose heart was buried here was Maud, and not Mary and, as she was a nun, she was probably buried in Cannington Priory.

In addition, the practice of heart burial was not uncommon in medieval times amongst noble and knightly families, the object being to obtain additional prayers for the deceased by burying the body in one church and the heart in another.

The practice was forbidden by Pope Boniface VIII (1294-1301), but was later sanctioned again.

It would be interesting to know if hundreds of years later whether the spirit has a presence, or whether its someone else from the pubs past.

Source - Paranormal Somerset - Selena Wright

Bishops Lydeard benefice website

Map - 1888 - Know your Place

#hauntedsomerset #hauntedpubs #somersetparanormal #paranormalsomerset

Nunney Castle - Nunney - Somerset

Sun, 28 May 2023 09:25:51 GMT

Nunney Castle- Nunney

History-

Nunney Castle was constructed in the fourteenth century by John de la Mare, a soldier who had served in France during the Hundred Years War.

Its design was influenced by continental architecture.

The castle was held by Royalist forces during the Civil War but was besieged by a Parliamentary army under Sir Thomas Fairfax and bombarded into submission.

John de la Mare, was an experienced soldier who is believed to have fought in France during the early years of the Hundred Years War and had made his fortune from ransom money.

He subsequently held numerous important appointments including Constable of Old Sarum Castle and Sheriff of Somerset.

He was knighted in 1373 and, to mark his new found status, he sought permission to build an elaborate residence.

On 28 November 1373, John was duly granted a "licence...to crenellate his dwelling-place at Nonny".

Nunney Castle was clearly intended as a statement of power and status rather than as an effective fortification due to its placement near a valley bottom, overlooked by nearby higher ground.

The design was heavily influenced by John's experiences on the continent as it reflected contemporary French architecture (although this should not be over-stated as similar English examples also survive at Dudley, Haughton, Langley and Stafford).

It was constructed from oolite ashlar and was a four storey quadrangular castle with round towers, topped with conical roofs, on each corner.

The ground floor was occupied by a kitchen and storerooms whilst the first floor was servants' accommodation, the second floor was dominated by the Great Hall and the level above served as high status accommodation.

At parapet level projecting corbels provided support for a wooden platform that surrounded the top of the structure.

The tower was in immediate proximity to the Nunney Brook, which provided a source of fresh water and also filled the moat that surrounded the structure.

Beyond, a large courtyard would have contained stables and other supporting buildings.

The de la Mare family remained owners of Nunney Castle until the early fifteenth century when the last male heir, Elias de la Mare, died during Henry V’s 1415 campaign in France.

It passed through marriage to Sir John Poulet, whose main residence was Basing Castle (now Basing House) in Hampshire.

It remained with the Poulets until 1572 at which point it was sold and eventually came into the hands of the Roman Catholic Prater family.

They made extensive modifications to the tower to bring it into line with the enhanced levels of domestic comfort expected at the time.

In 1642 friction between King and Parliament erupted into Civil War.

The owner of Nunney Castle at this time was Richard Prater who, like his immediate ancestors, was a staunch Roman Catholic.

Accordingly he opposed the Protestant leanings of Parliament and supported the Royalist cause.

Throughout the early years of the war, Royalist dominance in the South West meant Nunney Castle was untouched by the conflict.

However, after the destruction of the King's last major field army at the Battle of Naseby in June 1645, Parliamentary forces started reducing Royalist garrisons.

In Somerset Sherborne was attacked first followed by Castle Cary and Shepton Mallet.

On 6 September 1645 a Parliamentary army under Sir Thomas Fairfax arrived at Nunney.

'Above the walls floated a red standard and in the midst thereof a fair crucifix cross, a Catholic symbol which infuriated the besiegers'

The garrison of 80 men refused to surrender so heavy artillery was brought up from Shepton Mallet.

This was in place by the 8 September 1645 and used to smash a breach in the north wall prompting Colonel Prater to surrender.

He wanted to save his castle from destruction, but he failed and it was dismantled, all its interior was burnt out, gutted and destroyed, left laid in ruins, one can only imagine the treasures which were destroyed in the flames which shot high above the towers that September day.

The damage to Nunney Castle left the structure as little more than a gutted ruin but, after it was returned to the Prater family in the 1660s, it was restored back into a habitable residence.

The burnt out floors were replaced and the north side, which had suffered from the artillery bombardment, was rebuilt.

The castle remained inhabited for much of the eighteenth century but thereafter was abandoned and allowed to drift into ruin.

On Christmas Day 1910 a portion of the wall collapsed and, as the rest of the structure continued to deteriorate, the then owner, Robert Bailey-Neale, handed the castle over to the State.

The Castle grounds were rumoured to have hosted several witch trials, as part of the Somerset Witch Trials.

Headed by Robert Hunt JP a 'zealous' witchhunter in the 1660's, he personally led a hunt for eight years, tracking down ‘a hellish knot of witches’ in Somerset and

presided over the many cases of suspected witchcraft brought forward at the Assizes held in Taunton Castle.

Hauntings -

One story is that of a cloaked woman or grey Lady, who is said to walk beside the moat at dawn and around the castle.

Her history is a little sketchy but it is thought she was accused of witchcraft and put to death outside the castle walls.

People have reported seeing dark figures in the upper levels and felt like they are being watched from above too.

Stone throwing is another common activity here too.

A large black horse and rider is said to trot down the main street and up to the castle entrance, sometimes accompanied by a large black dog.

Some believe this is Richard Prater, who was forced to surrender the castle in the Civil War, see above.

Thoughts -

As it is very close to me, this in one of my special interest projects, so I am collecting and collating any evidence that may have been gathered over the years to look for any consistencies.

I have captured some evp here and friends have experienced a few things as well.

For the stone throwing, there are a lot of birds in and around the castle ruins most of the time, and the wall are always crumbling with fresh pieces coming off regularly, so that could account for the apparent stone throwing.

Although to test the stone throwing activity, a proper controlled experiment of asking out and multiple cameras covering the area would be useful with this alleged phenomenon.

The story of the witch tried and executed at the castle - the only alleged witch linked to Nunney is that of Julian Cox, who maybe lived there at some time, but in her detailed story, see link, she was executed at Taunton in 1663, but she wasn't tried at Nunney.

I have read of Robert Hunt going to Nunney, but will need to look further for more details.

Have you ever had an experience at the castle? or witnessed anything at all?

Photos Credit- P Wallace / Somerset Paranormal

Rare Old Prints - Simon and Nathaniel Buck - Dated 1733

The drawing was done by a Royalist Officer in 1644, he original is in the British Museum - Cliff Dockerell - Somerset History & Mystery

Sources - Paranormal Somerset - Selena Wright

AM Gould - Somerset Author, The Witches of Selwood Forest - Andrew Pickering

Michael McGarvie - Somerset Guardian 1973

Julian Cox Story

https://amgouldsomersetauthor.com/julian-cox-witch-of-frome/?fbclid=IwAR3FFrJIzroGEQ42rZKWW-EBVyKchiQhEWsIXovxdhLnRSm0rlGHpUm005k

#Nunney #nunneycastle #castle #hauntedcastles #hauntedsomerset #ghostsofsomerset #paranormalsomerset #somersetparanormal #castleghosts

The Phantom Drummer - Burrow Mump

Sat, 27 May 2023 20:53:19 GMT

Burrow Mump - Burrowbridge - Somerset

History-

Burrow Mump is a hill and historic site overlooking Southlake Moor in the village of Burrowbridge in Somerset.

It is a scheduled monument, with a never completed church on top of the hill a Grade II listed building.

The monument includes a motte castle formed from the top of a natural conical hill, with a terraced track spiralling up to it, an unfinished church on the summit, and field and settlement features on the lower slopes.

The hill stands at the junction of two rivers crossing the flat Somerset Levels.

Although there is some evidence of Roman visitation, the first fortification of the site was the construction of a Norman motte.

It has been called King Alfred's Fort, however there is no proof of use by Alfred the Great apart from its ownership by the nearby Athelney Abbey which he established and was linked to Burrow Mump by a causeway.

It may have served as a natural outwork to the defended royal island of Athelney at the end of the 9th century.

The hill stands at the junction of two rivers crossing the flat Somerset Levels.

The top 5m of the hill have been scarped to form a motte.

An approach track curves up around the south of the hill from the direction of the village below.

It stops short of the berm on the east, and the ascent would probably have been completed by steps.

Around the lower part of the hill on the north west, north and east are shallow lynchets, scarps and ditches, up to 0.4m high/deep forming a group of narrow or small enclosures along the edge of the road.

These represent agricultural and settlement plots, and lie between the village and surviving roadside settlement on the far side of the hill.

Such plots often resulted from squatter occupation in medieval times.

Burrow Mump is today crowned by a roofless unfinished church of the late 18th century.

A shallow hollow way leads up to the west end from the village.

The site has been thought to be associated with King Alfred's fortifications at nearby Athelney and Lyng, but though it seems likely that its strategic position would have been utilised, no evidence has been recovered to substantiate this.

The earliest reference to the hill is in AD 937 when, under the name of 'Toteyate', it was given to Athelney Abbey as part of the manor of Lyng.

Its association with Lyng survived until the 19th century in the parish boundary, which crossed the river at this one point to include it.

There is no further mention of the hill until more than four centuries after the Norman Conquest.

The castle does not appear in the Domesday Book of 1086, and either it had already passed out of use by this time, or was not constructed until later, perhaps during the years of The Anarchy in the early 12th century.

In a 1480 reference the hill is called 'Myghell-borough', and in 1544, 'Saynt Michellborowe' was part of the lands granted to one John Clayton by the king following the dissolution of the abbey.

The dedication to St Michael indicates a church or chapel, and in 1548 this is directly referred to as 'The Free Chapel of St Michael'.

The chapel was extant in 1633, but in 1645 was the scene of a short stand by 120-150 Royalist troops in the Civil War, who surrendered after three days.

The next reference is in 1663 when two shillings and four and a half pence from Corton Denham and one shilling from Langton were detailed for its repair and rebuilding.

This was apparently begun c.1724 but never finished, and by 1793 a new church was subscribed for, with contributors including William Pitt the Younger and Admiral Hood.

The building again was never completed, and remains roofless to this day, overlooking the later church of St Michael at the foot of the hill. Partial excavation on the top of the hill in 1939 revealed foundations of the medieval church, with a crypt in which was a burial with a lead bullet beside it, possibly from the Civil War skirmish.

A wall foundation on a different line associated with early medieval pottery was interpreted as part of the Norman castle.

There were also square medieval pits, post holes, a sunken passageway and finds of bones, pottery, coins, nails and lead bullets.

One of the square pits was sunk deeper than could be excavated and is perhaps a well.

The hill was given to the National Trust in 1946 as a memorial to those who died in the First and Second World Wars.

The ruined church is one of the churches dedicated to St. Michael that falls on a ley line proposed by John Michell.

Other connected St. Michaels on the ley line include churches built at Othery and Glastonbury Tor.

Hauntings -

Not a lot of reported activity here for such a fantastic historic landmark, just the eerie sounds of a phantom drummer which are heard..

Has anyone ever investigated here? or may live locally and know of any other stories at all?

Sources - Historic England, Paranormal Somerset - Selena Wright

Photos - Newspaper - Somerset History & Mystery

Photo - imordaf on Pixabay & Sunset - credit unknown

#hauntedsomerset #somersetparanormal #ghostsofsomerset #burrowmump #supernaturalsomerset

George & Pilgrim Pub - Glastonbury

Tue, 16 May 2023 21:02:42 GMT

The George and Pilgrim Pub - High Street - Glastonbury - Somerset

History -

The George Hotel and Pilgrims' Inn in Glastonbury, Somerset, England, was built in the late 15th century to accommodate visitors to Glastonbury Abbey.

It has been designated as a Grade I listed building.

It is claimed to be the oldest purpose built public house in the South West of England.

Having once been the Pilgrims' Inn of Glastonbury Abbey, by the mid-nineteenth century the building was known as the George Hotel.

The current name preserves both.

The first record of the building is from 1439 when the tenant was N. Kynge.

In 1493 Abbot John Selwood gave a "new" building to the abbey chamberlain.

After the Dissolution of the Monasteries it became the property of the Duke of Somerset.

By 1562, when a 21-year lease on the building was taken out by George Cowdrey, it was described as "in such great ruin that it is likely that in default of repair within a few years the rent will not be answered" but included "six featherbeds".

In 1658 the property was divided and a horse mill installed to grind malt.

The building was also used for meetings and inquiries for example by Royal Commissioners (in 1672) and the Quakers (in 1691)

Hauntings-

It is reputed to be haunted by several spirits including one who is said to be a monk who has been spotted wandering the dark corridors of the hotel in the early hours of the morning, with the floorboards creaking under his feet.

The other is said to be an elegant lady who follows him on occasion with a look of yearning on her face!

Two of the ghosts are referred to by Guy Lyon Playfair in ‘The Haunted Pub Guide’ (1985), ‘One, not surprisingly, is a monk.

Early in the 1970s a woman guest described him in unusual detail, having seen him for what she said to be ten to fifteen minutes……

At one point the monk sat down on the guest’s bed, and she felt the sheets and blankets tighten over her as he did so.

He was not alone; hovering in the background were two indistinct shapes that remained in a sort of vapour.

A visiting medium claims that the pair were in fact lovers, but due to the monk having taken a vow of celibacy their love remained unconsummated and they have forever been doomed to stay there bound to Earth because of this!

It is believed they used to meet in the tunnels which lead to the Abbey.

In 2012, it is reported by the landlady at that time, that her ghostly likeness was photographed by a customer in the bar area.. see photo.

Other reports of paranormal activity include sightings of a tall man in a blue jacket, as well as some residual sounds including music heard from empty rooms, arguing in the function room, phantom smells of cigar smoke and some poltergeist activity of taps turning on & off and televisions.

Doors slam and coughing and footsteps are heard in the cellar.

Another monk is said to have been seen in the bedrooms who is alleged to have committed suicide in a room called the Haunted Cell

Regular ghost hunt events are held here.

Thoughts -

The photo is interesting, but not knowing the exact circumstances could have a rational explanation, the smell of cigar smoke could be where when wood gets hot, it does release smells that were once trapped in it.

For example, I have a very old dressing table, I used to smoke years ago, sometimes especially when its sunny and hot where its close to the window, you can smell stale cigarette smoke sometimes, this can also be attributed to smells of perfumes and lavender etc that are often reported as phenomenon.

The televisions turning on could be where they are on a timer, this is common especially in hotel rooms.

It would be great to dig further to find out more about the Lady and the monks, do they cause all the activity? or are there more spirits there.

Has anyone ever investigated there? has anyone ever got any names at all?

Sources- Paranormal Somerset - Selena Wright, Mysterious Britain & Wikipedia

Rewrite - © Somerset Paranormal/ P Wallace

#glastonbury #glastonburyghosts #hauntedglastonbury #somersetparanormal #ghoststories #paranormal #spooky #hauntedpubs

The Bloody Curate - Old Cleeve

Wed, 10 May 2023 20:31:37 GMT

The Bloody Curate - Old Cleeve - Somerset

In 1624, the curate of Old Cleeve, John Tratt was murdered on the road.

He was brought back to his own house where his body parts ended up salted in earthenware jars...

Four people were in a dispute over the curacy, where they were trying to discredit him, without any success, they plotted to kill him and were subsequently hanged

for the murder at Stones Gallows.

They were three men and a woman- Peter Smethwick, Andrew Baker, Cyrill Austin and Alice Walker.

It is said that the blood covered ghost of the murdered curate stands near to the railway line, it is also seen at Cleeve Abbey and Church.

Footsteps are said to follow people along the road.

Is there anyone local that has ever heard of this story? or even experienced any of this phenomena?

Source - Paranormal Somerset - Selena Wright

Writing - P Wallace / Somerset Paranormal

Old Postcard/ Ebay, date unknown

The Door Knocker of Charlotte Street - Bath

Fri, 05 May 2023 14:45:37 GMT

The Door Knocker of Charlotte Street - Bath

No 12, Charlotte Street -

History -

Built as the Bath Savings Bank, it was designed in the vogue style of the day, it demonstrated the new wave of Early Victorian commercial building then getting underway, and also the city's westward expansion.

One of the earliest examples of the Italian Palazzo style to be found outside London, it is also among the first bank buildings to be designed in this style, which became the preferred idiom for such buildings.

The building was bought at auction in October 1890 by Holbourne Trustees for £2400 and opened as the Holbourne Museum on 1st June 1893.

The Museum remained in this building until moving to its present site in Great Pulteney Street.

Hauntings-

Mr Ebenezer Ash was the bank porter.

In c1887, he lived on the premises and had a fall, which unfortunately put him into a long coma, where he never recovered.

He is buried in St Thomas a Becket church, Widcombe.

A strange phenomenon was then recorded ( not sure of the time period after his death) every Thursday at 10.30 am, there would be a strange rapping/ tapping on a specific outer door, but no one could explain why or why that time on a Thursday meant so much to Mr Ash or his ghost....

Source- Haunted Bath - David Brandon

HER Register & Know your Place map 1879

Photo - Bath in Time

#bathparanormal #ghostsofbath #bathghosts #somerset #bath #paranormalbath #hauntedbath #charlottestreet

Strange Occurrences at Stourton

Fri, 05 May 2023 10:52:56 GMT

Spread Eagle Inn and Courtyard - Stourton - Wiltshire/ Somerset border

History -

On the Stourhead estate, and formerly the Stourton Inn, it was built in the late 18th century and it has loads of character with period features such as uneven stone and wooden floors.

Men were housed in the courtyard during the World Wars.

Hauntings-

In the courtyard is an outbuilding used as an art gallery, a grey figure is said to have been seen walking through the wall and out the window, people entering the building say they have experienced a clamminess and their hair standing on end.

There is said to be a lot of electrical interference, unexplained noises and objects can disappear or move.

Doors that were previously open, were discovered to be later locked.

The churchyard and meeting rooms also have their own paranormal occurrences as well as the main Stourhead house where alledgedly a bloody event raising from a neighbour dispute took place.

As well as King Alfred's Tower on the estate which has reports of a spooky feeling.

Thoughts -

Its unknown why exactly there would be a lot of electrical interference there, as its in a valley if I remember rightly from visiting years ago, its a dead spot for mobile signal.

Looking at the history of the the village itself, several prehistoric sites in the area are scheduled ancient monuments.

Including Park Hill Camp (within Stourhead grounds), a small Iron Age hillfort, containing a later Iron Age settlement, Kenwalch's Castle (on the Somerset border), a large Iron Age hillfort and White Sheet Camp (to the east), another large hillfort, investigated in the 19th century by Sir Richard Colt Hoare.

About 2.4 km southwest of Stourton village are Pen Pits, a series of small circular pits where stone was quarried for quern stones, in the Iron Age, Roman and medieval periods.

On part of the site stand the later earthwork remains of Castle Orchard, a motte-and-bailey castle, possibly Norman, with a motte diameter of about 55m.

At Kingsettle Hill where King Alfreds Tower now stands close to Egberts Stone, Alfred the Great, King of Wessex, rallied the Saxons in May 878 before the important Battle of Edington (historically known as the battle of Ethandun, where the Danish army, led by Guthrum the Old was defeated.

Domesday Book in 1086 recorded a settlement of 28 households at Stortone, and land held by Walter of Douai.

Longleat Priory owned land at Stourton in the 13th century.

So could the activity experienced be from something more ancient and tied to the land?

Was it part of the infamous Selwood Forest, which has its own dark tales of witches, see map below 1646

Or is it residual echos of the neighbourhood dispute which took place between Lord Charles Stourton and his neighbours the Hartgills, which ended in rampaging mobs, murder and corpses buried in the cellar.

All of which are said to haunt the area.

Written about by the Late Peter Underwood and more recently in a book by HE Bulstrode.

I will try and find links to the story.

Have you ever experienced anything here? or know of any other stories or historical events that could explain this strange activity?

Ghost Animals of Somerset

Sat, 08 Apr 2023 09:35:03 GMT

Ghost Animals of Somerset..

There are many reports of sightings of ghostly animals all over Somerset, both of the four and two legged kind..

