|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||
 |
 |
||
 |
Paranormal Records and Tales
The page has been split into two distinct sections, Tales from the Archives, which are already well documented tales, and Visitor Submitted Tales. Simply click on the tale you wish to read or scroll down the page until you reach it. I am hoping this page will grow substantially in the near future, particularly with a tale or two submitted by YOU, in which case I may have to separate the two classes to ensure you don't wait too long for the page to load.
| ||
|
|
|||
|
Visitor Submitted Tales
N.B. Although this tale can be found in several archives relating to the paranormal, I thought it appropriate to publish it in this section as the writer actually went to this location to discover what happened. His tale follows: As a young army apprentice in the early 1960s, as part of an initiative test, another apprentice (Don L) and I were given 48 hours to find our way from and to where we were stationed in Hampshire via the village of Polstead in Suffolk, to discover all we could about 'The Red Barn Murder'. We set off on a Friday afternoon clutching several maps and a couple of cookhouse sandwiches. Hitchhiking was easy back then, particularly wearing uniform, and by late evening we had reached Bury St. Edmunds. We scrounged bed and breakfast from the local constabulary, sleeping in an unlocked cell, and the next morning set off to cover the last few miles to Polstead. This is an account of what we discovered:
In 1826, at the age of 23, William started seeing a local girl by the name of Maria Marten, who was 24 at the time. She was the daughter of the local mole catcher, and was reported to have been an attractive young woman. They would meet regularly in the Red Barn to conduct their affair. In 1827 Maria gave birth to William's child, a son, and hoped this would persuade him to marry her. However, at just one month old the baby died from unknown causes, although it was later suggested that it may have been killed by either Corder or Maria, or perhaps both, for they put out a story saying they had taken the child's body to Sudbury for burial. It has been shown that this was not true, no record of the child's burial ever being found. Shortly after the child's death, Corder apparently consented to marry Maria. In the presence of her stepmother, he asked Maria to dress herself in male clothing, supposedly to avoid being noticed, and said he would take her to Ipswich where they would marry, arranging to meet her in the Red Barn. That was the last time Maria was seen alive. William disappeared for a time but eventually returned to Polstead, telling Maria's family that she was staying in Ipswich. But Corder soon left Polstead again as more and more awkward questions were asked. He continued to give excuses as to why Maria had not contacted her family, and wrote to her father telling him they had moved to the Isle of Wight. Maria's stepmother then began to 'dream' that Maria was dead and that her body was hidden in the Red Barn. On 19 April 1828 she persuaded her husband to go to the barn, where he found a recently disturbed area. Digging on this spot he discovered the remains of a body in a sack. The body was partially dressed in male attire and already decomposing but he recognised it instantly as that of his daughter. The alarm was raised and the hunt for Corder began. He was quickly tracked down to a house in Ealing Road, Brentford on Sunday 27 April, where he was running a female boarding house with his wife, whom he had recently married after she answered an advert he had placed in a shop in Fleet Street. Corder was taken back to Suffolk and an inquest was held at the 'Cock Inn' in Polstead. At his trial Colder confessed to the crime, although he stated in his defence that he and Maria were arguing about the dead child, and in the heat of the argument a scuffle had broken out during which his gun went off accidentally. However, according to some reports, the judge at his trial said he took Maria's life by shooting her before stabbing her and finally strangling her with a handkerchief.
Many people wondered if Maria's stepmother had actually dreamed her dreams of where the body could be found, or whether they were fabricated to seek revenge on Corder. It seems a coincidence that she began 'dreaming' just a few days after Corder married Mary Moore, the wife with whom he was living in Ealing Road when he was caught. The stepmother was only one year older than Maria, and it was rumoured that she was having an affair with Corder which was the reason why Maria had to be disposed of. It is speculated that after hearing of his marriage, she decided to spill the beans by 'dreaming' that her stepdaughter had been murdered. So, was Maria's body found simply because a woman wanted revenge on her lover, or was it truly a message from beyond the grave? Hell hath no fury ................. so they say! Return to top of page. | |||
|
|
|||||
An Adoring Wife's Return --- submitted by AnonThis tale has been submitted by a visitor to the site who wishes to remain anonymous. What I can tell you is that his wife had recently died, but had already returned to him on a couple of occasions, 'proving' to him - in his own words - that in the 'afterlife' we exist as 'pure energy with mind'; prior to this he was firmly convinced that there was no afterlife. Where you see xxxx this is where his wife's name has been omitted. His story reads:Please let me explain that our bedroom is pitch-black when the shutters are down over the window, even in daylight, a fact that can be borne out by family and friends who have visited us, so there is no way that this experience can be attributed to a trick of the light, and I certainly was not hallucinating. At ten minutes past six on Monday 25th March 1991 I was awoken to see a strip of bright yellow light, which stretched from the floor to the ceiling, on the wall to the foot of the bed, and which was probably between eight and ten inches wide. I found this odd because every other sign I had been shown had appeared on the wall to the right of the bed. This strip of light was in fact two strips in different