Haunted Hotel

Saturday 2nd March 2013

On Saturday 2nd March 2013, Phoenix of Wessex and Twilight Shadows Paranormal were very privileged to investigate a haunted hotel in Wiltshire.

This hotel dates from the13th century and was originally a coaching inn. It was built to provide lodgings for ‘workers’ and later as a staging post for mail coach services from London. The building has been added onto over the centuries, resulting in a mix of styles and gives a higgledy piggledy feel when walking around inside. The interior of the hotel is strikingly beautiful and features medieval stone fireplace. There is also a fine example of a wattle-and-daub wall which dates back to1220. As Dave and I were very lucky to of got a room for a night in this haunted hotel, we could not wait to see what tonight’s investigation was going to bring.

There have been many paranormal accounts linked to this hotel. Doors have been knocked and their handles rattled, taps have been turned on mysteriously by themselves, candles have been appeared to ignite by themselves, things are moved, people have felt a tap on their shoulder, a ghostly apparition of a lady has been seen on the staircase and a male presence has been witnessed in the board room.

First off, Maria and I were given a tour around the hotel which slightly amused me because the hotel is like a labyrinth of corridors and stairways. I thought to myself we would never find our way around later but luckily we did. The main areas we had to cover were the board room and the dining room which proved to be the most active on the night.

We started out in the Board room as this area was quite large and away from any of the guest of the hotel using some of the communal areas still. The board room was previously used as a function room but was turned into the office area after some ghostly sightings were reported. We set up our camera’ and then all sat around a large table. Our guest medium Natalie who had joined us from The GHOMATS of Devizes thought she would try a ghost radar device which takes readings from around the surrounding area and translates that into words we can hear. We heard quite quickly the words effort, hello and laughter. The spooky thing was when we all heard the word laughter; we were all actually laughing among ourselves.

After we had done some grounding exercises, I called out to get the energy going. I asked any spirits there to step forward. The ghost radar said, “Struggle.” Natalie said that she had been given the name Amelia. We noticed that the table had started to move even though we had not asked for this. I asked if there were any spirit people with us could they tap on the table to let us know they were there. We heard a tap once which indicated that the spirit wanted to communicate with us. Natalie and I asked some questions and the movement from the table seemed to increase in intensity when each question was asked. The questions asked were:

“Amelia, did you live here? Are you happy here Amelia?, Are you trapped? Are you here because you want our help? Can you make the table rock faster? And do you need us to help you cross over?”

We got positive responses from the spirit that she did need our help and that she did want to cross over.

We conducted a ceremony to help Amelia to cross over to the light.

A soon as Amelia had gone the energy changed dramatically in the room and a male spirit immediately came through. We knew he was very angry. He had a very strong almost intimidating presence which definitely made me feel very uncomfortable. A male figure has been seen in this room and our thoughts were this may be the same ghost that had now joined us. Dave ‘called out’ and said the name, “Richard.” The table started rocking and this movement was getting stronger and stronger. The table started moving and rocking with considerable force. We all agreed that we would have to be strong with this spirit. The knocking was very loud and persistent so I said in a very authoritative voice for Richard to stop. The knocking carried on so I repeated my demand again. This time the knocking did stop.

Maria felt that this spirit was very angry and she asked, “Are you angry? Please tap on the table if you are angry.” There was a massive bang in the centre of the table which took us all by surprise and made us all jump. It was so loud it sounded like someone had kicked the table. I asked, “Why are you angry? Is it because we have sent Amelia away?” This was answered by another loud bang on the table. Matt said that he felt this spirit may have been a naturally angry person in life and was still angry in death. Some of the others agreed with this.

I asked if the spirit’s was Richard and the table started rocking forcibly as if in reply. We felt that he may not like women so we asked him. There were two very loud knocks from the middle of the table. Maria asked him to do it again and this time he was compliant and knocked twice again.

Natalie asked the spirit to bang the table a little more quietly The spirit did not like this request at all, in fact the spirit banged really loudly again. Matt added “Yes, not so loud” but the bang in response to this was louder than ever. Matt asked, “Do you want us to help you?” The response was a definite “No!”

We then experienced a different noise. There was a sound on the table like fingers drumming. It felt as if the spirit was impatient with us. We asked if he was scared of something but the answer was no. We asked if he was connected to Amelia and we discovered that he was aware that she was there. A strange knocking commenced from the table, similar to Morse code. Richard indicated form a series of questions that he was alive during the 15th Century. We felt that his angriness had calmed down a little and he seemed a little happier at communicating with us and even started to develop a sense of humour. I had made a little comment that he didn’t like me as I had told him off. To this he did knock in reply as if to say yes.

We felt the energy changing and, a different, calmer spirit stepped forward. As this was happening we sensed Richard retreating to the corner of the room. This spirit answered to the name James and we felt he was a much younger man than Richard was. We asked James about Richard. James told us that Richard was his uncle. We learned that Richard was bad tempered towards James. We asked if Richard raised his voice or hit James and suddenly the ghost radar said, “Raised:”

We asked “Did Richard hit Amelia?” The answer was Yes. “Are you sad that Amelia has gone?” The answer was yes. “Did Amelia drown?” The answer was yes. “Has she been seen here?” The answer was yes. “Did she turn on the taps?” Answer, “Yes.” The last question was very important as a medium who had visited the hotel previously had picked up that there was a little girl spirit who was responsible for turning the taps on in the ladies toilets that were at the end of the office next to the board room.

