The George Inn

The George Inn Norton st Philip

27th Feb 2009

On the evening of Friday 27th Feb 2009 saw the return of Phoenix of Wessex Paranormal research team return to The George to continue our investigations into the reported supernatural activity witnessed there.

The George is one of the oldest pubs in the country, serving people for 850 years and not once has the building not been a public house. The Inn has played host to many dignitaries along the years and stood silently watching many historical events such as the monmouth Rebellion. Norton St Philip was the site of a battle during the Monmouth Rebellion in 1685, and the east-west street on the village's northern edge, officially recorded as Cheneys Street, is referred to locally as Bloody Lane, reportedly as the battle caused so much bloodshed it flowed down this hill. In the aftermath of the failed rebellion Judge Jefferies conducted 12 executions on the village common, known as Churchmead or The Mead and he used the George for a place for his judgement. The then unfortunate victims were then taken over to the building that is now the fleur de leys for execution by hanging.

This investigation was particularly exciting as the Western daily press had run an article about our visit the day before and also we were informed we had other media coverage of which I will reveal at the end of the report. (the article can be read on the website)

We were very lucky to have access to some great rooms which were the Coach room, The Coombes room, The Abbots room, The Samuel Peyps room, The Monmouth room, The dungeon, The attic and later on the Dining rooms and the lounge. We split into 2 teams which consisted of Myself, Dave, Chris and Sharon in one team and Mark (from Haunted Wiltshire) Mike and Tracey (our newest team members) in the other. We also had the lovely twilight shadows joining us later on who would make up team 3.

We decided to spend 45 mins in each room with 15 mins to gather our information and meet back at the dungeon so we could all swap locations. Before we started Mike's team went off to take base line tests of the rooms so we had a good idea of what sort of ambience and temperature was to be expected on arrival. This gives us a good point of reference so we can compare any data we get from our time in the rooms and see if what we got was normal or unusual for the room.

Before we began the evenings events we left a trigger object of coins positioned on a piece of card with a Camcorder trained on it in the Dungeon. Trigger objects are a form of experiment where you leave an item (that you often draw around) in a supposedly para-normally active room. I decided to use money as I felt that money is always of interest and anyone is more likely to want to try and move that than the usual religious artefacts used. We took a few base line reading which showed quite a high level of EMF (electro-magnetic field) present but this can be accounted for as there is lots of electrical cables and a generator for the blast freezer next door. The temperature remained a steady 19C. We also had the only key to this room and we kept it locked if we were not meeting back there. While we were waiting for Mikes team to return Chris commented that he sensed death and we all kept smelling a sickly sweet smell.

Once Mike's team came back we then read through a few things to remember and started on our mission.

We chose to start in the Samual Peyps room while Mike's team went to the Abbots room.

Samuel Peyps room. 20.55pm. EMF Normal.

The minute we walked into this room we all individually commented in one form or another as we sensed the atmosphere. Almost as soon as we had entered the room Dave thought he heard footsteps by the bathroom door. We positioned ourselves around various areas of the room and switched off the lights. Chris sensed that there was an energy of a child building and that this was male. Dave thought he heard a child voice but couldn't be sure it was not from one of the guests staying. Chris who was sat on the bed said he felt very emotional. We started to ask out to see if any spirit people wanted to make contact with us. We thought we heard a few taps but again they could of been noises travelling from guests in other rooms. We all smelt a very unpleasant smell at various times while in this room. It seemed to travel around and we likened it to stale unwashed clothes. We all also sensed an energy moving around the room. A few light anomalies were caught on Cam and at one point I thought I saw a shadow moving towards Chris and at the same time Chris exclaimed that he felt a spirit person move through him. He informed me that this was from the front of him moving to the back. It was also noticed that if you sat on the side of the bed nearest the door you soon felt a kind of pins and needles sensation in your hands and arms. All people in the group experienced this. Towards the end of the hour in this room the atmosphere changed and I felt that the spirit of a female had joined us. A few taps were heard to our questions but this energy dissipated as soon as it built and so we decided to regroup and go to a new location. Before leaving Chris was discussing the child he sensed and I seemed to be able to link in with the description of the child he was seeing. I described him as wearing a sky blue jacket with same colour knee length trousers with white or lace trim around the knee and around the neck collar. He had blonde hair and seemed to be well heeled.

Once back at the Dungeon we decided to swap with Mikes team and visit The Abbots room. Mikes team went to the Samual Peyps room.