shades of 'yellow', one slightly lighter than the other. As usual nothing happened until I sat up in bed, something I now believe xxxx makes me do to ensure that I know I’m not dreaming whatever she shows me. As I watched, the bottom of this strip moved towards the top very quickly, compressing itself into a square of brilliant, almost white light, as bright as the sun but nowhere near as intense to look at. The ‘dividing line’ between the two shades of yellow formed a black star in the centre of the square. This image then 'flew' across the ceiling. I thought it was going to travel down the wall behind me, but it stopped directly above my head, something it would not have been able to do in a straight line had it appeared on the same wall as the previous signs. It stayed in this position above me for about five or ten seconds or so, then disappeared. I was obviously very surprised, amazed even, to see such a happening, so much so that I forgot to count the points on the star. Consequently I said aloud, "xxxx, do that again please darling, I didn't count the points on the star." I assumed she had gone, so you can understand my surprise and delight when I saw the two strips of yellow light reappear in exactly the same position and the whole process repeated. This time, instead of being transfixed by the bright light forming a square, I took note of what was happening inside the square, and distinctly watched a pentagram take shape. It was truly fascinating how it happened. The 'line' separating the two shades of yellow seemed to be squirming like snakes in a snake-pit as it was compressed and forced into this symbol. The whole process probably took less than 10 seconds, but watching the formation of the pentagram was just like watching in slow motion; I could see every movement of the 'line' as it took shape. I followed it again across the ceiling until, for a second time, it stopped directly above my head. During the short time it stayed there I was so dumb-struck that I didn't even thank xxxx, or attempt to communicate with her, much to my regret because she was obviously hearing what I said, the proof being the fact she had repeated this phenomenon. My own interpretation at the time of this happening was that xxxx was telling me that she had left this earth (the light moving from the floor to the ceiling), she was now in 'heaven' (the intense bright light), and that from now on she would be around to protect me (the upright pentagram directly above my head). Well, I'm still alive to write about it! Return to top of page.
I thought I heard something fall to the ground with a sort of 'tinny' sound. Thinking it might be a coin I looked around but saw nothing and then realising that it couldn’t have been a coin, because I never carry any in that pocket, forgot all about it. On arriving home I went through the ritual of emptying my pockets and leaving the items piled in the usual spot ready for work the next morning. On refilling my pockets early the next morning, Friday, I realised that my spare car key was nowhere to be seen. I hunted around for it, searching the area around where I had ‘supposedly placed’ it the day before. One very close spot where it might have fallen is on a dining chair upon which we tend to leave the newspapers and television magazine. I removed these and shook them, but to no avail. I decided to return to the place where I heard the sound of something falling to the ground the day before to look for the key, but it was nowhere in sight. On returning home some time later I ordered another from the car dealership as it is a coded key and cannot be cut by a cobbler. In the meantime I do not know how many times the TV magazine had been looked at – particularly by the kids! On Saturday, 4 August 2007, I left for work early as usual. My wife put the old papers and TV magazine out for recycling when she got up, before going shopping. Upon her return this week’s TV magazine ended up on this same chair. I don’t know how often it had been moved during the day, but at 5 p.m. she asked me at what time we could watch the news on BBC 1. I checked the magazine and told her it was at a quarter past five. It so happened that other things cropped up, and we never got to watch the news, but just after half past six my wife was talking on the phone and walked past the chair - something made her glance down. What did she see lying there? MY LOST KEY! Was this the work of some benevolent spirit or my Guardian Angel? You won’t convince me otherwise. I’m quite sure it must have been returned in this manner, because the items on that chair had been changed and moved on numerous occasions during the two days that it had been missing. That reminds me; I must call the car dealership on Monday morning and cancel the order for that new key! Return to top of page. |
||||||
This page is dedicated to reporting paranormal tales, from both the archives and, more importantly, YOU. If you have a genuine
paranormal tale to tell, no matter what, email it to me via my Contact Page and I guarantee I will publish it for you on this page. If you have pictures to include
that would certainly be an added bonus. If you wish to remain anonymous, so be it - your wishes will be respected, although I will keep your
details for future reference. Should we get sufficient visitor tales I shall endeavour to get them published, naturally with your
permission, when some arrangement will be reached regarding royalties.
Price said, "Every person who has resided in the rectory since it was built in 1863, and virtually every person who has investigated the alleged
miracles, has sworn to incidents that can only be described as paranormal."
The Golden Fleece Inn, reputed to be the most haunted public house in York, is one of the oldest coaching inns in that ancient city and is
mentioned in the York archives as far back as 1503 when it was owned by the Merchant Adventurers who were responsible for the wool
trade. It is situated directly opposite York's most historic and picturesque street, the Shambles, often called Europe's best preserved
medieval street. The Shambles was mentioned in the Domesday Book, and has thus been there for over 900 years.