Some of the more random include, a tabby cat at King Johns Hunting Lodge, Axbridge, a butterfly at Bath's Theatre Royal, an ape and dog at Hotwells House, Bristol, an Exmoor Pit pony, a dog and dove at Washbridge, an ape at Brassknocker Hill, Bath, William Beckford's dog, Tiny at Beckford's Tower, Lansdown, Bath and bears! at The Shrubbery, Weston Super Mare..

Perhaps the most common animal spirits sightings are of horses, with or without the classic headless rider, my personal theory is that they maybe seemed to be headless, as there isn't enough energy to fully form the apparition, not necessarily because they lost their head..

These equine apparitions include, a spectral horse on the A39 at Cannington, a phantom clip clop of hooves and a headless rider that manifests at Merlan Corner - Churchstanton, a galloping horse at East Chinnock, a grey misty horse that rises, galloping out of the road at Sea, near Illminster, horses and riders in pursuit at Blackmore Copse near Crewkerne, more galloping horses at Porlock Hill and Battlefields House, Lansdown, Bath.

There are also many tales of ghost dogs or Black Shucks..

A Black Shuck according to English Folklore is a ghostly black dog which roams the countryside, originating from East Anglia, but now more widely reported all over the country..

Somerset Black Shucks or ghost dog sightings have seen reported at - Winsford Hill (devil dog with glowing eyes) , Beckington. Combwich, Selworthy, St Audries, Wambarrows, Hembury Fort and Cleeve Hill, Watchet, ( both packs of hounds) and the Witch Tree, Stogursey.

The Hounds of Langford Budville is another story of two hounds who run around on New Years Eve with red eyes searching for their master, accompanied with the sound of hooves and shouting.

A helpful dog at Weacombe on the Quantocks that helps lost travellers and a white dog which chased a car at Wick St Lawrence.

As well as the 'Beast' of Banwell... and a Shapeshifter in Bristol.. and a Wolverine at St Audries.. and albino fire breathing hounds at Wellington.

If anyone has any other reports of spirit animal sightings, please let me know.

Photos - Main - Pixabay

Collage - Cat- Fiosky, Wikipedia and Bath Newseum

Words - © P J Wallace- Somerset Paranormal

#ghostdogs #blackshuck #somersetblackshucks #ghostlyanimals #ghostanimals #somersetparanormal #ghostsofsomerset #somersetghoststories #haunted #paranormal #ghostcats #theatreroyalbath #butterflyghosts #somersetfolklore #westcountryghosts #westcountryfolklore #westcountryghosts

Lord Nelson Pub - Marshfield - Near Bath

Sun, 02 Apr 2023 08:27:38 GMT

Lord Nelson Pub - Marshfield Near Bath

Village History -

From the evidence of Saxon charters, it seems that there was a settlement in this area from at least AD 931.

Marshfield appears in the Domesday Book (AD 1086) as 'Meresfelde' -- 'that tract of open land on the boundary', the boundary in question being the one between the Saxon kingdoms of Wessex and Mercia.

The town's former wealth derived from its position in the heart of Cotswold wool country, near to Bath and Bristol.

Marshfield was granted a market in 1234

It is recorded in the annals of Tewkesbury Abbey that on 1 June 1242, in the reign of Henry III, Walter de Cantilupe, Bishop of Worcester, in whose diocese Marshfield then stood, came to dedicate a newly built church at Marshfield.

The monks of Tewkesbury Abbey restored and rebuilt the church in the perpendicular style in about 1470.

The majority of buildings lining the street are of 18th-century origin although several buildings date from the 17th century.

The building style is largely Georgian.

The facades of the buildings are unified by the consistent use of local stone and other materials, which adds character to the village.

Civil War

On 4 July 1643, during the Civil War, a Royalist army under Prince Maurice and Sir Bevil Grenville entered Marshfield as an overnight billet and used the village as a provision store for the King's army of 6,000 men.

The next day the royalists were tempted into an abortive Battle at Lansdown, each side withdrawing with heavy losses.

Sir Bevil died of his wounds and the Royalists fell back on Marshfield: almost every house had wounded men on its hands.

The Cromwellian army moved into the village as the Royalists withdrew, and ravaged the church.

Highwaymen

The place of the village on the road to Bath placed it in the realm of the highwayman in the coaching days.

Near to the Three Shire Stones on the Fosse Way near Marshfield there lies, even to this day, a stone that marks the spot of what the Bath Journal calls "wilful murder against some person or persons unknown".

The stone marked E.R. 1761 referred to one Edmund Roach aged 38 years who was set upon and murdered by a highwayman, as reported at length in the Bath Journal

One rendezvous for the infamous Dick Turpin on the London-Bath road was reputed to be Star Farm, formerly a posting-house, half a mile east of Marshfield.

On 7 July 1763, a highwayman robbed a gentleman's servant of 5/- at Tog Hill turning, amongst other robberies.

On 29 January 1798 three highwaymen well-mounted and armed, stopped Mr Stephen Toghill of Marshfield at Lynch Hill, leaving him severely wounded.

The pub was a former house, built c 1700's

Hauntings-

In 1988 there were reports of strong poltergeist activity in the pubs kitchen.

Loaves of bread would fly off the shelves along with various pieces of cutlery, items completely vanished and were suspected as lost, to then be found again back in their original places.

Fridge doors were opened, which led unfortunately to the contents being throw out, so this activity was not only annoying but expensive!

The pub dogs also sensed a presence which led the owners and staff to think there was something paranormal at play.

This case at the time attracted the attention of people who investigated psychic phenomena and a buzz of interest in the village.

It emerged that the building which houses the pub had reports of sporadic outbreaks of similar paranormal activity over the years.

This particular series of events occurred during and after extensive refurbishing work, changes to the buildings structure seemed to infuriate the spirits within.

Even with decades passing between spates of activity.

It would be interesting to know if anything has happened in more recent years.

Thoughts-

Could this be a disgruntled ex owner or resident of the house prior to it being a pub? as the activity would point to maybe a spirit having a strong attachment and possessiveness over the building.

This is quite a personal one for me, as I had close relatives that lived on Marshfield and I spend most of my childhood Summer holidays at their house in the village not far from the pub.

It was interesting to see about the civil war links which I didn't know about before.

Source - Wikipedia & Haunted Bath - David Brandon

The Victorian Mourners - Bridgwater

Wed, 29 Mar 2023 21:35:12 GMT

The Victorian Mourners - St Marys Church - Bridgwater - Somerset

November 1992, between 10.30 - 11 pm at night.

A witness was said to have seen an old man and woman dressed in black, possibly in eighteenth or nineteenth century funeral clothes, walking out of church gates.

They turned right, and disappeared.

Source - Paranormal Database

Photo - National Churches Trust

The Lady in the Mac - Combe Down - Bath

Wed, 29 Mar 2023 21:19:50 GMT

The Lady in the Mac - Combe Down - Bath

Mrs Phillips used to regularly see what she thought was the ghost of a lady numerous times over the space of 18 months.

She was seen between a quarry and a field and Mrs Phillips thought that maybe she had some link to the quarry.

The witness says that the ghost appeared to be solid and was always wearing the same mackintosh, a beret and carrying a canvas bag.

It never spoke or acknowledged Mrs Phillips..

Thoughts -

I wonder what made Mrs Phillips think that it was a ghost and not just a living person?

It would also be good to know the era and whether the mines were still in operation at that time..

Source - Paranormal Somerset - Selena Wright

The Coalman of Coleford

Mon, 20 Mar 2023 21:51:33 GMT

The Old Coalman - Upper Vobster/ Coleford

The ghost is said to be that of the village coalman and has been seen by many a local driving through this area.

Eye witnesses say he crosses the road ahead of them and disappears through a hedge.

He is said to be wearing a long coat, hat, with a beard and a big stick, often said to resemble 'Gandalf the Wizard' from Lord of the Rings

The ghost doesnt appear to see the witness, so seems to be a residual spirit, just carrying on with its daily business.

Like with all residual hauntings, its having just the right conditions to be lucky enough to witness this.

One eye witness saw it early one morning in March, a few years ago, so its not know if all the sightings are in daylight or at night as well?

Source - Local Eyewitness

Photos - Artwork - Somerset Paranormal

Instant Streetview - Actually dated the same time of the eyewitness account March 2019

#somersetparanormal #somersetghoststories

The Martlet Inn - Langford Budville

Sat, 04 Mar 2023 22:44:42 GMT

The Martlet Inn - Langford Budville - Wellington - Somerset

History-

Of 17th century origins, there were two public houses in the village, namely the New Inn and the Crown.

The latter survives today, renamed the Martlet Inn in reference to the Sanford coat of arms.

A martlet in English heraldry is a mythical bird without feet that never roosts from the moment of its drop-birth until its death fall; martlets are proposed to be continuously on the wing, thought to be based on a swallow or martin.

Hauntings -

A former resident of the pub called 'Old Tom' is said to haunt the pub and is seen wearing a long coat and tricorn hat.

wooden tables are said to move when the room is emptym doors open and close, laid up tables are found in the mornings all messed up,

things and wine bottles fall off of the shelves.

There is also a spirit dog, thought to be a spaniel that people have felt moving around their legs under the tables.

Thoughts -

Although I cant find anything specific for the pub, it was used for inquests, as were all village pubs at one time, and I found a landlord by the name of William Rich, but not Tom.

The village does have a little bit of a dark past, with a shocking suicide, a mysterious infant death and a human remains found in a field, thought to be of a murdered man.

A farmer and his son were removing topsoil and came across a penny coin dating back to 1767 and then subsequently found the skull of the remains.

According to village elders at the time, there was a row and a fight between several men behind the New Inn and a man disappeared afterwards approximately 40-50 years prior to the discovery.

In 1863 there was the trial of a farmer named Thomas Cork on the charges of aggravated assault on their servant, him and his wife carried out all manner of barbaric and torturous things on the poor woman, he was sentenced to 6 months in gaol.

In 1930 there was a suicide that was discovered by the Martlet Inn's landlord William Rich in his barn, not sure where that would be in relation to the pub?

So on thinking maybe I wouldn't find very much on this little Somerset village, I have come across quite a lot of tragic occurrences.

Writing © Somerset Paranormal/ PJ Wallace Paranormal

Hauntings Source - Paranormal Somerset - Selena Wright

News Articles sourced & researched by Somerset Paranormal

The Royal Crescent - Bath

Fri, 24 Feb 2023 21:59:52 GMT

The Royal Crescent - Bath

One of the most famous and romantic landmarks in Bath, which is regularly used in the Netflix Series Bridgerton and has featured in many films and series over the years.

It has one established ghost story of soprano singer Lady Elizabeth Linley and her elopement, she lived with her family at No 11 (c1772) and the story says of a ghostly carriage and four horses driving at speed, clattering across the cobbles through the Crescent carrying a young Elizabeth and her beau Richard Brinsley.

(Full story on another post)

Allegedly heard and seen.

The spirit of Elizabeth is also said to be heard singing as she walks down the stairs of No 11

There is another story which says of one of the houses (number withheld for privacy) that has a spirit with a dislike for women and any females have difficulty staying there.

Does anyone know of any other stories?

Thoughts -

I am not sure of the frequency of this sighting of the carriage and horses or if any witnesses, or what time period this is supposed to occur, but it would be great to hear of anyone that has had this experience, either seen, or heard the horses & carriage, although if the witness, saw it suddenly, how could they assume that it was in fact Elizabeth and Richard in the carriage, as many a horse and carriage would have driven through there back in the day.

An interesting haunting of which dear readers, we would like to find out more about...

Source - The Bath Magazine

Words - © Bath Paranormal/ PJ Wallace Paranormal

Photos- Bath History & Mystery

Painting of Elizabeth by Thomas Gainsborough

#hauntedbath #royalcrescent #ghostsofbath #bathghosts #bathparanormal #royalcrescentghosts #regencybath #bridgertonbath #regency #bridgerton #spookybath #bathghosts

A Sudden Haunting - Bath

Fri, 24 Feb 2023 21:48:07 GMT

A Sudden Haunting - Burlington Street - Bath

History-

Burlington Street is one of the streets off of Julian Road on the lower edge of Lansdown in Bath, Somerset.

Built around 1786 with C19 and C20 alterations, its now flats.

Hauntings -

Back in the 1920's, the building in question was the vicarage for Christ Church, which was nearby.

It is said that there was a sudden and frenzied flurry of paranormal activity, which ceased almost as soon as it was started.

Could it have been attributed to some kind of renovations? or changes to the building?

The alleged paranormal activity recorded includes a child with long hair, an elderly woman, who was thought to be the wife of a previous vicar and a man with a wooden leg, who seemed to like stamping around in the attic at night, keeping the occupants of the house awake.

Nothing else seemed to be recorded after this...

Thoughts -

It would be good to know if there are any other stories out there for this building or any others in Burlington Street.

House Number withheld for privacy reasons and current occupants.

I have checked the Bath Records and there were about 4 different Reverends in the mid to late 1800's living there, also on checking the newspaper archives, nothing of note at all, apart from a theft.

So unless there are any more recent sightings, nothing can really be verified with this one..

Source - Haunted Bath - David Brandon

Rewritten - © PJ Wallace Paranormal/ Bath Paranormal

Photos - Instant Street View, Know Your Place 1888

Sadly I cant find any old photos of it.

#bathparanormal #hauntedbath #paranormalbath #bathghoststories

Wheal Eliza - Simonsbath - Somerset

Fri, 17 Feb 2023 21:35:17 GMT

Wheal Eliza/ Maria Copper Mine - Simonsbath - Somerset

History -

Wheal Eliza Mine was an unsuccessful copper and iron mine on the River Barle near Simonsbath on Exmoor in Somerset.

The first mining activity on the site may be from 1552.

The mine was originally called Wheal Maria, then changed to Wheal Eliza.

It was one of the projects undertaken by the Knight family after they bought large parts of Exmoor in the early 19th century

Little copper was produced and the mine closed in around 1857.

The remains of the workers' cottage, one of the leats, the space where the water wheel was once located and the mine shaft can still be seen.

In 1858 the area became notorious for the murder of a seven-year-old girl, Anna Burgess. (Hannah Maria Burgess as reported in the newspapers of 1858)

On the death of her mother she moved with her father, William Burgess, into lodgings in Simonsbath.

His older children went into domestic service.

Burgess was supported by The Reverend W. H. Thornton (1830-1916) who was the first vicar of Exmoor.

The parson raised money to support Burgess, but this was spent on alcohol.

In June 1858 he left his lodgings with his daughter, telling the landlady that he was taking her to live with her grandmother in Porlock Weir.

Some burnt clothes were found which had belonged to Anna and the Rev Thornton investigated in Porlock Weir finding that the girl had not been taken there.

Thornton instigated a search and rode to Curry Rivel to fetch the nearest police officer.

The searchers had found a recently dug grave, however it did not contain the girl's body.

Burgess had escaped by boat to Swansea but was found and brought back to Somerset, where he was imprisoned in Dulverton.

He said nothing about the whereabouts of his daughter and searches of the local moors continued for two months.

A witness then said he had seen Burgess near the Wheal Eliza Mine.

Local magistrates ordered the mine to be drained which took several months and cost £350.

Once the water had been pumped away a bag was found containing the child's body.

Burgess was found guilty of murder and before being hanged admitted that he had killed her so that he could spend the 2s 6d a week intended for her welfare on drink.

He was taken to the gaol in Taunton and hanged on 4 January 1859

Anna was buried in an unmarked grave in St Luke's Churchyard in Simonsbath.

The Exmoor Society later erected a headstone but as the location of the actual grave is unknown, they chose a suitable spot.

Hauntings -

The mine is said to be haunted by the ghost of Anna.

Source - Wikipedia & Paranormal Somerset by Selena Wright

Beckington Abbey - Beckington

Wed, 08 Feb 2023 21:43:23 GMT

Beckington Abbey - Beckington - Somerset

History -

The Abbey, Beckington in Beckington, Somerset, England is a historic building that was founded as a monastic grange and also used as a college for priests.

The building was begun in 1502, but after the Dissolution of the Monasteries it became a private house.

It was altered in the early 17th century with a new front and a sumptuous barrel vaulted plaster ceiling, and also altered in the 19th century. The house was used as a school, restaurant and dance hall in 19th and 20th centuries but has now been restored as three houses:

Although never an abbey, the site may have been in use from about 1156, and by 1347 seems to have been used as a college for priests.

It was earlier called Beckington Grange.

The estate included 185 acres of farmland and may have been am abbey grange connected with the abbey at Wells.

There was also a tithe barn, a malt house, a fish pond, corn and cloth mills.

The present building seems to have been founded as an Augustinian hospital in 1502.

The monks were attached to Bath Abbey, although previously connected to Wells Cathedral.

Haunting -

Time & date unknown, pre 1970

The grey woman once rumoured to haunt this area was thought to be an abbess.

Source - Paranormal Database & Wikipedia

Somerset Walkarounds - Fussells Iron Works - Mells

Sat, 04 Feb 2023 22:01:21 GMT

This is another in my series of short videos which I have put together showing some of the most beautiful locations in Somerset.

Most are haunted and have some kind of interesting history attached to them, a lot of the locations will be undisclosed, as to keep the anonymity of the places.

The full videos with complimentary music, can be viewed on my Tiktok, You Tube and Instagram channels.

Fussells Iron Works - February 2023

History -

Old Iron Works, Mells (Fussells' Lower Works)is a 0.25 hectare biological Site of Special Scientific Interest, in the Wadbury Valley, south of the village of Mells in Somerset.

The site is a ruined iron works, which mainly produced agricultural edge-tools that were exported all over the world, and is now, in addition to its unique and major importance in relation to industrial archaeology, used as a breeding site by horseshoe bats.

The block of buildings adjacent to the entrance is listed Grade II* and most of the rest of the site is a Scheduled Ancient Monument.

It is included in the Heritage at Risk Register produced by English Heritage.

It is likely that there was some form of foundry on or near the site since about 1500 when Mells seems to have been known as Iron Burgh.

There are further documentary records which indicate that iron working had been undertaken locally since at least the early 13th century.

The land on which the Lower Works were built was leased by John Horner (an alleged descendant of Little Jack Horner ) to James Fussell III of Stoke Lane, on 25 December 1744, to erect "a good, firme and substantiall Mill or Mills for Grinding Edge Tools and forging Iron plates".

His son, James Fussell IV further developed the business.

At one time it employed 250 people on this site and continued for many years, with various members of the Fussell family operating a total of six sites in the local area: the Upper Works further up the Wadbury Valley, the Great Elm Edge-Tool Works, the Chantry Works, the Railford Works and a small site at Gurney Slade .

Tools produced by Fussells were exported to Europe and America, and the family expanded its activities to include coal mining and banking, with the business issuing its own banknotes at one stage.

The business declined towards the end of the 19th century, due in part to a failure to convert from water to steam power until a late stage, and also to the collapse of English agriculture in the 1870's

By 1895 production had ceased, and the company folded in 1900.

Many of the old photographs, diagrams, plans and tools are now exhibited at Frome Museum.

Source - Wikipedia

Video - © PJ Wallace Paranormal

George & Dragon Pub - Batheaston - Bath

Sat, 04 Feb 2023 21:33:03 GMT

George & Dragon Pub - Batheaston

History -

Originally a house, The George & Dragon is an 18th Century grade two listed pub at the heart of village of Batheaston around two miles to the east of Bath city centre.

It used to brew its own ale and ceased brewing in 1966.

Up until the early 60's it had been run by the Beaven family of Batheaston for over 100 years.

It was taken over by the Grosvenor Hotel Bath Ltd, who did extensive renovations including putting in place the 1000g beer vat in place for the door, they also found an old well inside too.

Inquests were also held here.

Hauntings-

There is a room known as Annie's Room, where Annie is said to have hung herself, she is said to haunt the pub.

Footsteps are heard when the building is locked and empty and something can be spotted moving in peripheral vision as well.

Thoughts & Research -

I cant find much in the history of the pub, so if anyone knows anything which can be added to the account, that would be great.

Further research into Annie to follow.

So far I have found a manslaughter case, kind of on the premises, see newspaper article below, where a lady got into an argument with her nephew whilst they were out for the evening, he threw an earthenware mug at her which hit her in the face, which resulted in her passing from her injuries, this was in 1858.