The Abbots room 21.55pm EMF Normal

This room is set up on the balcony outside in the courtyard and almost immediately I sense a cold chill in this room. Dave remarked that he felt a sort of cobweb like sensation on his face. We sat silent in the dark for a bit and then started to ask out. Chris said he felt nothing in this room but Sharon and I felt very shivery and I did not like the atmosphere in there at all. It was about half an hour into our vigil in this room when Maria from twilight shadows called to say she had arrived so Dave went off to sort her team out and we continued with our vigil. Not much happened in this room apart from this shivery unwelcoming feeling and it seems quite a lot of orbs were captured in this room via digital camera. (Orbs or light anomalies seem to be often captured on film or camera where paranormal activity is said to happen. No one really knows what they are and there are many theories to what they can be from first stages of a manifestation to digital faults). Once Dave returned we decided to regroup and relocate.

Maria's team went to the Coach room while our team went to the Monmouth room and Mike's team went to the Attic. We noticed that the camcorder had finished filming so we left a dictaphone running next to the trigger object.

Monmouth Room 22.55pm EMF Normal.

Again as soon as we walked into this room we all felt some kind of effect from the atmosphere. I felt very giddy. We all stood about for a few minutes taking pictures and getting a feel for the room. Dave thought he heard a faint moan but again this may of been noise filtering up from the rooms below. We positioned ourselves in various parts of the room and turned off the lights. Chris almost immediately came up with a name of sir Henry Fathermore or Fathering. (to be verified). (Mike and Tracey had too leave us at this point so Mark came to join us). Dave said he could sense a male stood at the far side of the room by the window shaving. Chris urged Dave to try and describe more of what he could sense. Dave said he was wearing a Mustard coloured shirt and that he was wearing a wig. He also sensed another person in the room (maybe a messenger) and Chris said he had the name Walla, Warle or wallace given to him. Later Chris found some literature about the Duke of Monmouth's back ground and found out the Dukes mother was called Lucy Walters.

We felt this was a good time to break, regroup and relocate.

The Attic 23.55

We spent a little bit of time in the attic. Not much was sensed there but we found the location very interesting. We had a discussion to whether the area may of been used as living quarters as some time as there is a partition at the far end of the room with a fire place. Chris later found an old picture of the George which shows window in the attic area. This also suggesting it would of been lived in. We later found out that someone had hung themselves in this room.

After another short break we decided to hold a vigil in the dining room. Mark and Harriet the landlord and Landlady of the George joined us at this point.

I found this particular room fairly quiet and didn't sense much activity there. One member of the team thought they heard a female sigh and a few commented that they could hear music playing faintly in the background but only if you were sat by entrance to the room. Most people present could hear this including myself. We spent some time asking out and I noticed that nearly everyone had their camera's trained on the far right hand corner. Sharon who was sat down that end of the room commented that she felt very shivery and Dave and Mark commented that they felt that area of the room more cool then the other end of the room. I went down to see if I could sense that temperature change but could not. I tried asking out again to see if any spirit people wanted to make contact and was startled to sense someone sat in that corner everyone was watching. At the same time Dave also startled as he though he saw the same thing. He went to sit there for a while and then changed places with Harriet.

As it was getting very late now, some of Maria's team decided to call it a night and go home. Sharon also went. The rest of us went to the lounge or "Norton Room" and chatted for a while longer. Mark and Harriet had a long day ahead of them so they bid us goodnight. As it was now nearing 2 in the morning some of us were privileged enough to be allowed to stay in some of the lovely rooms and so made our way up to the ultimate challenge. To stay the night in a haunted bedroom. As I was so tired I'm afraid I slept through any special appearances any of the resident spooks may of made but Emma from Maria's team thought she saw someone stood by the fireplace in the monmouth room where she was sleeping and that is close to where Dave said he sensed someone stood earlier.

In the morning Dave has the very exciting task of giving the evenings findings in a radio interview that went out live on BBC Radio Somerset.

After we regrouped in the dungeon to see if any of the objects had moved. To our excitement they had. Picture evidence was taken which can been seen in the photographic gallery on the website.

We have also managed to capture what appears to be very loud footsteps in the dungeon during the time where no-one could be in there. The footsteps seem to be female as it sounds like the person is wearing heels. also paper is heard to be moved. This will also be loaded onto the website in a sound file.

We would like to thank Mark and Harriet for their amazing hospitality during this investigation and Wadworths Brewery for giving allowing us permission to investigate the premises. I would like to thank the entire team for giving up their Friday evening and helping to make this evening an amazing success.