It is said that in times gone by the cellars of the Golden Fleece were used to store the bodies of the unfortunate people who had been hung at
Bale Hill until someone came to claim them. Bale Hill has always been mentioned as such in tales relating to the Golden Fleece, but
during my own research I could find no actual reference to Bale Hill although I have come across Baile/Baille Hill, which was the site of one of two
castles built by William the Conqueror, the other being where Clifford’s Tower now stands. Baile Hill, now known as Bishopsgate, is just
outside the city walls to the south of the city centre close to the south bank of the River Ouse (it is actually to the west at this point), so it is
quite possible that this is the Bale Hill to which everyone refers.
There are supposedly at least five resident spirits, Lady Peckett being just one of them. Another is a WWII airman who fell to his death
from a window onto the pavement below after 'over-indulging'. He is said to wander the inn waking guests who are brave enough to
sleep there, by touching them. A little girl comes and goes in the kitchen, a grumpy old man has been seen by many people and other
apparitions are often seen moving furniture.
The story takes place in the churchyard of Greyfriars church in the city of Edinburgh, Scotland. Many of you may have heard of this church,
if not because of the poltergeist, then because of the famous little Skye terrier known as Greyfriars Bobby. This dog was utterly devoted to
his master John Gray, who died of tuberculosis and was buried in the churchyard. For fourteen years, day in day out, Bobby 'mourned' at the
grave of his master, only leaving for food on the sounding of the one o’clock gun.
Nothing was heard of Bloody George for over three hundred years – in fact it was not until 1999 when a tramp, supposedly searching for shelter,
crawled into MacKenzie’s tomb. He is reputed to have desecrated the tomb before falling through the floor and accidentally damaging some
coffins inside another tomb when he landed on them. Finding himself surrounded by skulls and bones, he apparently ran away screaming
from the scene bumping into a man walking his dog who also turned tail and ran. It is thought that it was this event that caused the ‘thing’,
known as MacKenzie’s Poltergeist, to manifest after all this time, but it is not his own tomb that MacKenzie haunts, but rather one known as The
Black Mausoleum in the final resting place of his victims – the prison itself.
Eileen Garrett (1893-1970) was reputedly one of the best trance mediums of her time in Britain. She first contacted the National Laboratory
of Psychical Research (NLPR) at the time of the Stella C experiments in 1923 as a sitter. Stella C (Stella Cranshaw) was a British nurse and
medium of whom Harry price said, "... one of the very few physical mediums through whom, during the past fifty years, convincing positive results
have been obtained under good conditions of control."
The scene is the premises of the NLPR, two days after the explosion of the R101 airship near the French town of Beauvais, on October 7
1930. During a sitting at which Mr
Harry Price (founder and honorary director of the NLPR of London and former foreign research officer of the American Society for Psychical Research),
Mr Ian Coster and Miss Ethel Beenbarn were present, a man claiming to be Flight Lieutenant H. Carmichael Irwin, the Captain of the doomed airship,
suddenly possessed the entranced Mrs. Garrett who was hoping to contact the late Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. He announced his presence
before giving a highly detailed technical account as to how and why the airship had crashed, implicating a peer of the realm.
This account of the disaster was written down and a copy submitted to the Air Ministry. The information was later checked by a member
of that same Ministry (in an unofficial capacity) and found to be amazingly accurate – 70% being absolutely correct and another 20% most
likely. However, news of the séance was withheld until after the public inquiry into the disaster had taken place. In his
book, The Tragedy of the R101, Edward Frank Spanner, the well-known naval architect and marine engineer, reached the same conclusions.
York is reputedly Europe’s most haunted city, and has many tales to tell, one such being about the Roman Legionnaires who often visit the
Treasurer’s House. This house was built in 1419 over an old Roman road, close to York Minster, as a home for the treasurer of the
Minster. It remained in this capacity until 1547, after which it passed through a number of private owners. In 1720 the building was
divided in two, separating Gray's Court from the current Treasurer's House. But the house is not all that it seems. Its size and
splendour surprise its visitors – as does a well known ghost story.
William Corder, the son of a Suffolk farmer was running a 300 acre farm in Polstead with his mother, his father and brothers having passed
away. On part of his land known as Barnfield Hill he had a barn, a large wooden construction with outbuildings. Part of the roof was thatched,
the rest being covered in red tiles which accounts for why it was known locally as the 'Red Barn'.
With thousands of onlookers present, on 11 August 1828, just three days after the trial, William Corder was hanged, after which his body
was taken to the Shire Hall where the public were allowed to view it. His head and face were then shaved prior to sending the body
to the County Hospital for dissection, another well attended event by all accounts. A death mask was taken and parts of
the body preserved; the scalp, with just one ear attached, and the death mask can be found in the museum to this day.