A local source tells me that the building was probably 13/14 Stambridge Place, I have found a Miss Anne Webb, a dressmaker that lived at No 15 from 1866, is this Annie? (see picture below)

Source - Paranormal Somerset - Selena Wright

British Newspaper Archives

#bathparanormal #paranormalbath #bathghoststories #hauntedbath #bathghosts #somersetparanormal #hauntedpubs #pubghosts #batheaston

St Marys Church - Yatton

Sat, 04 Feb 2023 21:14:22 GMT

St Marys Church - Yatton

History -

The most interesting feature of Yatton and its crowning glory is the beautiful Church of St. Mary the Virgin, dubbed 'The Cathedral of the Moors'.

The church is the oldest building in Yatton and the only one in near-continuous use for its original purpose.

No doubt in Saxon times a Christian church, probably of wood, existed here.

This was followed in the 12th and 13th centuries by a stone, cruciform building, of a smaller size than now, with a central tower, which stood until the end of the 14th century.

The first Vicar recorded was Benthelin or Benzelin in 1084.

With regard to the church, the 15th century was the most important time in its history.

Emmota, daughter of Sir John Perrott of Islington, became the second wife of Sir Richard Newton, Chief Justice of the Common Pleas, and for the greater part of that century the family of Newton enlarged, enriched, and beautified the church.

Although much that was acquired in the 15th Century was sold in the 16th Century, the Church as it is still today is one of the noblest examples of 15th Century Gothic in the County of Somerset.

The lowest part of the Tower is the oldest part of the Church, about 1340. The unique form of the spire, or steeple, is much discussed.

Spires are not very usual features in Somerset churches.

Those that exist seem to follow the line of the coast, and give rise to the suggestion that they may have been used as beacons.

The clock of 1877, despite careful tending and winding by a few dedicated parishioners, ceased operation in the early part of 1998 owing to the ravages of time, and the after-effects of a disastrous fire that gutted the Tower in 1991.

The Bells are always rung on Guy Fawkes' Day.

It is believed that this good old custom has been repeated in Yatton every 5th November since 1606 with the exception of the years 1939-1945, when the ringing of Bells was only to be used as a means of warning of Invasion.

In the Churchwardens' Accounts 1685 to 1706 this annual ringing is duly recorded, as is also the ringing on the 29th 'May, Oak Apple Day, to celebrate the escape of King Charles from Oliver Cromwell's Army in 1651

Havoc in Wellington

Tue, 31 Jan 2023 20:39:23 GMT

Fore Street - Wellington - Somerset

A house on this street is said to be haunted by one of its former residents.

He was a banker, who was not well liked amongst the town, so after he passed its said that he wreaked havoc by appearing as a frightening figure, shouting, swearing and throwing things.

An exorcism was needed to stop the activity.

Source - Paranormal Somerset - Selena Wright

#somersetparanormal #somersetghoststories #hauntedsomerset #paranormalsomerset #paranormal

Taunton Castle Hotel - Taunton

Wed, 18 Jan 2023 18:39:00 GMT

Taunton Castle Hotel - Taunton - Somerset

History -

This hotel attached to Taunton Castle.

In 1685 the Duke of Monmouth used Taunton Castle as a base before his troop's defeat by King James II at Sedgemoor.

Judge Jeffreys then held his Bloody Assizes in the Great Hall of the Castle.

The main building today, which was at one time known as Clarke's Hotel, was built in the late 18th century, and is Grade II listed.

The building was then added in the 20th century, with a top floor addition.

The building incorporates Castle Bow a Grade I listed building which originally formed the east gate to the Castle precincts.

It still has 13th century chamfered arches, and corner buttresses with setoffs.

Hauntings -

The gentle ghost of a lady violinist is reputed to haunt the hotel.

The faint sounds of a violin playing have been said to have been heard in one of the hotels bedrooms.

Where a soft hand is also felt gently stroking the bedding, so it is presumed it is a female violinist..

Another theory is that the music is linked to the Duke of Monmouth where he rallied the poor in Taunton to his banner and was proclaimed King before proceeding further on his march across Somerset..

Source- Somerset & Bristol Ghost Stories/ Somerset Live

Photos - Gibson Violinist- Granger c1910

Duke of Monmouth- William Wissing

#tauntoncastle #tauntoncastlehotel #tauntoncastlehauntings #hauntedcastles #paranormal #spookycastles #ghostlymusic #dukeofmonmouth #tauntonghosts #somerset #somersetghosts #ghostsofsomerset #somersetparanormal

Midford Castle - Bath

Sat, 07 Jan 2023 21:52:19 GMT

Midford Castle - Midford - Bath

History

Henry Woolhouse Disney Roebuck (1733–1796) chose to construct Midford Castle in 1774–1775.

According to local legend, the building’s unusual trefoil shape is said to have been based upon the ace of clubs, the winning card that gave Roebuck his wealth.

The truth is less glamorous.

Roebuck was indeed a man of some wealth, but this was because he had inherited land and property from his grandmother and maternal uncle (£2,000 per year, about £200,000 today).

His surname was originally Disney (or D’Isney), but he assumed his uncle’s name as proof to his right to the will.

In 1810, the castle was bought by one of the Conollys of Castletown House in County Kildare, who added the porch (said to give the clubs symbol its stalk) and built the nearby stables and chapel, known as the priory.

The latter fell into disrepair after the last of the Conollys sold the house in 1901

In 1902 the estate was bought by Captain Ottley.

Ottley, however, was almost immediately recalled to his post as naval attaché in St Petersburg, Russia, so it was quickly bought by Major Edwin Wilson Gresham Williams Hepworth.

After his death in 1937, Midford was purchased by retired solicitor Henry Whatley in 1939.

Whatley opened the grounds to the public to raise money for various local charities during and after the Second World War.

He died at Midford in 1957 at the age of 102 and following on from his death a number of short-term incumbents occupied the castle.

In 1961 the Castle was sold for £15,000 (around £325,000 today) to the Briggs family. Michael Briggs (1926–2017), was the chair of the Bath Preservation Society, and his wife Isabel Colegate (b.1931), is an author whose book The Shooting Party (1980) is thought to have been inspired by Midford, and which later influenced Julian Fellowes creation of Downton Abbey.

By the 1960s most of the grounds had been sold, but when planning permission was refused, the Briggs bought it all back and restored the estate to its former glory.

In 2007 the Hollywood actor Nicholas Cage purchased Midford Castle, only to be forced to resell it two years later to pay for tax arrears.

Today it is again a family home, one with an intriguing and marked history.

Part of a Roman road was also found in the grounds.

The Castle is just above the old Midford Station and the Somerset & Dorset Line, which would have had plenty of people viewing the castle daily from the train.

Full history here - https://thebathmagazine.co.uk/history-midford-castle/

Hauntings -

As the castle has always been in private hands, there dont seem to be any documented hauntings or sightings for the actual house and immediate grounds.

There was a report by a witness of a headless horseman, the person seeing it was said to have been so petrified that his hair turned white overnight, he was later nicknamed 'Snowball'

Ghostly Roman soldiers are also rumoured to be in the area as well..

Thoughts -

Someone I used to know spent a lot of time in the area, living just below the castle at one time and their Mother actually living in the castle at one time back in the 50's/ 60's, so it would be great to hear of any stories from any other locals too.

Frankenstein published 205 years ago today..

Sun, 01 Jan 2023 19:17:36 GMT

Frankenstein published 205 years ago today.

Mary Shelley and Bath (my Home town)

By all accounts, Shelley came to Bath to hide.

Yet she found deep wells of inspiration while living in the shadow of the city’s Gothic abbey, particularly among Bath’s medical community.

Significantly, she was a contemporary of Dr Charles Wilkinson, a pioneer of medical electricity, and attended lectures at his laboratory around the corner from her lodgings when she was writing about Victor Frankenstein breaking taboos by using galvanism to shock life into a creature stitched together from dead body parts.

Frankenstein is widely considered the first science-fiction novel – and Bath’s imprint on Shelley’s story is clear.

She stayed at the now-demolished 5 Abbey Church Yard when she arrived in Bath in 1816. (highlighted on the map below)

It was there that she wrote much of Frankenstein, which was published anonymously in 1818 on the 1st of January.

Unbeknown to Shelley, she was practically living on top of the Roman Baths, but they weren’t discovered until 60 years after she left.

The living quarters she occupied were torn down in the 1890s to extend the Pump Room.

Shelley’s ties to Bath were laid to rest for 200 years, but then a plaque (see below) was erected in 2018 on the bicentenary of Frankenstein’s publication after a campaign by cultural historian Christopher Frayling.

Mary Shelley's - House of Frankenstein is a visitor attraction at 37 Gay Street..

Incidentally, said to be haunted too..?

Sources- Photos - Portrait -By Richard Rothwell & The Guardian

#maryshelley #maryshelleybath #frankenstein #houseoffrankenstein #horrorinbath #famousbathpeople #bathparanormal #bathexhibitions

The Ship Inn - Porlock - Somerset

Wed, 28 Dec 2022 10:28:19 GMT

The Ship Inn - Porlock - Somerset

History

At the lower end of Porlock Hill, close to the junction with High Street is The Ship Inn,

It is locally called 'Top Ship' to avoid confusion with the Ship at Porlock Wier, nearer the coast

The inn is a typical example of the local vernacular style with thatched roof and originally dates from the 16th-17th century but was altered and enlarged in the early-mid 19th century.

A renowned building following its association with The Poet Laureate, Robert Southey where he was “by the unwelcome summer rain confined..”

He stayed at the Ship Inn on 9th August 1779.

The rain kept him inside by the fire, which is now known as 'Southey's Corner'.

While here, he wrote the Sonnet to Porlock that was published on 26th August in the 'Morning Post'.

The website for The Ship Inn claims the building was constructed in 1290, making it one of the oldest inns in the country.

It is rumoured that the inn was linked to a nearby cottage using at least one secret tunnel, for smuggling purposes.

Hauntings-

An older female spirit is said to haunt here, although reports say she is benign, doors have been found to be locked that should not have been and a bed seemingly slept in when it shouldn't have been.

Is this the female spirit? or something else?

Thoughts -

I would maybe have thought given the history of the pub and its links to smuggling, that there may have been more than one spirit haunting here?

Has anyone ever been there or even worked there?

Are there any stories for Porlock's other Ship Inn, down at the weir, by the sea..

Sources - ExmoorHER & Paranormal Somerset by Selena Wright

Focus on Rivers Street - Bath

Mon, 26 Dec 2022 09:00:04 GMT

Focus on - Rivers Street - Bath

I have been running my Bath and Somerset paranormal and history groups for a few years now and one place that pops up regularly in posts about haunted locations is Rivers Street in Bath.

This road in the centre of Bath is filled with Georgian Town houses built from 1752.

Rivers Street was developed by John Wood the Younger on three parcels of land

Back in 1836 & 1852, stone coffins were found on nearby Russell Street while workmen were digging to lay drains, they found skeletons and artifacts inside them.

Hauntings-

I have seen reports of a few of the flats having various types of activity in them.

I was contacted by two people who had lived there are different times and with differing accounts of their individual hauntings.

One had seen the spirit of a female that used to almost indicate towards the window of a ground floor flat.

The resident picked up on a traumatic death with this woman.

Research

This is where it gets interesting.

After looking through the newspaper archives I came across a report from 1925 of a woman who in a drug induced state had thrown herself out of a 4th story window, her landlady tried to help her but she fell impaling herself on the railings below at ground floor level and sadly subsequently died.

This was at the same address as the resident had seen the female spirit hanging around at the window, who was looking out at the railings where she had met her untimely death....

Thoughts -

This has got to be one of the most compelling case studies so far as the research tied in with what the witness sensed about the woman and her actions.

I would love to hear from more residents of Rivers Street, current and old that may have had an experience, or even seen the same woman.

This is ongoing and I will add any new information on sighting or new haunted locations within Rivers Street as they are uncovered.

Wellsway - Bath

Thu, 22 Dec 2022 20:01:11 GMT

Wellsway - The Roman Road - Bath

This seems to be a theme at the moment, each piece of information that comes through to me, either on a post or via messenger seems to be of a road ghost.

Following on from my post a few days ago about ghost sightings in the Odd Down area, which had some great comments, Thank you.

This post is about whether anyone has seen any apparitions or any strange figures over the years on the Wellsway Road or around Rosemary Lodge?

Several people have reported sightings in the area, including a ghostly pair of legs crossing the road in front of them and a lady in white around Rosemary Lodge.

History -

Wellsway or Wells Road (A367) was the Fosseway Roman road out of Bath to the South, so that roadway has been there in some form for centuries.

The area behind Rosemary Lodge was part of the Bath Workhouse grounds, where its said that thousands of bodies were buried over the years.

See separate post on St Martins Hospital and the Bath Workhouse.

In the 1800's there was a pub on it, called The Plough Inn and it was also the main tramway to Odd Down.

There were stone quarries on the Entry Hill side too.

Barrack Farm is thought to be a medieval freehold tenement farm, showing on maps from 1742, during gas mains laying on the new road in 1955, a collection of Roman and medieval pottery was discovered, as well as a stone wall.

It was suggested that a large building, possibly part of the deserted village of Berewick occupied this area in medieval times and there was Roman building on the vicinity.

The name 'Berewick' derives from the Old English word bere-wic, meaning barley farm or village,

It seems that long before the Conquest, it referred to an outlying, sometimes detached part of a Manor.

In this case possibly the Manor of Lyncombe, but there pages of further information on this on the pdf link below.

Thoughts -

The ghostly legs would be residual, just a playback of a moment in time, to view this kind of phenomena, you need to be in the right place at the right time, where the atmospheric conditions are just right, so anyone witnessing anything like this is very lucky.

The apparitions seen around Rosemary Lodge is interesting, are they connected to the workhouse? or are they from an even earlier time, or from more recent years and maybe linked to the Hospital.

I would love to hear of any other sightings, you can message the page if you prefer to be anonymous.

Sources - historyofbath. org

https://historyofbath.org/images/BathHistory/Vol%2008%20-%2002.%20Keevil%20-%20Barrack(s)%20Farm,%20Wellsway,%20Bath%20-%20The%20Estate%20and%20its%20Holders.pdf?fbclid=IwAR3HzbjZR4zhJJaNYtetutHfKeVvg9viJAoDInVilR09fLmS_HOypAvjEBk

Know Your Place maps

Dunster Castle Ghost Stories - The National Trust Shop

Tue, 20 Dec 2022 10:33:22 GMT

Dunster Castle Ghosts - The National Trust Shop and A Man in Green

In the area of the seventeenth century stable block, which now houses the National Trust shop, staff members say that they have seen a man dressed in green walking through only to disappear without trace.

There have also been reports of a mysterious green light that bobs across the shop before disappearing.

Many people have complained about a menacing, uncomfortable mood here – leading some visitors to ask directly whether anyone had been murdered there.

In the stock room, displays fall over without any obvious reason, and unopened boxes have been found to have been ruined by a mysterious brown, sticky ‘gunge’.

Source - National Trust

#dunstercastle #dunstercastleghosts #hauntedcastles #somersetcastles #supernaturalsomerset #somersetparanormal #hauntedsomerset #paranormal #nationaltrustghosts #nationaltrustghoststories

Christmas Ghost Stories - Holford - Somerset

Mon, 19 Dec 2022 10:05:46 GMT

Christmas Eve Ghosts - A residual haunting.

This tale is from Nomansland, near Holford in Somerset and is said to reoccur every Christmas Eve.

Appearing on the stroke of midnight, an old fashioned coach pulled by a team of spectral black horses goes up the driveway and back down again, before mysteriously vanishing again.

Sometimes the coach has a female passenger.

It is believed that her ghost is also sometimes seen walking between Holford and Nether Stowey, although the identity of this female ghost is a mystery...

Source - Paranormal Database

Please note - Map location shown is approximate..

#christmasghosts #somersetparanormal #ghostcoach #ghostlycoaches #somersetchristmasghosts #residualhauntings #supernaturalsomerset #phantomcoach #phantomhaunting #phantomhorses #christmashauntings

An Exorcism in Whitchurch

Sun, 18 Dec 2022 11:05:37 GMT

Highcroft - 615 Wells Road, Whitchurch - Bristol

An exorcism was once performed in this building after a previous owner reported an apparition staring through the window, watching their movements.

The building was once a morgue.

Source - Paranormal Database.

Thoughts -

I would love to know why the owners felt the activity was so bad that an exorcism was required.

The person looking through the window, the building is on a busy main road, although not knowing any further details, it could just simply have been a living person being nosy..

If anyone knows any more or whether there is still activity there now at all..

This is actually the HQ for my vets and one of my dogs spent time there earlier in the year, so I am interested on a personal level..

Story - Paranormal Database, Map - Know your Place, Now photo - Google Street view

#ghoststories #somersetparanormal #hauntedbristol #whitchurch #bristolghosts #supernaturalsomerset #somersetsupernatural #ghosts #paranormal #somersetghoststories

Bath and Jane Austen

Fri, 16 Dec 2022 10:59:13 GMT

Bath & Jane Austen

Has the ghost of Jane Austen has ever been spotted in Bath?

Born on this day, 16th December 1775

When Jane Austen made Bath her home, from 1801 to 1806, the city was a thriving spa resort, popular with fashionable society.

The city provided inspiration for two of her six published novels, Northanger Abbey and Persuasion

There are four houses in Bath that Jane Austen lived in during her active association with the city—an association that lasted approximately six years.

In the summer of 1799 she stayed with her mother at 13 Queen Square for a month.

A year later her father, the Rev. George Austen, gave up his living at Steventon in Hampshire, and decided to retire to Bath.

A suitable house was found at 4 Sydney Place, and the family stayed there until the expiry of the lease three years later; a bronze tablet on the wall of the house identifies it as Miss Austen’s main home in the city.

A short lease was then taken on 27 Green Park Buildings, where Jane’s father died in January, 1805; and afterwards Mrs Austen and her daughters moved to 25 Gay Street.

Little more than a year later, in the summer of 1806, they left Bath permanently moving first to Clifton and Southampton, and finally, in 1809, to the little village of Chawton in Hampshire, where Jane spent eight happy and productive years before her death in 1817.

She never liked Bath.

Some time after leaving the city, she wrote to her sister Cassandra: ‘It will be two years tomorrow since we left Bath for Clifton, with what happy feelings of escape’.

Perhaps she was mirroring her own feelings when, in Northanger Abbey, she has Isabella Thorpe confiding to Catherine Morland: ‘I get so immoderately sick of Bath; your brother and I were agreeing this morning that though it is vastly well to be here for a few weeks, we would not live here for millions’.

Yet, in spite of her obvious dislike of the city, the major parts of two of her novels—Northanger Abbey and Persuasion—are set in Bath, and the life she herself led there is perfectly reflected in the pages of both of them.

She died on 18 July 1817 (aged 41) and is buried at Winchester Cathedral.

Thoughts-

But did she ever return to Bath and has her ghost ever been spotted in any of these houses ? maybe, maybe not...

It would be interesting to know if any of the four addresses above have any paranormal activity, as she may not have liked the City very much, but she had a strong connection to it.

I have just noticed as I was looking for photos for this post, that I have actually been in no 13 Queen Square, as it was/ still is a solicitors office, and has been since 1833

None of the above houses have an entry on the Bath Historical directories, as they must have missed the census dates at the time they were there.

