(UK Paranormal) Mike Driscoll. Wendy Driscoll. Samantha Marriott. Louise Marriott. Ray Matthews. Scott Badger. Keryn Carter. Kris West. Richard Reynolds.

Digital Video Camera. Analogue Video Camera. 2 x 35mm Still Cameras. 5 x Digital Still Cameras. 4 x Dictaphones. 2 x EMF Meter. Digital thermometer. with remote units. Digital thermometer. with extension cable. Multiflash for all cameras. Minidisc Recorder.

The trip is a favourite haunt of UK paranormal so we were all pleased to return to this interesting venue for a second vigil. We met in the bar at around 10:30 and had a general chat so that we could all get re acquainted as some of us had not met for some time.
Once the pub was closed and all the customers and staff had left for the night Claire the manageress informed us that she was tired and was going to bed leaving us the run of the whole public house. At 11:45 our sensitive Keryn commenced her walk through of the establishment to gain her first impressions of the building as this was her first visit.
Whilst she was conducting her walk through the rest of the group was taking control shots and baseline tests.

Below is a transcript of the video tape made at the time and her impressions.

Keryn's Impressions.

Nothing at all.

Passageway/Tunnel.

Nothing at all.

Rock Lounge

Guy behind the bar, not coming through very clearly at the moment. Man sat in chair by fireplace (This is the chair that is reputed to make woman pregnant if they sit in it), looks like he has something frilly on. Sat with his hands on his legs. Got big hair looks to be graying. Quite a big man. Someone in authority, possibly someone who teaches or....yeah someone who teaches. He's got apprentices.
There's things that used to cross the ceiling, not necessarily this room, (looks up vent), but something that comes down.

Wendy - Did they hang down?

I can see rope and its lowering things, I can see a box, but can't see in it.

Wendy - Is it a big box?

It's a smallish box this one, but there's all sorts of things, that have been, sort of lowered down through here. (Looks up vent again).
There's a ah? Could possibly be to hide things or stash things away type of thing
or....
Oh I can see, you know what I can see? Something to do with explosives. Something to do with that kind of thing. Possibly fireworks that type of thing.
Possible anomaly on the video tape here see bottom of page.
Umm. I don't know if there are....is there some sort of tunnels, something like that and its connected to another building. Or it goes so far up towards another building.

Stairs by the Kitchen.

Is this as far as we can go?
Wendy explains upstairs is locked due it being private quarters, but we would have access if it was needed.
Well I can see quite few a men come up this way to have secret talks about, um, I here them whispering and they have, I can see a map. And um I can see a map that has something to do with smuggling, but I can also see conspiracy. But down the stairs just now I saw a little man, he was like a dwarf, he looked quite bandy legged, (I must add at this point that we do not wish to offend any little people), I would say there seems to be more men here at this point in time than women, but that could be at certain times they made sure there where no woman on the premises.

Outside the kitchen door.

There's obviously something below the floor here. I think that must be where you can connect to...its not very clear.

Kitchen.

Very noisy in here. (Appliances where still running at this time).
There was a big guy in here, I can see him drinking ale and I can see he has thick brown leather belt, and he has a real sort of you know big nose. Big man. Big man.


Wendy - Do you know what he did in here?

Well all I can see at this point is he has a jug of ale and he has a beard and he has ale all over it. Messy bugger, larger than life.
That's it really.

Snug.

There's actually a lady here- she old.

She doesn't go that far back actually as it happens.

Richard -Any idea how far back?

Um, its 20th, 19th, 20th century. I would say 20th century to be honest with you. She's got her hair in a bun, very tidy lady, very pleasant lady.

Richard - What sort of clothes?

Grey very grey and she got like a waist band. Yes there was defiantly, and this was almost like a lounge to her, a living room at one stage.
And I'll tell you something else I'm picking up on- arrows- but that's it nothing else.
But this lady, she's nice, she's pleasant. I can see her brushing her hands down her skirt. Yes defiantly, I could be picking this up from some of the stuff in here, but that's what I see in here.

Back Bar.

Just felt someone touch my bottom. (Tape shows no one is behind Pip).
First thing I picked up when I was in here. A young girl and she tugging at this man and saying Daddy. Just saying Daddy, trying to get his attention. He (Daddy) is talking to someone in the corner cant see him though. He (Daddy) is dressed in black.