We felt that Richard’s presence had started to build up again in the room as a very strong energy had developed. The energy turned out not to be Richard but an older lady. Maria and I noticed a cold breeze around us.

The female spirit appeared to have authority over Richard and we sensed that this was his mother. We asked if our assumption was true and we got a knock in reply that we took as confirmation. Dan and Tracy both said the name, “Margaret.” We asked if Margaret was her name and she said, “Yes.” We asked if Margaret had once owned the building and she said that she had. It was quiet for a considerable time and we felt that she was watching us. The ghost radar said, “Eye.” We said “Have you got your eye on us?” And the answer was yes.

We then asked “And on Richard?” And the answer was yes.

We asked her if she was aware that Richard had been cruel to Amelia and James. We didn’t get a response but felt that she did know.

We could all still sense Richard over in the corner as if he was just watching and listening to us which I found very unnerving. The word Anger came from the ghost radar. We asked if Richard had a father and the ghost radar said the word attached. We asked if all the spirits were attached to the building or were some spirits there in visitation. But we did not get a reply to this question.

It was quiet for a while. Maria asked if Richard was still with us. The words guess and Fun came from the ghost radar

We felt that Richard was calming down again and even seemed to join in on a joke. We heard the word leg come from the ghost radar. We said “chicken leg?” and there was a knock from the table. We all laughed and there was another knocking sound.

Maria drummed her fingers on the table in a certain rhythm and asked Richard if he copy her. To our amazement he did. Maria tried an experiment that she previously tried during an investigation at 21st Century Antics. She rapped out on the table, “Shave and a haircut” and waited for a response which is “Two bits When Richard replied with “Two bits” we were all amazed. Maria asked if he could rap out the whole rhyme by himself, which he did. We were again amazed. I felt then as if my seat was shaken which frightened me a little. The table started to lift also. Maria felt someone pulling at her. Matt asked me if I could feel anyone standing by my left side. I said that I had for most of the time we were in there and Matt told me that he had taken a photo and there was a shadow looking right over my shoulder. He showed me the picture and I could definitely see a shadow there. I really didn’t like that at all. Andrew looked at me and said, “You’ve been saying that someone has been breathing down your neck.” I also said that I felt that someone has been pulling my legs!”

It seems the norm for batteries to drain from any equipment being used during investigations and this usually happens just as things start to get interesting. This investigation was no different and many of the batteries had drained from cameras at the same time. My camera battery in particular should have had at least another 2 hours on it but it had drained flat. Richard started moving the table again. Maria asked Richard if he was responsible for knocking the door loudly while the night porter was inside a room. Richard said that he was not responsible for this.

We felt that this was a good time to take a natural break. After we were all refreshed we decided to move onto a new area.

Next place was the dining room. There have been many reports of paranormal activity in this room reported. We set up around a table and Natalie got the names Jemma and Charles almost as soon as we had started. A gentleman spirit joined us. Natalie felt that this was Charles. I ‘called out.’ We could sense a very strong energy nearby. Sharon said that she could smell perfume. We ‘called out’ for a long time but nothing else seemed to happen. Maria suddenly started to laugh and she couldn’t stop giggling. I had left the table as I felt a bit strange. I was walking about the dining room taking photographs when suddenly the table started to move. I could see from where I was standing that it tipped itself up. People were worried that it was about to fall over as it was balanced at a very precarious angle but it seemed to hang there and couldn’t be moved. It started to tip onto its other two legs and this went on for about 5, 10 minutes and then it stopped.

We felt now was a good time to conduct a séance and we introduced ourselves. We heard something land in the corner of the room as if it were thrown. A female spirit called Louise came through. Louise told us that she was unhappy. She then said the word Bad. The name, Kate came from the ghost radar. We then asked “Has Kate been bad to you?” The answer was no. “Are you sisters?” The answer was yes. “What year did you die?” The answer was 1689.” “When were you born?” The answer was 1667. “How old were you when you died?” The answer was twenty two.

The Ghost radar then said, “Bad.” (For the second time).

We continued to ask “Were you sick?” the answer was “No, I was drowned.” “Was this an accident?” The answer was no.” “Was it in a well?” The answer was no. “Was it in the river?” “No.” “Was it in the bath?” “No.” “Was it in a pond?” Answer, “No.”

The word Duck came from the ghost radar

We continued to ask “Was it in a duck-pond?” The answer was no. I got a real gut feeling I knew where this was going so asked, “A ducking stool?” The answer was yes.

“Were you a witch?” Answer, “No.” “Were you accused?” The answer was yes.”

The ghost radar said the word Bad

We went on to ask a few more questions. “Was your sister accused?” “Yes.” “Was your sister also killed?” “Yes, Are you connected to the building?” The answer was yes.

“Was Amelia also drowned as a witch?” The answer was “No, Kate. Kate was. “What happened to Amelia?” “Horse. Sun. Fell off a horse into water. River. Male. Richard caused accident. Richard wanted to kill Amelia.”

We all felt that the energy had left in the room and as it was very late, we decided it was a good time to end the investigation. Phoenix of Wessex Paranormal would like to thank the Manager for giving us permission to investigate this lovely hotel.

*we have since learned that there used to be a ducking stool located outside the hotel.

J Wicheard ©