#janeausten #janeaustenbath #regencybath #janeaustensbath #ghostsofbath #ghostofjaneausten ~bathandjaneausten #janeaustenfans

Sources - Bath .co uk

Image - Istock - GeorgiosArt & Bath in Time

Grave - Lionel Bird - Pictures of England

Ghostly Tales from the Theatre

Sun, 11 Dec 2022 11:57:30 GMT

Ghost Tales from the Theatre (1970's)

This is one of the many stories and accounts of ghosts of the Bath Theatre Royal.
This one, strangely has only ever been seen by people who were performing at the Theatre or attached to a live show.
It was never seen by any of the staff members and seemed to always allude one of the male workers there.
The apparition is described as being an odd looking chap who would just stand in the foyer dressed in an old fashioned tricorn hat, a long-tailed jacket with big brass buttons and the doublet and hose.
He would just be stood in the foyer staring out in front of him and not taking any notice of the people around him.
The male staff member was starting to get fed up of people saying that they had seen him and thought it was just someone messing around.
Once, on a hot summer's day, an actor came into the foyer saying "It's hot today, how does the man stand out there with all those clothes on? and the staff member replied "What are you talking about ? and the actor said "That bloke out there, all dressed up in old fashioned clothes"
So the staff member says "Is he there now? the actor says "Yes"
The staff member says "Right I'll have him now" and rushes around the bar to look and yet again it was empty.... he had vanished.
At the time the staff member thought it was just somebody around there and didn't actually realise that it was a ghost until one afternoon.
He was just going about his usual daily chores and a young couple came through into the foyer and he heard them remark, "Why is he standing there ?
The staff member looks around, because he hadn't seen anybody else there and as far as he was concerned the foyer was empty, apart from him.
So he asked who they meant and the woman waved her arm towards the empty part of the foyer, "That man there"
He says "What are you talking about ? There's no one there ...
The girl smiling, turned around and looked at the empty space and said "Why him"
She then suddenly pales and repeatedly says "Oh my God. Oh my God" and was in quite a distressed state.
She later revealed after a stiff drink, that she had actually witnessed the spirit and it disappeared in front of her.
She described the man exactly as others described him before, but with buckled shoes and also a red wig.
A man with a red wig has been witnessed at the Garrick's Head next door.
So that is the mystery of the man in the Foyer, nobody knows who he was and why he only appears to members of the cast or other people that don't work at the theatre and he's never been seen by any of the staff over the years.
The events above happened in the late 1970s, but there have now been some changes and that area of the foyer has actually changed so it would be interesting to know whether he is still seen today although time of the writing of the book there had been no further reported sightings of him.

Thoughts -
He is clearly a residual spirit, and maybe it was just coincidence that he was only seen by cast members.

Could it be Beau Nash? passing through from his old house and gambling club next door, The Garricks Head ?
In 1704, Nash became Master of Ceremonies in Bath, a position he retained until he died.
He played a leading role in making Bath the most fashionable resort in 18th-century England
The man in the red wig spotted at the Garricks Head, walks through the doorway made to connect the pub & theatre.
He is thought to be David Garrick, an actor who was a later tenant and made this doorway for his ease of use.

Changing the layout of the foyer wouldn't necessarily stop the apparition as a residual ghost is unaware of its surroundings, hence why some are seen halfway up walls or going through doorways that don't exist etc.
It would be interesting to see an old floorplan with the spot marked out and the new floor plan.

So was he an original Regency Dandy? Beau Nash or an old actor in costume?
My money is on Beau Nash or maybe David Garrick as they seem the most feasible and had strong ties to the location.

Source - Paranormal Bath - Malcolm Cadey

Available to buy on Amazon

Rewritten - P Wallace
Photo - Main - Credit - John Rawlings c1950 (Bath Chronicle Memories Cutting) Bath in Time (Inner Foyer 1964), Beau Nash - British Museum & Map 1887 Insurance maps

https://bathintime.co.uk/image-library/image-overview/poster/38741/posterid/38741.html

The Gothic Manor House - Tyntesfield

Sat, 10 Dec 2022 11:49:24 GMT

Tyntesfield is a Victorian Gothic Revival house and estate near Wraxall, North Somerset, England.

The house is a Grade I listed building named after the Tynte baronets, who had owned estates in the area since about 1500.

The location was formerly that of a 16th-century hunting lodge, which was used as a farmhouse until the early 19th century.

In the 1830s a Georgian mansion was built on the site, which was bought by English businessman William Gibbs, whose huge fortune came from guano used as fertilizer.

In the 1860s Gibbs had the house significantly expanded and remodelled; a chapel was added in the 1870s.

The Gibbs family owned the house until the death of Richard Gibbs in 2001.

Tyntesfield was purchased by the National Trust in June 2002, after a fundraising campaign to prevent it being sold to private interests and ensure it would be open to the public.

The house was opened to visitors for the first time just 10 weeks after the acquisition, and as more rooms are restored they are added to the tour.

The house was featured in the 2017 film Crooked House, an adaptation of the Agatha Christie novel of the same name starring Glenn Close, Terence Stamp, Max Irons and Christina Hendricks.

It also featured in the BBC television series Sherlock in the episode "The Abominable Bride" and Doctor Who in the episode "Hide"

Hauntings -

A female ghost has been seen by National Trust volunteers.

Said to be a benign 'nice' spirit

Has anyone ever visited and seen or felt anything?

*UPDATE- 11/12/22

A local source says that they saw a person looking out of an upstairs window, when the house was locked up and closed, and they also glimpsed someone in the back courtyard, rushing down the corridor, where the toilets are now.

Source - Wikipedia

Photos - Somerset Paranormal

#hauntedsomerset #nationaltrust #tyntesfield #tyntesfieldhaunted #ghostsoftyntesfield #northwraxall #paranormal #ghosts #gothicmanorhouse #nationaltrustghosts

The Mysterious Man on the Bypass..

Wed, 30 Nov 2022 14:24:47 GMT

The Peasedown St John Bypass (A367 from Bath) and the Tall Thin Man in a Hat..

This very tall & thin man in a long coat and hat, has been spotted by quite a few local people travelling the road, at roughly between 3-4am,
He has been spotted at various points on the road can between the old Titfield Thunderbolt pub/ Dunkerton Hill, along the bypass and Wellow Lane.
Reports go back over 15 years and are still coming forward now..

One explanation is it could be the ghost of The Rev. John Skinner, who was a preacher amateur antiquarian and archaeologist in the area in the 1800`s, traveling & preaching between Camerton, Carlingcott & Peasedown, who shot himself in Camerton woods in Oct 1839

Another eyewitness saw an apparition of man wearing a cape or long coat and a hat riding on a horse at the top of Skinners Hill, Camerton.

It was illuminated by the lights of an oncoming car and it just faded away, that location is very close to the woods where he committed suicide, but this sighting was late evening in early Summer in the 1980's

© Somerset Paranormal/ Local Sources

Read more about John Skinner here - https://radstockmuseum.co.uk/rev-john-skinner/

UPDATE- 2nd December 2022

After posting this story on my Bath Paranormal Facebook page, I made contact with a lady who had witnessed the apparition of a male a bit further along the road, closer to Radstock, approx 5 years ago.

Strangely her sister was driving the same stretch of road a few weeks later and unknowingly caught the same apparition in the same place on her dashcam!

I have seen a copy of the footage, which is quite compelling, but unfortunately cant share for privacy reasons.

It was spotted between Skinners Hill junction and the top of Clandown, as you drop down into Radstock, I am looking into the area to see if I can see who he may be.

There were 3 fatal accidents further back on the road prior to the experience.

So this is ongoing, and I will add in any more updates as I get them.

UPDATE - 11th December 2022 - Sadly this story has been picked up by Somerset Live and has been slightly distorted and myself misquoted..

#hauntedsomerset #hauntedroads #haunted #peasedown #peasedownghosts #ghostlyman #shadowfigures #maninhatspirit #paranormal #somersetparanormal #supernaturalsomerset #supernatural

The Admiral of Bennett Street - Bath

Sun, 27 Nov 2022 09:48:51 GMT

The Admiral of Bennett Street (The Man in the Hat?)

One of the most famous ghost stories and sightings in Bath is that of the 'Man in the Hat' usually spotted around Bennett Street..

The man is thought to be Admiral Arthur Phillip, who was a Royal Navy officer who became the founding Governor of the Colony of New South Wales. (1738-1814)

Phillip suffered a stroke in 1808, which left him partially paralysed.

He died 31 August 1814 at his residence, No 19 Bennett Street, Bath.

He was buried at St Nicholas's Church, Bathampton, although this is subject to some controversy.. (See link below)

The house in Bennett Street is alleged to be haunted by him.

A lady who lived there had frequently seen his ghost, also a servant girl, who had recently entered the service, one day excitedly rushed to her mistress, ex-claiming that there was a gentleman walking about upstairs, dressed in the blue coat, with the breeches, silk stockings, and gold-buckled shoes, of the portrait now in the National Gallery of London. the lady pointed to a miniature upon the mantel-shelf, and asked: ‘Was that the gentleman?’

Of course it was, and the miniature was a portrait of the admiral.

He has also been seen sitting in front of the fire in one of the back downstairs rooms, but fades away when he is spoken to.

He is also said to be the mysterious man in a black hat that is spotted around the Assembly Rooms, which is close to Bennett Street, described as a thin hunched figure wearing a black robe and large black hat.

But this could well be someone else? as the ghost in Bennett Street appears to be residual, and as Admiral Philip was paralysed on one side, he may not have taken to walking around much outside whilst he lived in Bath, so if his ghost is residual, this may well not be him, but another.. but who?

The house also had quite a few people live in it after the Admiral, the Bowie family for about 40 years, so any ghosts in the house more recently could possibly be one of those too..

The house is now flats and it would be really interesting to know if any activity has been experienced in more recent years..

Sources- Haunted Bath/ David Brandon

Mysterious Britain

Photos - Wikipedia (Painting by Francis Wheatley), Bath Chronicle & Bath in Time

#hauntedbath #famousbathghosts #ghostsofbath #admiralphilip #themaninthehat #spookybath #bathghoststories

#famousebathghoststories #supernaturalsomerset #supernaturalbath #bathparanormal #paranormalbath #halloween

The Running Man - Miles Buildings - Bath

Sat, 26 Nov 2022 21:02:06 GMT

Ghostly Males around the Assembly Rooms.

The story of the ghost of the 'man in the black hat' is well known around this area, some say that its Admiral Philip who used to live nearby.

But another apparition has been spotted in the area that doesn't match the man in the hat description and is said to be of a youngish well built man, in evening dress and tail jacket who seems to be arguing with someone, then runs off down St Andrews Terrace, only to disappear on Miles Buildings..

Thoughts/ Research

The story came from an anonymous source, so I am unable to disclose full details of the account, but we think it was a residual ghost, as it was not aware of the witness and we think they just saw a replay of a past event that had occurred in that area.

The witness followed who he thought was a living person at that time, as they had no reason to think otherwise, then was astonished to find they had vanished in Miles Buildings.

Anyone who knows the area well knows that it is a narrowish passageway with tall townhouses on one side.

Also, there was a couple on Miles Buildings who the witness asked if they had seen anyone go past and they hadn't.

This happened around 2010, so fairly recent, it would be interesting to know if anyone else has seen anything similar at all in that area ?

Source - Local Anonymous

Words - P Wallace/ Bath Paranormal

The Slab House Inn - West Horrington - Wells

Thu, 24 Nov 2022 11:51:18 GMT

The Slab House Inn, West Horrington, Wells. Somerset C15th

History-

East Horrington just outside of Wells, is on the old turnpike road to Frome.

The Manor was held by John De La Ryvere in the time of Edward VI in 1315 and in the time of Henry VI by Sir William Palton, by the service of a Knights fee.

During the reign of Henry V11 (1487) the manor was assigned to support a guild or fraternity of religious persons at the Croscombe Church by the then Bishop of Bath & Wells.

During the dissolution by Henry VIII, the Manor then came to the Crown and was then granted to Sir John Thynne and descended to the Marquis of Bath.

In 1939, outlaying portions of the Longleat Estate were sold off by auction including land, farms and The Slab House Inn.

Wells Journal 1961-

The Inn had been in the hands of the Chard family for many years and was the only Inn in the parish, yet there had previously been two others who were greatly used by the carters bringing coal from Masbury Station to the Mendip Hospital, as the hospital had its own gasworks.

The name apparently originated from the time of the Black Death when a three mile quarantine was imposed around Wells.

Cautious farmers and traders would leave food, drink on a large slab outside the inn for locals to come and collect.

The Slab House Inn was closed following a fire on 30th August 2011.

Its now been rebuilt and is possibly apartments ?

It was a popular place for eating out back in the day and I went there several times and remember it as being quite quaint with beautiful gardens.

Hauntings -

A little old lady in a long black dress, shawl & bonnet was seen in a chair.

A partial apparition was seen from the waist upwards wearing a dark cape, whilst another partial apparition was seen of just legs and boots, possibly the same person ?

An exorcism was carried out in 2009 ?

Research /Thoughts -

Why was an exorcism carried out as recently as 2009 ? what could the activity have been to go to the lengths of having an exorcism ?

This is quite an intriguing and I would love to find out more.

There is little history available online and I can find nothing earlier than the 1800's

Nothing either registered with Historic England as it would be a listed building if dated back to the 15th century surely..

The usual inquests were held by coroners there in the 1880's as was the norm for most pubs.

In 1880 a man, Francis Heath had been drinking in the pub and left, only to be brought back a short time afterwards dead, as he has seemed to come upon an accident on the road nearby

He had been the victim of a 'Victorian style 'Hit & Run' trampled and struck to the head by a horses hoof, to which he died instantly.

The body was held there and an inquest done shortly afterwards, the man that found him had seen a carriage and four horses shortly before he found the victim, yet the driver said he saw no one, the verdict was returned as open.

At present I can find nothing relating to the 'Slab' or anything about the plague in the area, although behind the pub there are several tumuli.

Regarding the tumuli, from Historic England there are two bowl barrows located on Horrington Hill, a long chalk promontory aligned broadly from north east to south west above West Horrington, at the eastern end of the Mendip Hills.

The barrows, which are believed to be of Late Neolithic to Bronze Age date are adjoined from north east to south west are situated on the summit of the hill towards its western end.

The area in which the barrows are located has been considerably disturbed in the past by quarrying activity which has caused some disturbance to the surface of their mounds; and it is now difficult therefore to accurately survey the barrows at ground level.

It would also be interesting to know if there is still activity there now, or does the 'slab' still exist in the grounds ?

Source: Photo - Paul Finch

Wells Journal May 1961

Hauntings - Paranormal Somerset - Selena Wright

Thomas Pooles Tan Yard - Nether Stowey

Wed, 23 Nov 2022 11:29:29 GMT

Thomas Poole's Bark House - Nether Stowey - Somerset

One part of Thomas Pooles Tan Yard (1766-1837) he was a prolific resident of Nether Stowey, you can read all about him on the link in the comments.

Hauntings-

The ghost of a lady has been seen by a few residents moving through the walls.

She is thought to be the Mother of a child that died in the millstream close to the building.

Source-Paranormal Somerset - Selena Wright

Photos - The Move Market & PJ Wallace Paranormal AI Art

https://offthebeatentrackinsomerset.blogspot.com/2020/03/thomas-poole-of-nether-stowey.html?fbclid=IwAR3SYdkb1OXJXYlgaOKaUmZmvo4zj-hPVLylsDLXGAX8w_YNPKcjni2hJDg

Ghost Car of Shockerwick

pjdc.wallace@btinternet.com (Penni Wallace) — Thu, 10 Nov 2022 21:33:42 GMT

Shockerwick Bridge - Shockerwick - Near Bath

Funnily enough when I read this story it rang a bell with me, so whether I heard it years ago, I don't know, but it seems familiar..

On the Bath road near to Shockerwick Bridge around midnight, an old blue Morris Minor car is seen to appear from no where and drives at any oncoming traffic..

Thoughts -

A little more digging is required into whether there were any accidents in that area.

If anyone has witnessed this or know someone that does please let me know!

Source - Paranormal Wiltshire - Selena Wright

Picture - PJ Wallace Paranormal

The Farrington Inn - Farrington Gurney

pjdc.wallace@btinternet.com (Penni Wallace) — Wed, 09 Nov 2022 10:14:37 GMT

The Farrington Inn - Farrington Gurney

History-

Little is known, just that it was built late 18th century

In the Domesday book, the village was known as Ferentone.

The second part of the name is believed to come from the Gournays, its ancient possessors, including Robert de Gournay in 1225.

When Sir Thomas de Gournay was implicated in the murder of Edward II at Berkeley Castle, his estates were confiscated; Farrington was later annexed to the Duchy of Cornwall.

The manor house is believed to date from 1637, and the old parsonage from around 1700.

Local industry included coal mining on the Somerset coalfield from around 1780 to sometime in the 1920s

On 17 September 1944 a Royal Air Force, Airspeed Horsa I (RJ113) was taking part in Operation Market Garden.

While en-route the aircraft exploded which caused the tail to separate and the glider crashed near Farrington Gurney, killing the two pilots and all 21 paratroopers.

Hauntings -

Guests would complain about the noise coming from one of the rooms, thinking it was the 'honeymoon' suite when there was no one in there.

This became so frequent that it was known as the honeymoon suite.

Shadows were seen in the corridors and the ghost of a lady would be seen at the attic window, by the landlady's children and other people.

One of the previous landlords, who had young children were often said to have nightmares, find their belongings messed up and hear their names being called by what they thought was their father, but was not, it was something mimicking?

The building had been blessed several times and exorcists called in.

The Forbes Fraser Hospital - Bath

Wed, 02 Nov 2022 11:09:50 GMT

Royal United Hospital - Old Forbes Fraser Hospital Area

History -

In 1916 a hutted military hospital was established at the site which in 1919 became the Bath Ministry of Pensions Hospital.

In 1924 the Forbes Fraser Hospital and the Wessex Orthopaedic Hospital were established on the SW part of the site.

Forbes Fraser was a Senior Surgeon at the United Hospital, he devoted himself to linking up well-equipped cottage hospitals and hospitals in the smaller towns with the Royal United Hospital.

Only lack of funds retarded the carrying out of his plan, but none the less, on May 16th, 1924, HRH the Duke of Connaught was able to declare open the Royal United Private Hospital and the Orthopaedic Hospital, built on the site of the Bath War Hospital at Combe Park, Bath - a site that was acquired by the Managing Board of the Royal United Hospital, which afterwards carried out the intention of transferring the whole hospital there.

The buildings gave hospital accommodation for paying patients who could not afford nursing-home fees, and a ward for the treatment of crippled children.

The first patient was admitted to the Orthopaedic Hospital on the day of Forbes Fraser's death, which came on the 28th May 1924, shortly after the opening.

In order to commemorate Fraser's work as virtual founder of the Hospital at Combe Park, Bath, it was decided in June, 1924, by the committee of the hospital, that the institution should in future be connected with the name of Forbes Fraser,

Later on it became the maternity unit, I was born there, it was closed in 1980 and now repurposed.

Hauntings -

The area which is alleged to be haunted is where the old Forbes Fraser Hospital buildings are and around the Evelyn Road entrance.

Many eyewitnesses have seen a nurse in old fashioned uniform (1940's/50's) around the staff car park area, mid evening time, some have just seen her walking, others say she seems distressed.

Footsteps are also heard and the basement is said to have an eerie feeling.

Strangely there is a locked off office in the old Forbes Fraser building which has been known to mysteriously repeatedly 'ring' the main switchboard, is this an electrical glitch?

Some say its the old 'Matron'

Have you ever witnessed anything at the hospital? or know anyone that has? please let me know.

Sources - Paranormal Somerset - Selena Wright

Somerset Heritage org, Livesonline, Bath Blitz org

Photos - Bath in Time & Know your Place Maps c1920

https://bathintime.co.uk/image-library/image-overview/poster/21311/posterid/21311.html

Thoughts/Research -

I am not sure of the location and relevance but a surface brick air raid shelter survives between Blocks 13 and 14 of the RUH.

Two others once existed west of Corridor 3 but were demolished after 1975.

Others were also towards the south of the site and under the radiotherapy wing.

Could the nurse be linked to the war? and be running distressed to one of these?

Although none landed on the hospital, there was a cluster of 6 or so just behind Combe Park Road.

I would think that she was a residual ghost, and people see her replaying a moment in time.

Up until the late 1800's this original area was just fields and part of Newbridge Farm.

Lets see what comes up from possible eyewitness comments.. to be updated..

The Westgate Inn - Bath

Mon, 31 Oct 2022 21:12:00 GMT

The Westgate Inn - Westgate Street - Bath

History

The Westgate pub itself has a long recorded history dating back to 1611, where it was one of the original coaching inns in Bath

Previously called The Angel Hotel and more recently the Rat & Parrot

Hauntings -

There is a resident ghost named Alice, although further details of the activity and why and how the ghost came by that name os not known..

Is it residual or intelligent?

If anyone has had any experience of 'Alice' or has worked at the pub and can fill in the blanks, that would be brilliant.

Thoughts/ Research -

Social Media Research-

I have posted this on my Facebook page and group and so far a few people who worked there have said they didn't experience anything.

One lady who lived there for 4 years, in the early 90's experienced nothing at all.

So now I am wondering if the pub is on the ghost walk route and whether 'Alice' the resident ghost is a story which came about in more recent years.