What's above here?

Sam - Kitchen.

Richard - Kitchen yeah.

Cos I actually sense a woman stood just above here, (points at ceiling), and she's in bare feet. She looks like she's sweating, a lot. Her hair it's going grey but it's still a mousey brown, you know when it starts to go a bit grey. It's kind of tied back in a bun, but it's not done terribly well. She look's like she is waiting; she's going "come on"! There's horse's outside being groomed and saddled, (outside the front of the pub, in the front garden area), there's a guy out there with a funny hat. Its black and its flat at the top, but it kinda goes up in a cone then flattens out at the top. And it has a rim. There are quite a few people coming down a hill, as if it a small army, but it's not like um. There wearing similar clothing. There's a bloke with cream coloured tights on, but I can't really see anything else, but he's the only one with these on. The others are in similar dress but kinda scruffy, and there walking down the hill. They've been sent, from a big building, someone in authority, in a big building, they are coming down the hill to here. And I don't know earlier on I picked up the town crier.
I saw lots of mice then, quiet a few. Maybe it was rats, they've got long tails.

Bottom of the Stairs to the Rock Lounge.

Somewhere here, (point's to floor in front on door to rear beer garden), underground, I'm sure you could get downstairs there at one point.

I can here someone playing the radio, WW2, music from that period, 40's can't see anymore.

Chimney.

Something connected here. (A tunnel).

Front Bar.

I'm sure there's a walkway, I mean, I don't know, but this is what I'm picking up.
There's some sort of walkway tunnelling, (shrugs shoulders).
There's a man looking in through the window, (indicates the window behind the bar that look's out into the front garden area), same man as earlier, the one with big hair.
Animals.

Wendy - What kind of animals?

I can see a very big dog, like a Great Dane ish, well its big anyway, and a cat. (The landlady owns two cats).
I can see like a pool of water, it doesn't seem to be going any where. The bit I can see is like a circular pool, almost oily looking.
I feel like there's somebody there. (Points at the front door of the pub). A man who has an arm out beckoning to me to go in that direction. That's outside isn't it? He is saying, "come and look at this".
I get the impression that this door opens and closes, it's opened and slammed, um, and it's this man that's going out. He's asking me to go and look, trying to show me something.

Outside in the Front Garden Area.

Well these step's never used to be like this, (points at the steps that lead to the Snug).
I can see what looks a cart it's got a low platform and it's not in very good nick. I can see sacks, sacks of grain on it.

Richard - where did the man go?

He's gone, went in that direction, (points out towards the main road). In fact I would say that the activity, (now and then), goes quiet a bit a further down this road and slightly out that way.
There's some sort of market fair down in front of that building there, (indicates the building towards the main road).
I can see rope, that you would hang someone with, and there's quiet a lot of commotion, a lot of people in connection with this rope. There's people getting quiet excited. In this area where there has been a public hanging.
I also see a younger lad, 15-16, getting whipped by a guy who is mid 20's-30's. A bolshy arrogant man. He seems to think that he's protected and can do what he like's. Which he can.
I'm sure at one point there was a building where those trees are now, (indicates area to the left of the pub), not like this here, (points to the brick built area of the pub), more like a shed type of a building.

Richard - warehouse?

Not quiet as big as that, like a small barn.
I can also see, you know where I said about the rope being pulled and things being lowered on it? I can see men coming down on it as well.
I'm picking up on Romans at one stage; the area was quiet active with Romans. Now I've said that it seems as if they were just passing through and never stopped to settle. There's a contradiction here.
There is someone else trying to get through, but it's not strong enough yet, but it's when I say, big, I mean well known, quiet famous. I mean I wouldn't know because it goes back a fair few hundred years. A rich man.
Richard - can you get a name?

No not yet.
But um, he was a generous man, actually with money.
There are a few people round here who are very macho type men, big, burly. I've also so picked up some dancing, I cant here the music, but I can see the dancing, it's jolly. I can see the woman, she's dressed in grey with a little bit of white around the bottom like a petticoat almost. It's long, the sleeves are about up to here, (indicates a point just below the elbow), and they are grey. It looks stained, probably from beer. Her hair is quiet scruffy, tied back again. She's being made to dance, like its part of a job, to entertain men if they so desire.
Starting to feel slightly tired, I think we all are aren't we?
I can see a big slab of stone and its, (indicates size to be approx 5 feet square and a foot thick), but it's not regular. Pointed at both ends rounded at the rear and smooth on the front edge. It's been dropped and caused the building to shake. Whoever was here when it fell would definitely know all about it. It appears to have been dropped not on the ground floor but above?
There's a young lad there of about 14, (by door), just stood there nodding. He nods to people as they go through here. He is wearing brown, looks like sack cloth, with almost well a rope around his waist. A lot of dunking of heads in barrels that sort of thing.
I've also picked up on something that is quiet unusual. It looks like a tiger, very healthy looking, or it might be a lioness.

Cellars Tunnel.

There's quiet a lot of people that used to come down here, lots of people. It's like there was something big going on outside, possibly fighting, war. Not bombs and that sort of thing, I can see people coming here and hiding, I can see that.
There's a blonde boy who scrapped his forehead on the way out of this entrance, (entrance to bar area). Small boy, he's about 12 and he hurt his head. I can see him rubbing his head against the stone wall for some reason.

Tunnel Outside Cock Pit Room.

And I can see a little girl sat on that ledge, (corner of Cock pit and cells). She's wearing a faded pinkie green, big leaves flowery dress, got knobbly knees and she's dangling her feet. Got brown leather shoes on from the 40's say. Long brown hair and her face is dirty. She's not happy and she's not miserable, she's just...looking. She's thin but not terribly thin, but like kids were back then I suppose. Did I say long blonde hair? (Had previously said brown).
There's a dog, nice dog, long tail sandy whiteish colour with the girl, the dog knows her. I can also see a boy between the age of 8 and 10.

Richard - that would be 9 then.

Laughs
And he's facing the opposite ledge; he is playing with and flicking coins.

Wendy - what century is this now?

I would say this is going back...I can't put a century on it, but it's not the 20th like that little girl was. A lot longer back than that.

Bottom of stairs outside Cells.
Facing commoner's cell.

I can see people that are right around the edge of this room, filling the whole place up. There having a meeting about something, there discussing various options. There's fear there. There are afraid for there future, and I don't know why but I am picking up a thunderstorm. Lightening and a hell of a lot of rain and flooding. I can see the water above ground but not necessarily down here?

Top of the Stairs, Near Store Room.

(Looks through window opening into store room; note this is just a hole cut from the wall there is no frame or glass). I can see a man banging on something to get out, he's crying and say "I haven't done anything wrong". He's being punished. He's had an awful life, terrible. It's like he aches inside where he is so sad. You know that real sort of, almost like your hearts bleeding, where it's so painful, emotional, sad. There's a relative, someone he knows, know he's telling me, it's his wife, who has died. I can see her on a cart thing being dragged away. She has one hand here, (on chest), I can't see the other.
I'm getting confused now, cos first of all I saw a rape and now I'm seeing natural caused disease. This woman's been severely battered, she didn't need to die when she did, I keep picking up murder but, he is saying it's not fair.
I get the name Jim
It's Mac, Mac, Macintyre and also McDonald.
Massie and a Juliet.
There's been children taken away from this man, when they were young, 6-7 years of age. He really is, it's like he's dying of a broken heart. He's frothing at the mouth almost where he is so upset, he's crying and he is saying "Please God, it's not me. I'm not entirely sure what happened, but I'm not the one to be punished for it. I've lived a long life, and don't know why these things...happen"!
I can see another man it's the same one I've seen twice before in here. The one with the big hair and he's bang a wall. He's strong. I can see him trying to get through something. He's trying to get through, (becomes very animated at this time). He's got paper in his hand and he is trying to hide it in a hole. It's this material he's trying to shove it up behind, (indicates the sandstone walls), reaching upwards as if he is trying to stick it to the top. It's about that big, (indicates size to be approx 12 inches).

Richard - can you see where?