Maybe the suggestion of a ghost makes people feel uncomfortable and think they are seeing/ hearing things..

Historical Research-

On checking the Bath Directories, the Rose family were registered there from 1810-1867 (approx) with Sarah, Robert and Thomas Whittaker Rose being first registered, then from 1870-1891 (approx) Henry Leaker and also an Emmie Heath in 1905.

So possibly a prolific female character there could be Sarah Rose or Emmie Heath as former landladies?

So far nothing standing out as an 'event' as such in the newspaper archives, apart from a small kitchen fire in 1936.

No fatalities, murders or any dark deeds.

#hauntedbath #bathparanormal #hauntedhotstpots #ghoststoriesofbath #bathghoststories #spookybath #halloween #hauntedpubs

#paranormalbath

My Special Projects - Nunney Castle - Nunney

pjdc.wallace@btinternet.com (Penni Wallace) — Sat, 22 Oct 2022 11:22:59 GMT

Special Projects - Nunney Castle

Has anyone ever investigated or visited here and had a paranormal or unexplained experience.?

As its just down the road from me I go there quite a lot, so I have made it one of my special project locations, so I am trying to collate evidence, names that may regularly come up, what people feel, and things that sensitives pick up to try and form a picture of the hauntings and paranormal activity there and look for consistencies..

Are evps in a similar voice? things like that..

So far several groups have had the same name, people have reported stones being thrown and the fireplace giving off a warm feeling if you touch it.

Thuds have been heard and people have reported being scratched too.

Please let me know in the comments or PM if you prefer to stay anonymous.

Thank you , Penni

The Pilot Who Didn't Want to Leave..

Sat, 22 Oct 2022 11:12:23 GMT

RAF Colerne - Colerne, Near Bath

History

It is a former Royal Air Force station which was on the outskirts of the village of Colerne, close to Bath and was in use from 1939 to 1976.

From 1940 to 1955 RAF Fighter Command units were based here.

During the Battle of Britain the airfield served as a satellite field to RAF Middle Wallop, and squadrons rotated back and forth from there on a daily basis.

A C-130 Hercules aircraft crashed, killing all crew on board, here on 11th September 1973.

After the RAF station closed in 1976, the site was taken over by the Army; occasional flying by Air Cadets continues.

Hauntings -

After the plane crash in 1973, the house that the pilot had lived in was on the base, a later occupent reported hearing the sounds of laughter and talking coming from his sitting room.

Also a feeling like someone had sat on the bed.

Apparently the pilot had been very sociable and would often invite his crew around to discuss their operations.

Thoughts -

I do know the address of the haunting but have withheld for privacy reasons.

Has anyone else ever had any paranormal activity on the small housing estates around Colerne?

Source - Paranormal Wiltshire by Selena Wright & Wikipedia

Holcombe Old Church (aka Plague Church)

pjdc.wallace@btinternet.com (Penni Wallace) — Thu, 13 Oct 2022 10:04:40 GMT

Holcombe Old Church, also known as The Plague Church.

This beautiful little church is nestled in the tranquil valley in the shadow of the great Downside Abbey.

History-

The church is dedicated to St Andrew and lies outside of the main village of Holcombe, it is widely thought that it stands in the area of the original Holcombe village, which was decimated by the Black Death in 1348.

Its thought that the village suffered such great losses in the plague that the remaining villagers packed up and relocated up the hill to where the current village is now and the village as it was, was buried and lost over time.

Most of the church dates from the 12th century.

The porch is of Norman origin and above the arch is a 16th century carved angel ( which I use on some of my logos)

The tower was developed towards the end of the 14th century.

Archaeological excavations took place in 2012, in the nave, they discovered two rock cut graves which had been used a few times and had the remains of three adults buried at separate times several centuries.

In another grave close by were the remains of an adult and child, 11-12 years old, dating from 18th/19th century and an inscription stone.

There are two Commonwealth War graves and other noteable burials are the Scott family grave with a memorial to Robert Falcon Scott (Scott of the Antarctic) although he is buried in the Antactic.

Also the grave of the Five Lambs, the children who drowned just before Christmas in 1899 up in a frozen pond that was in a field opposite the Holcombe Inn ( see separate blog post for their story) not in the large pond behind the church in the woods, which is what a lot of people are led to believe.

The Church was also used from 2016 for filming Poldark, with many scenes filmed there including weddings and funerals, with Ross Poldark's Aunt Agatha supposedly buried in the church yard, it depicted Saule Church in the series.

Hauntings-

The graveyard is allegedly haunted by the plague victims of the old village

Also monks and dark shadows, the sounds of children playing have also been heard, as well as a the residual sound of a ghostly congregation has been heard singing in the church, when its locked and empty.

A wispy figure was captured by local paranormal group and friend - Frome Paranormal

Thoughts -

This is my special project and I have collected a lot of research and evidence over the last 3 years or so since I started to visit here.

With regards to what is alleged to haunt here, so far, with reference to the plague victims I have yet to find anything to substantiate this, and anything residual would be lost over time.

Same with the monks, so far I have not come across anything.

A lot of people say that they have an uneasy and creepy feeling around the church and don't like it there, but I have never felt anything like this although once it gets dark, it does take on a more creepy air..

As for the reports of children playing, the very first time I visited the church as I was walking through the gate from the churchyard to the woods, I heard a distinct sound of a little girl giggling quite close, which disorientated me as there was no one else there.

That was the start of my falling in love with the place, since then, I hear DVP (Direct Voice Phenomenon) quite often

I have captured many EVP in the churchyard and porch, mainly of the children, a male and an older woman, as well as singing from inside the church, but I feel an affinity with the place now, so maybe that's why I get quite a lot of interaction..

I have only been inside the church a few times when someone has happened to arrive with a key, but not in an investigative way, just to take photos and video of the inside.

My research and collating evidence is ongoing.

History Source - Holcombe Old Church - An Illustrated History by Rev. Clarissa Cridland

https://www.colefordwithholcombe.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Holcombe-Old-Church-Booklet.pdf

The Waldegrave Arms - Radstock

pjdc.wallace@btinternet.com (Penni Wallace) — Tue, 11 Oct 2022 21:42:01 GMT

The Waldegrave Arms/ Radstock Hotel - Market Place - Radstock

History -

This Georgian style building was built in the early to mid 19th century.

Other than that there is very little other history available online..

The coalmines around Radstock were owned by the Waldegraves which is where the pubs name is likely to have originated from.

Hauntings -

There is allegedly the ghost of a former barmaid called Geraldine who was there in the 1940's

Activity includes lights going in and off, moving cutlery and other items and has been felt sitting on a bed.

Shadow figures have also been seen in the cellar, which are thought to be miners.. the whole area was a mining town with a 8 working collieries close to the town.

People have had physical reactions of being sick in the skittle alley and outside storage area, previously a stable.

It did run regular ghost hunt events too..

Source - Paranormal Somerset - Selena Wright & Historic England

Thoughts/ Research

One paranormal team says that a murder took place on the 2nd floor, but this is to be verified.

Looking through the newspaper archives has turned up the following for history-

During the Election riots of 1885, the pub was central to the trouble in Radstock, a mob of over 2000 broke over 500 panes of glass in the pub by continually showering it with stones and large rocks and the Bell Hotel opposite was completely wreaked.

August 1876 - one of the victims of the Radstock Railway Crash was a waiter at the pub.

December 1850 - There was a terrible cart accident on the road outside Radstock, the man, a Mr George Rose who was the one of the proprietors of the Angel Inn, Bath had terrible injuries, he was taken to the Waldegrave Arms pub and subsequently 4 hours later succumbed to his injuries.

To be continued as further digging is carried out....

The Inn - Freshford - Bath

Fri, 07 Oct 2022 20:27:27 GMT

The Inn - Freshford, near Bath

History -
The 16th Century inn is believed to have housed several occupations over the years, including a butchers, a bakers, a bar, a shop, and a coffin makers, alongside space for a mortuary, the slab is still in place.
According to Dr Alan Dodge, local historian and author of Freshford – The History of a Somerset Village, the date of the first inn on the current site is not known, but is thought to predate the Reformation in the early 16th century.
Before the building of a bridge across the River Avon at Limpley Stoke, the inn provided a travellers’ rest on the route from Bath to Salisbury and Winchester.

Hauntings-
For a long time regulars have reported seeing the apparition of a middle-aged man, who is often followed by a woman and a child.
The identity of the figures is unknown but those who have seen them describe them as being dressed in Victorian clothing.
One of the inn's staff has often had a "creepy feeling" when he was working on his own in the evening.
He had even been known to yell at the spooky 'family' and tell them to go away, as it feels as though they are "always around him".
Thuds can also be heard late at night from the bar area.
A notorious local highwayman, Jack Jones, was arrested by the landlord of the inn in 1784.
He was later executed in Ilchester, although on the list of Somerset executions, there is a John Jones listed in 1784 for Highway Robbery.
Historically, John was such a common name in the UK (one fifth of all men were called John during the Middle Ages), that the nickname Jack came to mean any generic person, the man in the street.

So is he the male spirit people have reported?
It would be interesting to know if there is still activity there..

Credit- BBC Local Bristol

#Freshford #Somerset #Wiltshire #bathparanormal

Book Review - Paranormal Somerset

Mon, 03 Oct 2022 20:55:52 GMT

Paranormal Somerset - An A - Z by Selena Wright

If you are interested in ghost stories and haunted locations in Somerset, then this is a brilliant 'must have' book.

A new release from local writer Selena Wright.

I purchased this book recently from Amazon (Only £7.99)

It is really easy to navigate through, well written and laid out with lots of interesting accounts.

As well as the most famous hotspots there are some places and experiences I had not heard of before.

Its really good value for money and an excellent companion book for any paranormal researcher or investigator with an interest in the West Country.

Or if you just love the paranormal.

Check out Selena's other books in the series - Paranormal Wiltshire, Paranormal Devon and several others.

I also wanted to thank Selena, for giving me a mention in the contributors section.. :)

You can purchase on Amazon here -

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0BCRZSJ8M/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Sally Lunns - Bath

Thu, 29 Sep 2022 10:00:03 GMT

Sally Lunns - Lilliput Alley/ North Parade Passage - Bath

History -

This historic building is one of the oldest remaining houses in Bath.

The earlier building on this site was part of the Duke of Kingston's House in 1482.

It was leased as plots of land on 15 June 1622

Pre 1750 maps show a very narrow alley dividing it from the house to the east, with a party wall to the west, of which some of the timber frame is still visible.

Alledgedly 'Sally Lunn' a pastry cook and baker, was tenant in 1680; and Ralph Allen's first post office was here in 1725.

In c1750 the ground level of North Parade Passage was raised to meet the new Galloway's Buildings, and the old ground floor became basement.

Legend says that a young Huguenot refugee – Solange Luyon – came to Bath in 1680 after escaping persecution in France.

She found work in the kitchen of the bakery in the street known in those days as Lilliput Alley, and originally sold the baker’s wares from a basket in the lanes around Bath Abbey.

There are a few theories to how the name Sally Lunn came about, one is that her fellow workers has problems pronouncing her name, so it was shorted to Sally Lunn, another theory is that as she walked around selling the buns,

she would shout out 'sol et lune' (sun & moon) as that was what the buns looked like on each side.

But 'Sally' could just be a legend (like another famous Bath based Sally) as some local reliable historical sources maintain..

It wouldnt be the only business in the City to create an elaborate backstory for marketing and tourism purposes.

Hauntings -

People say of a strange feeling around the area, and the building is alledged to be haunted by a monk who can be heard chanting at night.

Thoughts - Despite the conflicting stories over the authenticity of Sally, or Solange, this is still a very old building, which will have seen a lot of energy pass through it over the years.

The monk story is very feasible, as this area was part of the Abbey lands, within the City's medieval wall.

Sources - Historic England, Paranormal Somerset by Selena Wright

Maps - Know your Place

Words - P Wallace (PJ Wallace Paranormal/ Bath Paranormal)

Mary Queen of Scots, Bardon House and a White Dove

Wed, 21 Sep 2022 21:52:58 GMT

Mary Queen of Scots, Bardon House and a White Dove...

Bardon House near Washford, Somerset 1834

The story says that there used to be a White Dove, that used to keep flying into the attic window and breaking it, as it was repaired a mysterious bundle of papers were discovered in the eaves of the attic, these papers turned out to be The Bardon Papers which consisted of contemporary writings and letters pertinent to the trial of Mary Queen of Scots and the Babington Conspiracy.

Today, 20th September is the anniversary of the execution of the people involved in the Babington Conspiracy.

It is since said that the white dove was the Spirit of Mary Queen of Scots.

Once the papers were removed from the house by William Leigh, there were no further sightings of the white dove or any more broken attic windows..

It is not known how the papers came to be there, but its thought it was from William Leighs father.

The Papers are now at the British Museum..

#maryqueenofscots #babingtonconspiracy #whitedove #whitedovespirit #bardonpapers #bardonhouse

#maryqueenofscotsspirit #haunted #spiritbirds #spiritdove #spiritdoves #paranormal #paranormalsomerset #washford

#somersethistory #somersetparanormal

The Mysterious Piano Player in Frome

Wed, 21 Sep 2022 21:31:29 GMT

The Wheatsheaves (Now 23 Bath Street) Frome

The former Wheatsheaves pub on Bath Street, in Frome

Reported Hauntings-

The sound of a piano playing has been reported here in the early hours, although they have no piano there, there has even been two been exorcisms in order to get rid of this.

Another reported occurrence, a previous landlord says of a scruffy man who approached the bar and proceeded to say to him this strange warning - 'They are coming for you' the landlord ignoring the remark, then just asked the man what he would like to drink? he asked for a bottle of Newcastle Brown which he got from the shelf behind the bar, but when the landlord returned back to the customer, he had vanished, the landlord thinking that he had just gone to the toilets waited for him to return, but a after a while there was still no sign of him, the other customers had not noticed him either.

This encounter continued to bother the landlord and he decided to look at the CCTV footage, on doing so he was alarmed to see himself, standing at the bar alone, talking to himself and then turning around to fetch the bottle of beer for a non-existent customer.

Another story is of the pub being haunted by ‘Old Fred’ who used to light the lamps and is accompanied by the smell of paraffin.

Thoughts -

Re - The piano - this is most likely residual/ stone tape theory, so an exorcism would not work on that, plus seems a little OTT for an audible phenomena, so quite possibly it was a cleansing, it would be interesting to know if this is still experienced..?

Source - Secret Frome - Andrew Pickering & Gary Kearley

#fromeghosts #ghostsoffrome #hauntedpub #somersetghosts #paranormal #somersetparanormal #ghostsofsumerset #secretfrome #fromeparanormal

Debunking the Myth - Sally in the Woods - Bath

Mon, 05 Sep 2022 14:04:05 GMT

Part 1

I am trying to do some background research into the local 'phenomena' which is Sally in the Woods, near Monkton Farleigh, just on the edge of Bath.

Recently dubbed the 'Most Haunted Woods in the World' and with some pretty fantastical claims too..

So I thought, okay, so lets see exactly why and what is haunting this area and dig further into the decades old mystery of the woods, folly and road..

There have been many articles written about the alleged 'death' road, where the spirit of a girl in white (Sally?) runs into the road and makes cars crash or have accidents, allegedly no birds sing and people are too scared to go into the woods.. and loads of theories as to who or what the name Sally refers to..

The woods themselves are actually fairly young as the whole area was a quarry, with the folly stood lone on the hill.

The tower was built in 1845 by Colonel Wade Browne, the Squire of Monkton Farleigh Manor, to provide employment during an agricultural recession.

It replaced a semaphore tower which had previously stood on the site.

In 1907 the tower was renovated by the owner of the estate, Charles Hobhouse, who had his shooting parties meet at the tower.

Demolition was suggested in 1938 but did not take place as the land and the tower compulsorily purchased by the War office.

The Tower was fitted with a water tank and used by the Observer Corps during World War Two.

I have been appealing for locals to get in touch and let us know, if they have ever seen this 'ghost' of a girl on the road, or if anyone has had any actual paranormal experiences here, that are unexplained.. or if you know anyone that has..

Or is this all just an over publicised local legend/ story.. open to a lot of suggestion and the coincidence of a dangerous stretch of road that happens to run past the woods.

So far I have found some good accounts and it looks like this area can be split into 4 parts, Sally herself, Browns Folly, the woods and the road sightings.

The best conclusion for Sally herself is a true account of a lady called Sarah Gibson, nicknamed Sally, who lived with her gamekeeper husband in a tythe cottage on the Warleigh Manor estate, her husband sadly died and Sally had to move on, she had nowhere, so made a home in the woods (Home Woods most likely, near the Dry Arch) where she lived out her days in relative seclusion, she died in 1824 and is buried in the local churchyard.

The fullest and most comprehensive study on Sally can be read on the links below and I think this is the most likely explanation for her, and the stories of a witch, as she lived off the land, she used herbs so anyone in the late 1700's would be labelled as a witch unfortunately..

Note - Her hut was NOT in Browns Folly Woods as in her lifetime (mid 1700-1800) as you can see on maps that whole area was a quarry.

More details to follow, as the research continues..

Updates-

One claim we have now debunked, this paranormal website claims of the eerie howling of wolves when none have been wild in the UK for hundreds of years, well there is a wolf rescue centre/ zoo very close at Farleigh Wick, so that's the explanation for any wolf howling noises people hear, which if they are not local, they would have no idea this place was there..

Sources -

From the Bathford Society-

Sally in the Wood by Crystal Payne

http://www.bathfordsociety.org.uk/content/pdfs/true_story_of_sally_in_the_woods_full.pdf?fbclid=IwAR11R7fbriaNw2QYomXMjearBO36KkJ7IqL3l5MCY6v0oEJbQ8N9MGqoswg

http://www.bathfordsociety.org.uk/content/pdfs/sally_in_the_wood_full.pdf

Map - Know your Place 1742

Photos - Postcard 1905

Newspaper Article - January 1929

#brownsfolly #sallyonthewoods #hauntedbath #bathparanormal

Debunking - Photo Anomalies

Sat, 27 Aug 2022 20:37:42 GMT

Dunster Castle Crypt.. 2019

When I first uploaded this photo onto the computer, my blood did actually run cold, as I thought I had actually caught a ghost on camera.!

It was in the room with all the barrels and was pitch dark apart from a screen on the wall..

That area under the castle, called the Crypt is haunted and I don't remember anyone being in the room.

But I think it was a combination of a crappy old camera at the time and a slow shutter speed and the person was just leaving the room as I took the photo..

But its still creepy looking especially as he is looking straight at me!!

But its a good example of how photos can be mistaken or portrayed as being paranormal when its just down to the camera user and timing.

The SS Great Britain

Wed, 24 Aug 2022 21:30:57 GMT

SS Great Britain - Bristol

The SS Great Britain saw many a voyage from its launch in 1843 to the day it was retired in 1886.

Equipped with some of the most advanced machinery of its time, the Great Britain could hold up to 730 passengers and 1200 tons of cargo in its heyday.

The ship braced the waves of the Atlantic ocean and carried thousands of passengers from England to the United States of America before the seawaters finally began to take their toll and it could no longer serve its purpose.

A shadow of the ship it once was, the SS Great Britain was little more than a source of materials to repair other boats damaged during the Second World War.

The Great Britain is today docked at the Great Western Dockyard and attracts thousands of tourists each year as a museum ship. However, many of the ship’s original passengers seem to be a little reluctant to disembark.

Captain John Gray, who obviously served on the Great Britain as Captain, has been spotted countless times by passengers and museum staff alike.

The Captain is believed to have committed suicide by throwing himself overboard, which nobody has been able to explain as Gray was popular among his crew and passengers (though there were rumours of him being unwell).

Captain Gray’s footsteps can often be heard echoing throughout the ship as his spirit tours the halls and rooms which were once under his command.

Just prior to the reopening of the SS Great Britain a decade ago, staff were shocked to discover a woman standing on the Promenade Deck.

It was assumed that the unrecognised lady was simply an eager tourist and staff approached her to inform her that the exhibit would not be open for another couple of days.

Before they could speak to her, however, she vanished into thin air.

Source and Credit- Haunted Rooms

#ghostship #ghostships #ssgreatbritain #hauntedbristol #hauntedships #somersetparanormal

The Haunted Railway Line

Wed, 24 Aug 2022 21:13:01 GMT

The Radstock Rail Crash at Foxcote on the Somerset & Dorset Line

History - On 7 August 1876 , the August Bank Holiday, the Somerset & Dorset train company ran seventeen extra trains to cater for people enjoying the day off work.

These trains did not appear in the normal timetables and the superintendent at Glastonbury, Caleb Percy, had to arrange crossings i.e. issue instructions as to which trains were to be delayed to allow the special trains to be passed over the single line sections.

He was hampered in this task by poor telegraph communications all day.

Both trains involved in the accident were unscheduled.

The "down" (south-bound) train was supposedly an empty stock train returning from Bath, but large numbers of passengers were aboard, returning to Radstock and nearby villages from a regatta in Bath.

The "up" (north-bound) train was a relief train from Bournemouth, arranged hastily because the scheduled train was overcrowded. Percy and his staff could get very little information on the location of either train.

The replies to their enquiries from the telegraph clerk at Wellow (who was only fifteen, and trying to do the work of the stationmaster who had gone for a drink in Midford) were vague. Those from the clerk at Radstock were apparently deliberately obtuse.

The Radstock telegraph clerk sent on the "up" relief train without receiving any crossing order or ascertaining the location of the "down" train.

Shortly before midnight, the driver of the "up" train pulled up at the Foxcote signal box.

The signalman there, Alfred Dando was barely literate and not physically strong enough to work his signal levers, so the signal arm was somewhere between "safe" and "caution".

The signal lamp was out (as he was not given enough oil to light it), so Dando was waving a hand lantern.

After a few minutes, Dando allowed the train to proceed.

The clerk at Wellow had already sent the "down" stock train on, but without using his block instruments to alert Dando.

The "down" train driver could not see the Foxcote distant signal, as it too was unlit.

He saw the home signal against him, and also saw the other train, too late to avoid a collision.

The accident occurred at 11.20 pm.

The first three carriages were thrown into each other where most of the passengers died.

The wounded were attended too and removed to Bath hospital and the nearby houses.

Colliery workers were assigned the task of removing the bodies, which took a further 12 hours after the accident.

Large bonfires were lit at the edges of the gardens to burn off the many fragments of broken carriages

Hauntings? - This stretch of old line is now a cycle track, people have reported an eerie feeling on this section and don't like it at night, there is also maybe a report of someone seeing the ghost of a little girl, a young girl was lost in the accident...

A local paranormal investigator got a few relevant responses and the name of one of the crash victims on an investigation.

Source- Story - Wikipedia

# 1 - Secret Somerset Walkarounds (Summer 2022)

pjdc.wallace@btinternet.com (Penni Wallace) — Sun, 07 Aug 2022 10:06:48 GMT

This is the first of a series of videos which I have put together showing some of the most beautiful locations in Somerset.

Most are haunted and have some kind of interesting history attached to them, a lot of the locations will be undisclosed, as to keep the anonymity of the places.

The full videos with complimentary music, can be viewed on my Tiktok and Instagram channels.

# 1 - This beautiful Norman Church is nestled in a stunning hidden Somerset Valley.

Tranquil and quiet, its hard to believe this stunning place saw two brutal murders and another strange death in the past.

I have captured several evp in the area at different times of the year and strangely both times captured on my camera whilst doing a walkaround As Live video for remote viewing by sensitives..

#somersetparanormal #somerset #somersethistory #somersetchurches #normalchurch #medievalchurch

Ghost Stories in the News - Bath 1914

Sun, 07 Aug 2022 08:52:19 GMT

An account of the haunting at 19 Bennett Street, Bath from its long term resident Miss Louisa Bowie

March 27th 1914

The Shepton Mallet Journal

#bathparanormal #bathghoststories #hauntedbath #paranormalbath

A Headless Horseman?

Sun, 07 Aug 2022 08:31:00 GMT

Churchstanton - Near Taunton - Somerset

History -

The village was known as Cheristone meaning stony settlement where cherries grow, in the 13th century.

Until 1896 the village was within Hemyock Hundred in the county of Devon.

It was then transferred into Somerset

Hauntings -

Merlan Corner

The clip-clop of phantom hooves has been reported in this area, normally accompanied by a strange pale mist which (it is said) sometimes transforms into a horse with a headless rider.

Notes -

There are many reports of headless horseman etc, but could it be that they are not really headless, if you think, it will take a lot of energy to make that apparition and maybe they just dont have enough to complete the full 'picture' hence why so many are headless..? most are also residual (stone tape theory) so maybe again, like you are seeing a faded photograph...

Source - Paranormal Dateabase

Credit - P Wallace - Somerset Paranormal

The Wild Woman of Wembdon

Wed, 13 Jul 2022 20:08:46 GMT

Wembdon Near Bridgwater

Highest part of the area..

Standing on top of a hill, this young lady with wild glaring eyes wearing a shawl looks down at the nearby houses.

She is thought to have murdered her husband, hiding his body in their house.

A quick look through the newspapers and I have found a childs murder from 1861, some men found a baby abandoned by the road, maybe she is the mother?

Source - Paranormal Database

Ghost Hunter Tools App - Coincidence?

Fri, 08 Jul 2022 15:05:57 GMT

7th July 2022

Maybe the best and most relevant words ever captured on this app....

I am quite sceptical of the ghost apps and don't generally take a lot of notice of what the Ghost Hunter Tools one comes out with..

I was doing a private Live stream to one of my groups, but as there was no one around I stopped it and then checked the app which was running on another device and found that it had come up with something very relevant to where I was currently stood..

I was stood on Bloody Lane (Chevers Lane) in Norton St Philip and 'Blood here' had come up... it flashed away before I had a chance to screenshot it.

In the 1685 Pitchfork Rebellion, a massive battle took place here (see separate posts) the barricade was set up just up the hill from where I was and historical reports say the lanes, one called Chevers Lane ran with with torrents of blood as the rain poured down, washing over the doorstep of houses at the bottom of the hill.

This lane has the local nickname of Bloody Lane.

The main battle took place in the field area and around just to the side, see main photo.

So, I have tried to debunk it.. the aeroplane mode was on.. I was not speaking really as the nature of the live had kept the location secret, so nothing picked up by microphone, this theory is still unknown, as microphone permissions are not given on downloading it.

This app doesn't have permissions for your location either..

So it is a little strange and very, very coincidental...

What do you think?

Update - On further analysis I have also caught a Class 3 evp of a voice, see EVP recordings section.

Sir Bevil Grenville and the Battle at Lansdowne

Tue, 05 Jul 2022 22:13:17 GMT

Sir Bevil Grenville and the Battle at Lansdowne

History -

Sir Bevil Grenville (1596–1643) of Stowe, Kilkhampton in Cornwall and Bideford in Devon was a Civil War Royalist commander who on 5 July 1643 fell mortally wounded at the Battle of Lansdowne, leading his regiment of Cornish pikemen.

He sat as a Member of Parliament for various constituencies between 1620 to 1642.

When the First English Civil War began in August 1642, he joined the Royalists and played a leading role in their early campaigns in the West Country.

5th July 1643-

The Royalists under Lord Hopton attacked the Parliamentarians led by Sir William Waller who occupied a commanding position on Lansdowne Hill.

Under the leadership of Sir Bevil Grenville, Hopton's Cornish pikemen stormed Waller's breastworks, while Royalist musketeers outflanked Waller by passing through the woods on each side of his position.

Grenville was mortally wounded in hand-to-hand combat as Parliamentarian horse counter-attacked and were driven off.

He received a mortal blow to the head with a pollaxe and was taken to the rectory at nearby Cold Ashton where he died of his wounds next day.

His friend John Trevelyan later wrote to his wife Grace that he "died an honourable death...fighting with invincible valour and loyalty for his God, his King and his Country".

His servant Anthony Payne brought his body back to Kilkhampton, and he was buried in the parish church of St James on 26 July

Sir Bevil Grenville's Monument is a monument erected in 1720 on Lansdown Hill, then called Lansdowne Hill.

It was erected by Grenville's grandson and has been maintained by his descendants.

This has included the repair of inscriptions carved on the base of the monument, eulogising Grenville and his forces.

Hauntings -

The Old Rectory at Cold Ashton is said to be haunted by him..

Is his monument and the battle area immediately around it haunted as well? local residents have said of the residual sounds of battle which can be heard there..

Source - Wikipedia

Monument Photo - Bath in Time

Ghosts of Norton St Philip

Fri, 01 Jul 2022 13:45:20 GMT

Ghosts of Norton St Philip..

As the centuries pass since the bloody battle that took place here 337 years ago, do the ghosts of that impacting event on the village still linger?

Its said that Monmouth & Judge Jefferies haunt the pub, but do they?

More intriguing are the stories of wounded soldiers seen in the cottages above on the High Street and even a story of a skeleton found in a wall there.

But with new developments springing up all over, it would be fascinating to know if the residents of these new homes ever get any activity where the land could still be steeped in the violent energy of battle and death.

For instance, there are new houses behind the Fleur D Llys pub where the 12 men/ soldiers were hung, then burnt around the village.

Sadly we also hear of a new housing estate to be built on/ very close to the battle site by Chevers Lane, also known as Bloody Lane, where the blood was said to have run down the hill from the battle..

I cant say I would like to live there....

What do you think?

Photo - George Love Dafnis 1932 - Bath in Time

https://bathintime.co.uk/image-library/image-overview/poster/23519/posterid/23519.html

Words - P Wallace/ Somerset Paranormal

Midsummer Spirits - Cadbury Castle and an Arthurian Legend

Tue, 21 Jun 2022 16:06:12 GMT

Cadbury Castle and the Legend of King Arthur

Cadbury Castle, formerly known as Camalet, is a Bronze and Iron Age hillfort in the civil parish of South Cadbury in Somerset.

It is a scheduled monument and has been associated with King Arthur's legendary court at Camelot.

Escorted by mounted knights carrying lances, King Arthur of the Britons traverses this route back to Camelot (as Cadbury is thought to be) on this day in June.

One witness said that on 23 June 1995 they encountered an armoured man (more dark age than medieval) holding a standard on horseback - the figure disappeared around a corner, though there was no place that he could have gone.

One legend says a door opens every seven years in the hillside so that Arthur and his company can leave to feed their horses.

Source - Paranormal Database

#kingarthur #arthurianlegend #legendofkingarthur #ghostofkingarthur #ghostsofsomerset #somersetghosts #avalon #valeofavalon #cadburycastle #paranormal #ghoststories #ghosts #hauntedsomerset #somersetparanormal #paranormalsomerset #hillfort #hauntedhillfort #summersolstice #longestday #midsummerspirits #midsummerhauntings

Ghost News - Bath 1938

Sat, 18 Jun 2022 21:08:20 GMT

Bath Ghost Stories - The Rustling Dress

On looking through the newspaper archives I came across this story from 28th October 1938

The tale of the mysterious rustling dress..

Walk Arounds - A Secluded 13th Century Church

Mon, 30 May 2022 21:25:16 GMT

I have now started a new feature of short videos of some of the fantastic historical locations in Somerset, some haunted, some not, some just packed with history.

This is the first one, a secluded little 13th century church in the depths of the Somerset countryside, on its own island with a moat around it.

We visited on a very warm May afternoon, as you can see a clear blue sky, a really peaceful and tranquil setting.

Strangely though whilst walking around inside making a separate video on my camera, I did possibly pick up a woman's voice, which has come out on the video, similar to ones I have picked up before whilst making videos.

A little while afterwards I heard footsteps on the path outside and stopped recording as I thought someone was coming in, only to find no one there, and due to how secluded the location was, you would know if there were other people there..

So that was a little strange..

You can view the video on my Tiktok profile and Facebook page.

https://www.facebook.com/somersetparanormalpjw/videos/3062634764047136

https://www.tiktok.com/@somersetparanormal

Car Trouble and a Mysterious Figure - Cheddar

Mon, 30 May 2022 21:06:34 GMT

Cheddar - B3135 between Green Ore & Cheddar

A witness reported passing a figure standing by the side of the road; just after driving by, the vehicle cut out.

While the car lights were on, they were quite dim and the vehicle wouldn't turn over.

After several minutes trying the engine, the figure appeared again, and moved into nearby woodland.

The vehicle suddenly started, and the witness drove away rather quickly!

Paranormal Database & Somerset Paranormal

A Site Of Execution - Ilchester

Mon, 30 May 2022 21:03:30 GMT

Illchester Gaol - Illchester - Somerset

It had three sites during it's 700-year existence - first on the west side of what is now the High Street, before moving to the west side of Ilchester Bridge between 1322 and 1429.

Now, only small fragments of the institution remain, but in its heyday up to 270 inmates - men, women and children - were confined behind its walls until it's closure in March 1943

The town was also the appointed scene of executions - these traditionally took place on common ground known as Gallows Field or Gallows Five Acres, up until 1811.

This field - where the A37 now crosses the brook - was the place where criminals from across somerset were bought to die.

Between 1735 and 1799, there were 675 death sentences handed out, which led to almost 200 executions across Somerset.

These are those confirmed to have taken place at Gallows Field in Ilchester

The executions were riotous affairs - with the locals nick-naming them 'hang-fairs' and using them as an excuse to get drunk and have a good time. The scenes of drunken disorder because such that the authorities ordered the gallows to be moved to the gaol, installed on top of the entrance block.

A good view was still to be hand from the wharves across the river or from the bridge, which was packed with spectators on execution days

You can read the full list of executions and the crimes committed on the links below.

This would be a really interesting area to investigate around, the gaol no longer stands, but the ground and energies must still be lingering.

Has anyone ever heard of any hauntings linked to this place of death?

Source - Somerset Live

Photos - Schlesinger Institute/ Harvard University - Bath in Time

https://amgouldsomersetauthor.com/somerset-executions/full-list-of-somerset-executions/?fbclid=IwAR2QjkpORabtmgqUOOQNFaWRo26bj4RpvudPMTVmdRUCdpW8krW22Vd73mE

#somerset #somersetparanormal #hauntedgaol #somersethistory #somersetprison #somersetexecutions #ghosts #haunted #darksomerset #dcmwyb

Most Haunted at 20.. The Somerset Locations

Mon, 30 May 2022 20:53:41 GMT

Most Haunted at 20.. the Somerset Locations

This week celebrates the 20th anniversary of Most Haunted's first airing on Saturday 25th May 2002 on Living TV.

They investigated quite a few West Country locations, including some in Somerset.

Taunton Taunton Castle - Taunton

History/Hauntings

Taunton Castle is an impressive historic monument and has been home to Taunton’s museum for over 100 years.

The grand, stone-brick structure dates back to the 12th century and over the years has encountered plenty of grisly goings-on.

The most infamous being the Bloody Assizes.

In 1685, after the Monmouth Rebellion, in the castle’s Great Hall, Judge Jeffreys ordered 144 supporters of James Monmouth to be hung, drawn and quartered for high treason.

Visitors have witnessed the ghostly apparition of the Hanging Judge stomping up and down the corridors of the castle.

This location was featured in an episode of Most Haunted in 2006, Season 8 Episode 10.

A more modern mystery also lies in wait for the "Most Haunted" team, which points to a night full of panic and intense poltergeist activity.

Source- IMDb

Words - P Wallace/ Somerset Paranormal

#tauntoncastle #taunton #mosthaunted #mosthaunted20 #mosthauntedat20 #hauntedsomerset #assizeshauntings #judgejefferiesghost #ghostsofsomerset #paranormalsomerset #hauntedsomerset #somersetparanormal

Most Haunted at 20.. the Somerset Locations

Tue, 24 May 2022 22:09:41 GMT

Most Haunted at 20.. the Somerset Locations

This week celebrates the 20th anniversary of Most Haunted's first airing on Saturday 25th May 2002 on Living TV.

If you are like me, I was fascinated by the programme which was a first of its kind at that time, and was glued to every episode and it started me off on my own paranormal path

They investigated quite a few West Country locations, including some in Somerset, which I will be featuring this week..

Choughs Hotel, Chard

History/Hauntings

The menacing spectre of an elderly gent sitting near the bar fireplace is said to be Judge Jeffreys, infamous for his brutal rulings during the Bloody Assizes in the 17th century.

Early in the 20th century, a guest at the hotel woke to hear a phantom woman whispering and laughing, while an angry male voice berated her.

When silence was resumed, the guest slept again but on waking the next morning he had a bright red welt on his cheek.

In the mid-19th century, young ‘ Elizabeth’ apparently poisoned herself to avoid being indentured as a prostitute and is often seen crossing her bedroom.

Ghosts of a murdered man and of a man who hung himself in the attic have also been seen.

A former landlady came across a burly knight in full armour in a corridor.

Assuming he was dressed for the local carnival, she was shocked to see him melt away when she asked to pass.

Apparitions floating around, glasses flying and doors slamming also testify to the presence of the supernatural.

An unknown energy blocks photos of what appears to be the tombstone of a ‘Winifred’ in the bar.

No matter how sophisticated the equipment used, if there is a photo at all, it is murky and blurred.

This location was featured in an episode of Most Haunted in 2004, Season 5 Episode 10.

Witchcraft, ghostly apparitions and mysterious footsteps keep the team on their toes in Somerset.

Having discovered a dark secret about the building's sordid past, presenter Dr. David Bull braves it throughout a lone vigil in the attic, a decision he will live to regret.

Source- MJ Wayland & IMDb

#choughshotel #chard #mosthaunted #mosthaunted20 #mosthauntedat20 #hauntedsomerset #assizeshauntings #judgejefferiesghost #ghostsofsomerset #paranormalsomerset #hauntedsomerset #somersetparanormal

The Spirit Riders

Mon, 23 May 2022 21:36:41 GMT

The Spirit Riders

This story is about the road from Crewkerne to Chard in Somerset.

The date is unknown, but a man was travelling along this road in Winter in horrendous snow and wind, he arrived at a cottage, where a nervous couple directed him onto Purtington.

Close to a crossroads at Blackmoor Copse, he heard a bloodcurdling scream as a ghostly horse, without a rider came by, followed by another horse.

This one was being ridden by a cloaked figure carrying a pistol, and then a third horse and rider behind that, all racing through the darkness..

On reaching his destination, he told the people what he had witnessed and none seem surprised.

The locals confirmed his sighting by saying of a notorious smuggler who had killed two coastguardsmens, who where the other two spirits in pursuit.

Apparently this residual haunting happens regularly especially on a moonlit winter night....

This is a fabulous story and just imagine being witness to this incredible phenomenon!

Unfortunately there is no clues on the era of this story and it would be great to know if this was still happening or whether the residual energies have faded over time.

Since posting this on my Facebook page, there have been a few comments from locals verifying the story and also saying of its links to Windwhistle Hill and the Inn

Also stories of a lady on white in the area and its known amongst the locals not to use the road alone at night..

I will do a little research into the area and the smuggler and see if there is some fact to back up the story, so watch this space for an update!

At present I am unable to locate a Blackmoor Copse, the road from Crewkerne to Chard, is the A30, so if any locals can shed any light on it at all?

Source - Haunted Somerset - John Garland

Rewritten by P Wallace - Somerset Paranormal

#hauntedsomerset #somersetparanormal #paranormalsomerset #ghostsofsomerset #hauntedhotspots #supernaturalsomerset

The Girl on the M5 Motorway

Sun, 15 May 2022 20:47:26 GMT

The Girl on the M5 Motorway

This story dates back to 1996, when a lady from North Wales spotted a young female ghost in 1960s style clothes sitting beside the M5 on a number of occasions.

The teenager even got into her car on one occasion and opened the windows in the back before disappearing.

"I first saw her in 1996 when I was driving back from Cornwall," said the lady, "She was just sitting at the side of the road.

"The last time I saw her was a couple of years ago, when she was sitting by one of the pillars holding up a flyover."

She said the girl, who has shoulder length, curly hair and wears a green wax jacket, appears between the Taunton Deane Services area and the Wellington junction.

She believes the ghost is of a young woman who was knocked down as she thumbed a lift home after a disco.

It would be interesting to know if anyone else has ever spotted her around this area whilst driving the M5 late at night....?