No
One other thing I just saw was something that looked a bit witchy. Dressed all in black. Bottom part of the dress is all flarey, and the weird thing is I can't see her feet. It looks like she is walking on air. She is in a position like this, (arm stretched out to right hand side), like she is throwing something. Also a connection with a lake, what looks like a lake, water, and there's a few spies?
(Moves to door at the top of the stairs that leads to outside). I don't know if you can walk out through there, but there's a man who comes through. He's a big stern man, and you don't mess with him. He comes through here, (door). He's authorative; I don't know if he is aristocratic, yeah he is aristocratic, defiantly. The weird thing is this goes back such a long way and yet I'm picking up stuff from 2-300 years after this place was founded so to speak. That seems to be what I'm picking up here mainly.
I can see a small line of people brining in crates.
There is discussion at this point on the tape about a hole in the ceiling. Is it where the document was hidden?
Is it a love letter, there is also something in it that's talking about where something can be found. It's been put there for a woman. Like a gift.

Bottom of Stairs outside Cells.

Teenage boy frothing at the mouth, gone mad, being put on display fro entertainment. He has something round his wrists, bands, and he's been chained.
At the end of this thing, (wooden floor on base of cock fighting pit), you can get out underneath, I can't see where it's going to go. There's some kind of passageway there.
Once the sensitive had finished her assessment we decide that we would set up a control experiment in the rock lounge where on a previous visit two investigators had seen what they described as an apparition moving across the room and disappearing into the wall. We set up the digital video camera facing the wall where the apparition allegedly disappeared we also placed a golden metal cross and chain on the table in front of the wall. Another video camera was set up outside in the beer garden where the sighting was first reported. Three thermometers where also left in the room and a Dictaphone was set up with a microphone placed behind the wooden panels on the wall.
There was a small gap that may have led into the tunnel that is alleged to run from the pub to the castle. We locked up and left the room to its own devices.
Also on a previous visit two team members had discovered a hidden room in the pubs cellars and placed a Dictaphone in there and captured an interesting EVP (click here for the EVP), so at 1:55 am Scotty and Ray decide they would spend some time in the room and we managed to get them up there.
At this time Wendy noticed that she had received a scratch on her arm in almost the same place as the scratch she had received on a previous visit. At 2:15 am all the ladies on the team entered the ladies toilet for a question and answer EVP session. The usual questions were asked and at this time we have no noticeable results although the tapes are still under review.
Just before 3 am (2:53 am to be precise) we ended the control experiment in the rock lounge. No movement had been recorded on either of the cross and no anomalies have been recorded on the video tape. The only matter of any significance from this experiment is that both the Dictaphones we were using for our EVP recordings had stopped at what seemed to be the same time, about halfway through the recording! Nothing was found either tape however.
We broke for coffee at this point and to discuss what we would do next. It was decided that we would set up two further controlled experiments. One in the rock lounge again and another at on the bar at the bottom of the steps to the rock lounge. In the rock lounge the digital video was aimed at the bar that has the "cursed" galleon above it. A wooded cross was placed on a chair in front of the bar and a gold cross hung from over the bar. Pint glasses were placed at intervals around the edge of the bar as well. A quick EVP session was conducted using the video recorder as receiver as the Dictaphones had to be treated as suspect at this point because the problem earlier.
A further experiment was set up on the bar at the bottom of the stairs to the rock lounge, covered by the analogue video camera. Again glasses were set up around the edge of the bar. This is a bit more relevant in this area as it has been reported to us that a beer glass had in the past floated up off the lower shelf of the bar, it then circled round the assistant managers legs and hit on the backside.
All of the team left the bar areas of the building at this time so that there could be no interference from a human agency in any of the experiments. Scotty Pip and Wendy decided that they would like to return to the ladies toilet and carry out a another EVP session and silent vigil.

At 3:25 am they entered the toilet and Scotty asked the standard questions.
3:42 am the Dictaphone (separate from the ones used earlier) stopped working.
3:48 Pip went outside into the beer garden.
3:52 she returns to the toilet stating that she couldn't stay out there on here own, and that she could here someone moving around in the pub. This would have been impposible as all team members were outside with both exits covered so no one could possibly get inside.

3:43 Wendy goes outside to check on the movement in the pub.
3:58 Wendy returns with nothing to report.
4:00 Scotty asks EVP questions again (new batteries used). Both Wendy and Pip report a pain in the same area of the body, lower belly.
4:20 Pip tells the others that she feels that the presence has retreated and the atmosphere feels "normal" again.
4:27 All experiments are concluded with no results.

We decided at this point that we had done all that we had came to do so packed up and left the building.