Source - Somerset County Gazette (2002)

#hauntedroads #hauntedmotorway #roadghosts #motorwayghosts #somersetghoststories #spiritsofsomerset #somersetparanormal

#supernaturalsomerset

Ghosts of Shepton Mallet

Mon, 09 May 2022 14:04:37 GMT

Ghosts of Shepton Mallet

Whenever anyone mentions the paranormal or ghosts and Shepton Mallet in the same sentence, everyone automatically refers to the now world famous Shepton Mallet Prison, a favourite spooky spot for thrill seekers and paranormal investigators from all over the country..

But in Shepton's oldy worldy little streets are there any other hidden gems that could be just as active or have their own intriguing stories other than as its famous haunted hotspot?

Any locations that come up will be added into the post..

#hauntedhotspots #sheptonmallet #hauntedsheptonmallet #sheptonghosts #sheptonghoststories #somersetparanormal #paranormalsomerset #paranormal

The Grumpy Spirit of Mr Beckford

Sat, 07 May 2022 23:28:49 GMT

Bath Ghostly Snippets..

The Grumpy Spirit of Mr Beckford

Did you know that the spirit of William Beckford is still supposed to be at his beloved tower, and it is said that his spirit is grumpy and

and doesn't like people visiting his grave so he knocks them off their feet!

There are actually a few people who have reported in the accident book that they have fallen over in the area of his grave, for no apparent reason!

Beckford's self-designed tomb, a massive sarcophagus of polished pink granite with bronze armorial plaques, now stands on a hillock in the cemetery surrounded by an oval ditch.

On one side is a quotation from Vathek: "Enjoying humbly the most precious gift of heaven to man – Hope", and on another lines from his poem, A Prayer: "Eternal Power! Grant me, through obvious clouds one transient gleam of thy bright essence in my dying hour."

Source - Haunted Bath - David Brandon

Wikipedia

Photos - National Portrait Gallery & Rodw - Wikimedia Commons

#bathghoststories #hauntedbath #bathghosts #haunted #bathparanormal #paranormalbath

Lady Wyndhams Return

Thu, 05 May 2022 20:43:07 GMT

Lady Wyndhams Return

Watchet - Kentsford Manor & St Decumens Church

In 1556 she married Sir John Wyndham of Orchard Wyndham and a year later was pregnant and was taken ill and thought to have died.

Sir John was overcome with grief and Florence was buried the next day in the Wyndham crypt at St Decuman’s Church.

That same night a covetous sexton Tom Hole, who had seen her jewels opened her coffin in order to remove her rings and cut one of her fingers in the process.

She had i n fact fallen into some sort of cataleptic trance, and was now awakened by the pain and rose from her coffin.

The sexton fled and was never to be seen again, using the lantern he had dropped in his shock, she made her way home to Kentford Farm across the fields to her astounded family.

They were astonished and unbelieving as Florence knocked on the window dressed in her grave clothes.

It is said that the servants refused to let her in believing her to be a ghost or a witch and Sir John fainted and took to his bed.

She recovered completely and gave birth to a son

To this day members of the Wyndham family are not buried until three days after their death.

Her ghost has been seen making the journey back to the manor, tapping on the windows and door once she arrives home.

A poem about her remarkable escape, called 'Lady Wyndham's Return', was written by Rev. Lewis H. Court, Vicar of St Decuman's church, and includes the following verses:

He seized the slender fingers white

And stiff in their repose

Then sought to file the circlet through;

When to his horror blood he drew,

And the fair sleeper rose

She sat a moment gazed around,

Then great was her surprise,

And sexton startled saw at a glance

This was not death but a deep trance,

And madness leapt to his eyes.

The stagnant life steam in her veins

Again began to flow

She felt the sudden quickening,

For her it was a joyous thing,

For him a fearsome woe.

Source - Watchet Online, Visit Watchet & Paranormal Database

Poltergeists in Bath

Mon, 02 May 2022 09:09:54 GMT

Poltergeists in Bath.
Poltergeist in German folklore means "noisy ghost.
"First recorded in the Dark Ages.
Activities include throwing objects, moving objects, banging, scratching, whistling, growling, emitting smells, singing and talking and can be violent and destructive.
Some of this could be intelligent spirits which have turned violent and threatening for whatever reason like, if renovations have started or an object has been moved or disturbed.
But it could also be in some cases another phenomena called a PK haunting- Psychokinesis.
Which can be caused by a person in a household, subconsciously usually an adolescent girl, but it can also be found in boys and older adults.
The subject is usually in the midst of emotional turmoil and an unconscious energy is created with most activity centre around that person, starting slowly and subtlety and then increasing in intensity.
Usually these come and go as quickly as they start.
Poltergeist activity is also the easiest to hoax, with so-called activity now being more and more inventive especially with the surge of social media.
Reported poltergeist activity in Bath includes the case at Cameley Green, Twerton, in the 1970's, Holloway, Belvedere, Camden Crescent, The Circus and the Salamander, The Curfew & Raven pubs
(See separate posts on this page and Bath Paranormal Facebook page)

© Bath Paranormal

#poltergeist #poltergeistactivity #noisyspirits #bathparanormal #bath #somerset #paranormal #paranormalactivity

A Story of a Premonition on the final night of the Bath Blitz.

Thu, 28 Apr 2022 20:16:32 GMT

A Story of a Premonition on the final night of the Bath Blitz.

It was on April 27th 1942, Bath had already sustained two consecutive nights of being attacked by the German Luftwaffe.

This story takes place at the Theatre Royal, where a firewatcher was working, his account tells of the bombs raining down all around and the explosions close by, at one point there was a let up in the bombardment and he saw a blue light flash at a window.

He looks out and sees his friend, making gestures at him, he thought it curious, but then he was gone, the bombardment continues and then a little later he gets a phone call and is told that sadly his friend who was working at the Francis Hotel just around the corner had died, killed instantly when the hotel took a direct hit from a 500kg bomb..

From the records a Hubert Walter Bessant (Aged 61) a firewatcher was a victim from that attack, along with 2 other men at the hotel.

Photos - The Theatre Royal and the damaged Francis Hotel, Queen Square.

Sources - Malcolm Cadey - Paranormal Bath

bathblitz.org

#BathBlitz80 #BathBlitz

Help from a Loved One

Wed, 20 Apr 2022 09:21:39 GMT

Help from a Loved One

Weston General Hospital - Weston Super Mare

One night in 1998, nurses attending a sick patient were followed by an elderly man in a black suit.

He disappeared, and it was found that the female patient on the ward below had died.

It was believed that black-dressed gentleman was her husband come to collect her, but he arrived on the wrong floor as the top two floors of this hospital contain wards that are exact copies of each other.

The figure has not been seen since.

Source - Paranormal Database

#hauntedhospital #hauntedhospitals #somersetparanormal #somersetghoststories

Spirits of Condemned Men?

Mon, 18 Apr 2022 10:36:41 GMT

Spirits of Condemned Men?

Cross- Near Axbridge - White Hart Inn

Judge Jeffreys was alleged to have used this building in 1685 to condemn several local men.

It is thought that at least one of these 'guilty' people now haunts the inn, creating loud footsteps and moving small items.

Plus during plans for a medieval/ re enactment party 'poltergeist' activity seemed to ramp up, bar items would jump, electrical items would turn on and off and the landlord reported being pushed several times as if someone was trying to get past him.

Source - Paranormal Database & Weston Mercury

#hauntedpubs #hauntedpub #somersetparanormal #hauntings #judgejefferies #somersetghoststories #westcountryghosts

Ghost Animals of Somerset..

Sun, 17 Apr 2022 20:21:58 GMT

Ghost Animals of Somerset..
There are many reports of sightings of ghostly animals all over Somerset, both of the four and two legged kind.
Including
A tabby cat at King Johns Hunting Lodge, Axbridge, a butterfly at Baths Theatre Royal, an ape and dog at Hotwells House, Bristol, an Exmoor Pit pony, a dog and dove at Washbridge, an ape at Brassknocker Hill, Bath, William Beckford's dog, Tiny at Beckford's Tower, Lansdown, Bath, a spectral horse on the A39 at Cannington, a galloping horse at East Chinnock, galloping horses at Porlock Hill and Battlefields House, Lansdown, Bath, and bears! at The Shrubbery, Weston Super Mare.
As well as many tales of dogs or Black Shucks.
A Black Shuck according to English Folklore is a ghostly black dog which roams the countryside, originating from East Anglia, but now more widely reported all over the country.
Somerset Black Shucks or ghost dog sightings have seen reported at - Winsford Hill (devil dog with glowing eyes) , Beckington. Combwich, Selworthy, St Audries, Wambarrows, Hembury Fort and Cleeve Hill, Watchet, ( both packs of hounds) and the Witch Tree, Stogursey
A helpful dog at Weacombe on the Quantocks that helps lost travellers and a white dog which chased a car at Wick St Lawrence

As well as the 'Beast' of Banwell... and a Shapeshifter in Bristol.. and a Wolverine at St Audries.. and albino fire breathing hounds at Wellington.

Photos - Cat- Fiosky, Wikipedia and Bath Newseum
Words - © Somerset Paranormal

#ghostdogs #blackshuck #somersetblackshucks #ghostlyanimals #ghostanimals #somersetparanormal #ghostsofsomerset #somersetghoststories #haunted #paranormal #ghostcats #theatreroyalbath #butterflyghosts #somersetfolklore #westcountryghosts #westcountryfolklore #westcountryghosts

Bridgerton Haunted Locations.. Bath

Wed, 13 Apr 2022 21:23:29 GMT

Bridgerton Haunted Locations.. Bath

To celebrate the release of Bridgerton Series 2, I am featuring some haunted hotspots on the sites in Bath where Bridgerton was filmed..

Mainly series 1, as due to the overwhelming success of the first season, filming for Season 2 was sneakily done in May last year just at the Holburne Museum (Lady Danburys House)

Trim Street

The location of Gunters Tea Shop where Simon and Daphne meet with the famous spoon licking scene and where Simon later ends their friendship outside, as well as the Hat Emporium next door.

Hauntings-

The Victorian Gent of Trim Street - Bath

There have been multiple sightings of this apparition by many different people, they are always alone and the description is always the same..

They report seeing a man in Victorian evening dress with a long black cloak and top hat, one particular witness in 1980 described him as emerging from the Archway and walked towards them and crossed their path going to the far side of the road, as the witness tried to turn their head to stop and look at hi,m they found they couldn't and just kept walking, but an unpleasant feeling came across them as they realised what they had witnessed.

As this lifted they turned to look and found he had vanished, yet there wasn't enough time for him to have left the street or gone into a doorway..

History -

Trim Street is an historic street, built in 1707, of shops and houses, many of which are listed buildings.

It was named after George Trim who owned the land.

Number 5, which is also known as General Wolfe's house, is a two-storey building with a parapet and rusticated quoins, built by Thomas Greenway.

The doorway has Ionic pilasters and a tympanum decorated with the implements of war.

General James Wolfe was staying in the house when William Pitt, the elder commanded him to lead an expedition to Quebec, he died in 1759, so its doubtful the apparition is him, as the attire is described as Victorian.. ?

Jane Austen also lived in Trim Street, although her house is no longer there.

This was the Austen family's fourth address in Bath, each progressively cheaper and less desirable than the last.

Photo Source - Pinterest Shondaland/ Netflix & Bath in Time

#Bridgerton #Bridgertonlocations #BridgertonBath #hauntedlocations #ghostsofbath #bathghostwalks #bridgertonghostwalk #Bridgertonfilminglocations #guntersteashop #trimstreet

Saracens Head Pub- Broad Street - Bath

Tue, 12 Apr 2022 21:37:20 GMT

Saracens Head- Broad Street - Bath

History -

One of the oldest pubs in Bath, it has history from 1713.

It was a previous coaching inn.

Victorian author Charles Dickens stayed here when he was working at Bath in 1835.

The pub name is an historic one in England, it originates with the Greeks with Romans, referring to the nomads of the Arabian Desert as a ‘Saracen’.

It was a Moslem name during the Crusades.

Some noble English families, who took part, tended to include a Saracen’s head as part of their coat of arms.

From the Medieval period, publicans have used it as a pub name.

Hauntings-

The information about the Grey Ghost that haunts the pub is sketchy, with the little legend there is has it as a member of the congregation at the adjacent church.

The story goes that the man collapsed and he died in the street, with his body taken into this pub.

There have also been stories over the years that two ghostly faces appear on a regular basis from the window close to the inn sign.

Picture Dated 1902

Map from 1777

Credit Text- GhostPubs.com

#hauntedpubs #hauntedpub #bathpubs #somersetghosts #hauntedpubs #ghostsofsomerset #somersetparanormal #saracensheadpub #greyladyghost #medievalpubs #bathhistory #bathhistoryandmystery #ghostpub

Ghosts of Montacute

Tue, 12 Apr 2022 21:32:36 GMT

Ghosts of Montacute
Private Residence - Within the estate?

Seen sometime in the last few year
The phantom older gentleman has been observed both in the house and on the grounds
He is blamed for the opening and closing of curtains, disembodied footsteps, and unexplained bangs
On multiple occasions during renovation work builders on the site would investigate sounds which they suspected came from copper thieves, but no one would ever be found and nothing was missing

#montacute #montacutehouse #somersethauntings #somerset #paranormalactivity #Paranormal #ghosts #ghost #haunted #supernatural #supernaturalsomerset #hauntedhotspots #hauntedhotspot #paranormalsomerset #somersetparanormal #spooky

Bath's Mysterious Stone Coffins

Tue, 12 Apr 2022 21:25:33 GMT

Quite a few of these Stone Coffins, thought to be Roman and some later on have been unearthed all over the City of Bath since at least the 1800's with many marked on the old maps.

Most with skeletons and some artefacts..

A few people also claiming to have found them whilst digging in their gardens!

Do you know someone that found one of these? is the area it was found haunted? or have any residual energy?

Maybe released by disturbing these ancient burial sites...

The ones below were found in Sydney Gardens last year, which is itself is a strange place to be at night, with the mysterious Temple which is said to have a timeslip anomaly within it!

The Polar Bear Fish Bar - Bridgwater - Somerset

Tue, 12 Apr 2022 21:17:03 GMT

The Polar Bear Fish Bar - Bridgwater - Somerset

The fish and chip shop on Bridgwater’s High Street is believed to be haunted by a past owner of the shop who died in the flat above.
A series of unexplained events included an unknown figure whistling, frying pans moving around the kitchen and doors suddenly shutting.
These mysterious incidents caught the curiosity of the BBC who sent cameras and a paranormal investigator to investigate the spooky going-ons.
The chip shop is mysteriously no longer there.
Perhaps the tenants were scared away by the ghost…?
Source- Somerset Live

#hauntedhotspots #somerset #somersetparanormal #paranormalsomerset #supernaturalsomerset #ghosts #hauntings #paranormal #bridgwater #ghostsofbridgwater #ghoststories

All Saints Church - Corn Street - Bristol

Tue, 12 Apr 2022 21:14:37 GMT

All Saints Church - Corn Street - Bristol
One of the most famous hauntings at the church concerns a phantom monk, who was reported dozens of times leading up to his final appearance on Christmas Day 1948.
The ghostly figure would be seen strolling purposefully throughout the church, as well as the grounds outside.
It is believed that he was guarding something, possibly treasure which he buried at the church during his time on Earth.
Just why the monk stopped appearing at All Saints church in unknown. It is, of course, likely that he is still present at the building and is just waiting to be seen again.
Strange events have also been reported in the house which sits on the church grounds, although these occurrences seem to be much more sinister than a monk watching over his former possessions.
In 1840, the Jones family, who occupied the All Saints church house, began to report unexplainable events such as strange noises and an overwhelming sense of dread and fear.
Mr. Jones, who was the man of the house in an extremely conservative period, grew increasingly fearful of an unseen entity and was ultimately left shaking on the floor while tears poured from his eyes.
His wife, for her part, reported experiencing something not unlike demonic possession, as she would frequently have to fight the urge to throw herself from an upstairs window.
Source- Haunted Rooms
Photo - Rare Old Prints

#hauntedbristol #bristolghoststories #hauntedchurches #somersetparanormal #christmasghosts

The Black Shuck of Winsford Hill

Tue, 12 Apr 2022 21:05:56 GMT

The Black Shuck of Winsford Hill

In English folklore, Black Shuck, Old Shuck, Old Shock or simply Shuck is the name given to a ghostly black dog

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the name Shuck derives from the Old English word scucca - “devil, fiend”, from the root word skuh- to terrify

Legend says that on Winsford Hill on autumn nights, a traveller may be stopped by a black hound with glowing saucer eyes.

If he tries to advance he will die, either at once or very soon, but if he stands still the dog will slowly vanish until only its eyes still glow.

As soon as they disappear the traveller is free to move on, but some lesser ill-luck will follow.

There was once a farmer whose frightened pony danced near to the spectre before he could stop it.

The farmer did not die, it was the pony who collapsed half a mile from home.

Source - ‘Somerset Folklore’ by Ruth Tongue

#blackshuck #ghostdogs #devildogs #somersetfolklore #somersetparanormal #paranormal #paranormalsomerset #hauntings #folklore #winsford #winsfordhill #exmoor #ghostsofexmoor #blackdogs

Somersets Haunted Railways

Tue, 12 Apr 2022 21:01:54 GMT

Back in the age of steam, railways crisscrossed all over Somerset, with the Somerset and Dorset Line and the Great Western Railway Line.
A lot of these have been preserved and turned into cycle paths or nature reserves.
The Colliers Way - Radstock to Frome is said to have an eerie feel to it, especially at night.
The Five Arches at Midsomer Norton is said to have the spirit of a man who has been seen by quite a few people.
Also the Two Tunnels from Midford into Bath, with the Devonshire Tunnel, which is reputed to be haunted and a very compelling evp was captured there by local team - SOS Paranormal.

Has anyone ever heard any ghostly tales of the bygone Steam Train era along any of these miles of tracks?

Photo Credit- Somerset Paranormal & Bath Chronicle Memories

#somersetsteam #hauntedrailways #ghosttrain #hauntedsomerset #spookytunnels #twotunnels #hauntedtunnel #railways #gwrrailway #bathspa #paranormal #somersetparanormal #hauntedrailway #hauntedtracks #steamrailway #paranormal #hauntedtraintracks #ghosts #ghost #spooky

Jane Austen in Bath

Tue, 12 Apr 2022 20:57:21 GMT

Has the ghost of Jane Austen has ever been spotted in Bath?
When Jane Austen made Bath her home, from 1801 to 1806, the city was a thriving spa resort, popular with fashionable society.
The elegant yet vibrant city provided inspiration for two of her six published novels, Northanger Abbey and Persuasion
Jane Austen resided at a few properties during her time in Bath; The Paragon, Gay Street, Trim Street, Queen’s Square and Green Park buildings.
But, the one that is most famous and has a placard outside of it is Number 4 Sydney place.
She died on 18 July 1817 (aged 41) and is buried at Winchester Cathedral.

But did she ever return to Bath and has her ghost ever been spotted in any of these places?

#janeausten #janeaustenbath #regencybath #janeaustensbath #ghostsofbath #ghostofjaneausten # hauntedbath #bathghosts #ghostsofbath #regency #janeaustenexperience #janeaustenfan #janeaustenbooks #Paranormal #cityofbath #bridgerton

The Blue Lady of Avoncliff

Fri, 08 Apr 2022 23:00:25 GMT

The Cross Guns, Avoncliff and The Blue Lady

History-

One of the oldest buildings in Avoncliff, the twin-gabled central section of The Cross Guns is believed to date back to the 1490’s, the central inglenook fireplace being of the same style as those found at Hampton Court.

With the construction of the East wing in the early 1600’s, this Tudor residence became an Inn known as The Carpenter’s Arms.

This provided respite for travellers and drovers using the ford across the river at Avoncliff. It was later used by quarrymen, millworkers and travellers.

At the turn of the 18th Century, the Kennet and Avon canal arrived at Avoncliff.

The additional trade this generated for the pub necessitated the construction of the Western extension in which the snug was housed. Here, customers would have enjoyed smoking their clay pipes, playing cards, drinking ales and whiskies, partaking of snuff and sharing tales that stretched the length of the canal!

Bargees often visited the pub, stabling their horses behind the old cellar.

A local innkeeper found long-forgotten records, revealing that the landlord of the Barge Inn in Bradford on Avon regularly escorted “Ladies of the Town” to The Carpenter’s Arms in order to warm the spirits of the boatmen!

Hauntings-

When there were no roads in Avoncliff, the villagers would often use a footpath which led down from the top of the valley, behind the pub and on to the river below.
The old footpath would have passed directly through what is now the lady's toilets of the pub, which is where the Blue Lady is most often encountered.
Of all the phantoms reputed to haunt the Cross Guns, the Blue Lady is the most frequently seen.
When encountered, she is always described as dressed in blue or grey-blue in the style of the Victorian period.

She has been sighted in various rooms in the pub and gardens.

She is said to stand quite motionless looking down at the river from the garden.

Text Credit- Haunted Wiltshire & Cross Guns History

https://crossgunsavoncliff.com/history

Map - Know your Place 1844

#avoncliff #crossgunsavoncliff #hauntedpubs #hauntedhotspots

The Unsolved Bath Victorian Murder Mystery.

Fri, 08 Apr 2022 22:14:59 GMT

The Unsolved Bath Victorian Murder Mystery.

There is the intriguing story of the murder of Elsie Adeline Luke, who disappeared from her Bath lodgings back in August 1891.

Her body was discovered two years later in a cave near Hampton Downs and a doctor ruled that her skull had been bashed in with a blunt instrument.

A local man who she had been seeing at the time was the prime suspect in the case, but he was eventually cleared of her murder in court.

In August 1891, the young servant girl Elsie Adeline Luke disappeared from her Bath lodgings.

Since she was a somewhat flighty character, fond of chasing the lads, and not much liked by the lasses as a result, it was presumed that she had moved away with some bloke, and not much was made of her disappearance.

Not long after, two men found some bloodstained cuffs and a gold watch and chain on Hampton Downs.

One of them, a man named Dill, said he would deliver these items to the police station, but being a dishonest cadger, he kept the watch and chain himself.

More than two years later, in September 1893, the skeleton of a young woman was found in a cave near Hampton Downs.

She had clearly been murdered, since a doctor found that the skull had been bashed in with a blunt instrument. Clearly, many people said, this must be the remains of Elsie Adeline Luke. The skeleton was that of a woman in her twenties, and no other young women had gone missing from this quiet neighbourhood. What clinched the matter was that the skeleton was wrapped in some linen bearing the mark of a certain Mrs Kerry, who had employed Elsie Adeline Luke as cook from March until July 1891.

The reason Elsie had been fired after just four months of service was her untruthfulness and dishonesty: not just linen, but other items as well, were discovered to have gone missing after Elsie had left.

Thus Elsie’s thieving ways had served the purpose of aiding the identification of her remains.

You can read the full story in the link below as well as see newspaper posts in an extensive blog about the murder mystery..

Does Elsie's spirit or her murderer still linger in the area?

SOS Paranormal have done several investigations at the caves as well as Elsie's gravesite and the site of one of her alleged murders in the city.

Source - Bath Chronicle & James Pussielo (photos)

Victorian Murders- Jan Bondeson

https://elsieadelineluke.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_29.html

#murdermystery #victorianmurders #bathmurders #bathhistoroicalmurders #elsieadelineluke #bathparanormal #bathghosts #bathghoststories #hamptonrocks #bathquarries #spookystories #unsolvedmurders

Dunster Castle Ghost Stories - The Blue Kitchen

Tue, 05 Apr 2022 21:30:19 GMT

Dunster Castle Ghost Stories
The Blue Kitchen
A volunteer was deeply shaken when a disembodied, naked human foot appeared in front of him in this beautifully preserved 1950/60s kitchen.
One person had a strange experience on their first visit to the castle, was in the kitchen and was suddenly overcome with such a feeling of sadness, despair and desperation that they had to leave..
This person now refuses to go into that room on subsequent visits..

Source- National Trust
Photo Credit- The Castle Hunter Blog

#dunstercastle #ghostsofdunster #dunster #dunsterghosts #strangeapparitions #somersetparanormal #somersetcastles #somersetghosts #ghostsofsomerset #somersetghoststories

The Nun of Larkhall Place - Larkhall - Bath

Tue, 05 Apr 2022 21:06:07 GMT

The Nun of Larkhall Place - Larkhall - Bath

Larkhall Place is in the North East of the City in Larkhall and was built in the 1790's

Some years ago the owner of one of the houses saw on several occasions the spirit of a Nun in black, but where there would have been a face was just a blur.

The figure didn't seem to scare the owner, but it was also accompanied by a repulsive musty smell.

The owner also heard her name being called out when the house was empty and attributed this to the faceless Nun.

Its not said which house it was, it would be interesting to know if this spirit has been seen in more recent times..

Also, why a Nun & why was she there? maybe it was a case of mistaken identity as there are not really any records of anything that would suggest a Nun in the area...

Source - Haunted Bath - David Brandon

Know Your Place Map 1840

#hauntedbath #bathghoststories #spookybath #bathghosts #hauntedhotspots #supernaturalsomerset #paranormal #bathparanormal #ghostsofbath #ghostnun

The Battle of Norton St Philip - 27th June 1685

Wed, 30 Mar 2022 21:13:42 GMT

Do the spirits and the residual energy of the battle still linger here, 336 years later..

The Battle of Norton St Philip - 27th June 1685
On the 26th and 27th of June 1685, the village found itself in the middle of the Duke of Monmouth's Rebellion against his Uncle, the Roman Catholic King James II.
Monmouth had landed at Lyme Regis on the 11th June with 80 men.
He moved triumphantly through Taunton and Bridgewater, gathering men as he went, until at one time, his troops numbered between six and seven thousand.
But they were untrained and ill-armed.
The Royal Cavalry ran rings around them at Keynsham Bridge, intercepting Monmouth's planned attack on Bristol.
It was a depleted and disheartened rebel army that trailed south past Bath, in the hope of picking up more recruits in Wiltshire, and came to rest for the night in Norton.
That night may have been restful, but the next day wasn't.
Monmouth arrived with his followers into the village in the late evening of the 26th June 1685, from the direction of Bath.
He made the George Inn his headquarters, with billets being sought for his men, and stables for the horses, throughout the village.
Of special interest are four guns that have been lugged up the steep inclines of approaching the village.
Norton has effectively become an armed camp.
The story has it that while Monmouth sat at a table in a room on the first floor of the Inn, a shot rang out, the bullet shattering the window and just missing the Duke.
The would-be assassin must have been a brave man, since he courted certain death.
On the other hand, the reward for Monmouth, dead or alive, was considerable.
Even as Monmouth was preparing to move on south, on the 27th, news came of the approaching advance guard of the Royal Army. Monmouth decided to stand and fight.
He was a talented soldier, and judged he was in a sound defensive position.
Monmouth set up a strong barricade in North Street, which in those days was the main road out of the village towards Bath.
Here it was that the main fighting took place, with the King's troops trying to break the barricade, and blood flowing down the lane.(Bloody or now Chevers Lane)
The turning point came when Monmouth led a flank attack, infiltrating troops through the grounds of a large house which then stood immediately to the east of the road.
A desultory artillery action, in heavy rain, lasted a further 6 hours before the King's army withdrew to Bradford-on-Avon.
The skirmish had cost them 80 dead.
The rebels lost only 18 men - a tribute to Monmouth's leadership. Cannon-balls have been ploughed up in the fields to the north of the village.
The north end of North Street is still known as Soho, which was the battle cry of the rebels.
The aftermath. Norton Town, however, had little cause for rejoicing in the aftermath of the collapse of the rebellion.
The defeat of the King's army here was not forgotten.
Evidence was not in great demand at the Autumn Assizes in the West Country, presided over by Judge Jeffreys and four other judges, required to deal with the large number of prisoners.
Those from Norton would have appeared before Assize Court at Wells.
Apart from men transported, fined or flogged, 12 men from the village were brought back here and hanged in Bloody Close, behind the Fleur de Lys.
Their bodies were then hung about the village, until taken down, burnt and buried in field behind the Fleur.
In the Churchwardens' book there is an item of 12s for faggots for the pyre.
Hauntings - Famously The George is reputed to be haunted by Judge Jefferies and the Duke of Monmouth.
It is also said that spirits of soldiers have been seen in the cottages along the High Street where the wounded were taken and some died, one story says of one house where a skeleton was found bricked up behind a wall, where its said the terrified home owners put the body to avoid detection of having helped an enemy soldier.

There are not many if any reports of paranormal around the actual site of the battle or Bloody Lane, I was hoping to go on the anniversary to see whether I could pick up any residual energy on the anniversary, but sadly will not be able to..

Read more at Village History of Norton St Philip, with a few extra post battle stories.. link below

http://www.lerwol.com/norton/village-history.html?fbclid=IwAR2MykeLNF2CO-7IuJVLxt_I5ijFTHWGYtk3-lS_NXKjgAbehkf1F32TxF8

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#hauntedvillages #hauntedhotspots #battleofnortonstphilip #civilwar

The Crown Pub/Hotel in Wells

Tue, 29 Mar 2022 21:12:46 GMT

History -
Famous for its starring turn in the hit film Hot Fuzz, The Crown Hotel in Wells is a 15th century coaching inn with plenty of comfortable bedrooms and a cosy bar to enjoy a tipple or two.
The Crown is believed to have been built around 1450, originally as houses, commissioned by the then Bishop Beckynton.
Later on The Penn Bar was divided into two buildings providing a bar for The Crown coaching inn and a separate inn called The Royal Oak.
It is the site of a famous address in 1695 by William Penn, the Quaker who gave his name to the US State of Pennsylvania.
During the First World War troops were billeted at The Crown, taking over the front half of the building.
In the 1930’s The Crown was converted into a nine-bedroom hotel, the rooms having previously been used as long term lets. During market days The Crown also stabled between 60 to 70 horses for traders to use at the rear of the building.

During the Second World War, The Crown again was a temporary home to troops coming back from various conflicts, including the Dunkirk landings.
After some rest and recuperation, they were kitted out and sent off to fight again.
Hauntings -
It has been reported that a few ghosts have kept guests company over the years.
Visitors and staff report finding black barley seeds mysteriously arranged in a cone shape on pillows.
One terrified member of staff witnessed a ghostly figure of a tall Victorian man standing next to the fireplace staring at him.
Other apparitions include that of an English Civil War soldier, a woman clutching a black suitcase (same one as below?) and ghostly faces peering out of the hotel’s ground floor windows.
Duvet covers have been thrown off beds, and an old woman has been seen going upstairs with a small bag, but disappears when staff try to find her.
Source- The Crown Website

https://www.crownatwells.co.uk/history

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Cold Ashton Manor House - Cold Ashton, Near Bath

Tue, 29 Mar 2022 21:08:25 GMT

A slip in Time? ….
Cold Ashton Manor House - Cold Ashton, Near Bath
The Manor House was the scene of a curious incident during the 1930’s.
Lady Winifred Pennoyer stopped at the property after getting lost in the dark.
The distinctive wrought iron gates were supported on either side by columns on which sat stone pineapples.
She pushed open the gates and approached the front door.
After ringing the bell, the door was opened by whom she assumed was a butler.
He gave her the directions she required, and as a token of her appreciation she gave him half a crown.
She then followed the directions are duly arrived at her destination.
On recounting the story the following day, her host recognised the description of the house from its gates.
She drove Lady Winifred to the house where they found that the gates were chained shut and the building was empty, having been so for some time.
On the doorstep she found the half-a-crown!
It is said that she is not the only person to have witnessed this phenomena either, other motorists have reported stopping at the house and asking for directions and being met by the butler….

Picture Credit- Henry Venn Lansdown Watercolour

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Old Mother Leakey of Minehead

Tue, 29 Mar 2022 21:02:19 GMT

Old Mother Leakey of Minehead

Minehead forms the backdrop to a curious tale involving scandal and the supernatural.

On her deathbed a widow named Susan Leakey claimed she would return ‘in the devil’s likeness’, the reasoning behind this bizarre utterance remains unclear.

She died in 1634 and was buried in St Michael’s churchyard, although that wasn’t the last her family – or indeed the town of Minehead – would hear of Old Mother Leakey.

Various members of the Leakey clan are said to have witnessed her ghost, including her daughter-in-law Elizabeth, of whom she materialized before to communicate a message from beyond the grave.

Elizabeth was married to Susan Leakey’s son, Alexander, who was a shipping merchant.

It is said that the mischievous ghost would ‘whistle up a storm’ when one of Alexander’s ships arrived at Minehead harbour. Mother Leakey’s activities grew to such a pitch Charles I ordered the Bishop of Bath and Wells to investigate.

Mother Leakey’s message to her daughter-in-law supposedly concerned John Atherton, the Bishop of Waterford and Lismore, and the husband of her daughter Joan.

Apparently the Whistling Ghost was aware of an affair Atherton (now living in Ireland) had had with another of her daughters, and desired him to repent

However some time later Atherton was arrested for sodomy and hanged in Dublin on 5th December 1640.

The pamphlet which details the bishop’s execution references Mother Leakey’s ghost, who is still said to haunt Minehead to this day.

Her house is now a teashop.

Credit- Ben Harry Wright & Luxurious Nomad (Photo)

Read the full story on the book below-

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/832634.Mother_Leakey_and_the_Bishop

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HMP Shepton Mallet - Shepton Mallet - Somerset

Tue, 29 Mar 2022 20:47:16 GMT

Shepton Mallet Prison, often known as Cornhill or The Mallet, housed its first inmates in 1625
It was the place of execution for Somerset from 1889, having taken over from Taunton and civilian executions took place there up to 1926.
After the abolition of public executions in 1868 and the closure of both Ilchester and Taunton gaols, Shepton Mallet Prison became the County Gaol and was then responsible for overseeing executions.
Between 1889-1926, seven men convicted for murder were executed within the prison.
Their remains were buried in the grounds of the prison; they remain there to this day.
The prison population started to decline in the early 1900s; the last women left in 1918 and by 1930 the population was around 50 male prisoners.
Due to the size of the population and the deterioration of the site, the decision was taken to close the prison in 1930.
At the start of WWII, the prison reopened to become a British Military prison, known as the Glasshouse.
This changed in 1942 after the US entered the conflict and took over the prison.
At one time between 1942-45, over 700 US servicemen were incarcerated here.
16 US servicemen were also hanged and a further 2 executed by firing squad during these years.
Throughout the war, the old women’s wing became a Top-Secret repository for the National Archives as three hundred tonnes of records and archive materials moved from the Public Record Office in London for safe keeping; this included such priceless items as the Magna Carta and Domesday Book.
After the Americans left at the end of the war, the prison reverted to a British Military Prison.
It was during this time that the prison held the infamous London Gangsters, Ronnie and Reggie Kray.
Spirits include The White Lady, a woman wrongly convicted of murdering her fiancé, and sentenced to death.
C Wing is reputed to be haunted, reports of a man in uniform, who is thought to be the spirit of a member of the American Army’s firing squad, who was killed out in the yard after a bullet ricocheted off the wall during an execution and killed him.
Also the grim tale of Captain Philip William Ryal, who in 1914 was able to climb onto the roof of the prison via an unattended ladder in the exercise yard.
His final words before he jumped ‘get back, get back, get back’ were heard echoing around the yard by dozens of inmates in the years to follow.
The prison also featured on ghost hunting programme Paranormal Lockdown .
Source- Shepton Mallet Prison com & Bristol Live
https://www.sheptonmalletprison.com/plan-your-day/history/

Photo Collage © P Wallace - Somerset Paranormal

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Dunster Castle Ghost Stories- The Library Passage.

Tue, 29 Mar 2022 20:35:51 GMT

Dunster Castle Ghost Stories- The Library Passage.

#somersetparanormal #dunster #dunstercastle #dunsterghosts #castleghosts #dunstercastleghosts #hauntedcastles #hauntedcastle #hauntedsomerset #somersetcastles #nationaltrust #nationaltrustcastles #paranormal #ghosts #ghoststory #ghoststories #spirits #castlespirits #hauntedhotspot #hauntedhotspots #hauntedlocatio

Brown’s Folly/ Sally in the Woods,- Bathford - Bath

Tue, 29 Mar 2022 20:32:04 GMT

Just outside the city of Bath there is a road which many locals are reluctant to drive down - especially at night.
Known locally as Sally in the Wood, the road cuts through Brown’s Folly, a patch of woodland supposedly haunted by the ghost of a murdered girl.
Many say that the birds in the woods dont sing, and the road through it has a reputation as a dangerous place to drive after dark.
The area is known as Brownes Folly, after the folly/tower built at the top of the hill, and is now mainly a nature reserve.
There are several theories to whom ‘Sally’ may have been -
Legend has it that Sally, a murdered girl, haunts the woods at night, causing crashes on the dark stretch of road when she appears out from the trees.
The story of Sally in the Wood centres on a tower in Brown’s Folly, where 'Sally’ a young girl, was supposedly imprisoned in the 18th century.
Allegedly the girl was left to starve in the tower and restlessly roams the woods at night - and often straying out into the unlit stretch of road which cuts through it.
Maybe Sally was simply an actual victim of a real crash on the road?
There is also the Civil War theory, in 1643 during the English Civil War a small battle took place nearby.
The term ‘sally’ at that time had the meaning of ‘a sudden rush out from a besieged place upon the enemy’.
So the longstanding name of the area may date back to this war and a clash between those loyal to the King, and those backing Oliver Cromwell and the Parlimentarians.

The Woods are very eerie at night and when walking up the hill on the road to the pub at Monkton Farleigh, you get an unnerving feeling of being watched by eyes from the woods…

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Bridgerton Location Ghosts - Bath

Fri, 25 Mar 2022 23:01:13 GMT

To celebrate the release of Bridgerton today, I will be featuring a few of the locations used in the filming, I am working on a feature of a Bridgerton/ Paranormal nature, so watch this space!

This is Lady Danburys Home.

The Holburne Museum - Bathwick - Bath

Since 1916 the Museum has been housed in the former Sydney Hotel at the end of Great Pulteney Street.

The original design for the Hotel, prepared by Thomas Baldwin in 1794, was a two-storey building which would serve the pleasure gardens, known as Sydney Gardens, laid out by Baldwin beyond.

The gardens remain the only remaining eighteenth-century pleasure gardens (or Vauxhall) in the country.

After Baldwin was bankrupted his design for the hotel was not implemented.

Instead a three-storey building was designed by Charles Harcourt Masters.

The foundation stone was laid in 1796 and the building was ready by 1799.

Visitors entered the gardens through the Hotel.

It has been used as a location for many films & tv series, most recently seen in Bridgerton as Lady Danburys house.

Hauntings -

Reputed to be haunted by a little boy..

Has anyone heard any other stories?

#bridgertonday #bridgertonlocations #bridgertonseason2 #bridgertonghosts

#holburnemuseum #bridgerton #bridgertonseries #ladydanbury #bridgertonfilming #hauntedhouses #haunted #hauntedbath #paranormal #paranormalbath #hauntedmuseum #bathparanorm al

Photo - Shondaland

The Battle of Lansdown - Bath

Thu, 24 Mar 2022 22:08:39 GMT

The Battle of Lansdown, Bath

History-

The battle of Lansdown Hill was fought on 5th July 1643 in order to prevent the Royalist advance out of South West England.

Sir William Waller’s Parliamentary army, based around Bath, represented the key defence against the advancing Royalist forces under the command of his old friend Sir Ralph Hopton.

Waller positioned his forces on nearby Lansdown Hill and the first skirmishes started early that morning. The two armies engaged in the afternoon and fierce fighting continued throughout the day with neither side having the strength to finish the other off.

As darkness fell the fighting continued, until later that night the Parliamentarians silently slipped away, back to the comfort of Bath.

Although the Royalists were left in control of the hill it had been bought at a high cost; in contrast Waller had lost very few men and reinforced, was then ready to fight another day. Hopton’s troops were left in such a poor state that they were forced to retreat to Devizes and after the battle one of his ammunition carts exploded and temporarily blinded him.

Hauntings-

The sounds of battle and horses have been heard in the area, nearby Battlefields House is said to have the spirits of a male and female in old fashioned clothes spotted in the vicinity.

A local paranormal team, got some very relevant responses to asking about battle details on a recent investigation..

Nearby 'Freezing Hill' which was part of the battle site is also said to be haunted and apparitions have been spotted.

Access is limited as its now farmland, but there is a footpath/ trail showing the key points.

Source- History - Historic UK/ Ellen Castelow

Photo - Stephen Beck - Bath in Time

Hauntings, Words -Bath & Somerset Paranormal

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