Undisclosed 14th Century Manor House, Kent

We have been asked not to identify this venue at the custodians request but have been fortunate to have been entrusted with overnight access, to try to explain experiences and sensations felt by people here, as well as better understand our own results from previous investigation here.

This is the same manor house that we were last privileged to have spent a weekend at. Throughout our investigations at this house we have experienced many things that lead us to further investigations in the same or different locations within the house and this was an opportunity to do just that.

Background:
The site has been a dwelling of standing since the middle ages, once being owned by influential families with links to some of the most important and influential characters and events of the last 900 years.

Previously we had simply spent our time conducting group vigils in different areas of the building. When doing so we had noted a large amount of noise, taps and knocks were heard, as well as a sense and sound of movement. We wished to investigate these further with vigils in previously investigated locations and those that we had previously sought to visit due to previous events. High on this list were two corridors, one on the ground floor and one on the first floor where we had previously experienced either physical and audible phenomena and had a different approach to try, or unexplainable noises had later been found on recorded footage.

Apparatus:

Camcorders:

Samsung VP-D351 with night vision
Sony DCR HC-62E with night vision and Sony HVL-IRM IR light
Sony DCR-HC19 with night vision and Sony HVL- IRM IR light
Sony DCR-DVD110E with night vision and Sony HVL- IRM IR light

Digital Camera:
Canon 1000D
Fuji Fine Pix S5000
Fuji Fine Pix S5500
Fuji Fine Pix S5500
Pentax K-100D Digital SLR
Panasonic Lumix DMC FZ-38

Voice recorder:
Olympus VN-2100PC
Olympus DM20
HNSAT DVR958

Other:
Tripods
Torches
Video tapes (MiniDV)
DVD-RW's

Investigators:
Ian, Kim, Paddy, and Dave.

Method:
Using visual and scientific methods combined with spiritual theory investigate the background to alleged paranormal phenomena at this venue. This time we decided not to waste any time. The usual equipment was to be deployed as above at each location. Initially we planned to concentrate on the two above mentioned corridors however events would again take over and ensure that we actually changed our plan as we went along.

Investigation:
We arrived and wasted no time setting up our equipment and getting on with it. The weather was poor with incessant rain which would eventually become so heavy as to render any investigation nigh on impossible and conclude the night earlier than planned.

Session one
Based upon numerous experiences on various investigations where noises had occurred either within, or in the vicinity of, the ground floor corridor at the rear of the kitchen we decided the most effective way to investigate this whole area was to split and cover an area each. Firstly, Kim sat within the kitchen which joins the corridor by means of a door and a hatch. Paddy remained at the foot of the stairs, which are on the opposite side of the door to the kitchen but within the corridor and open to it. Dave sat within a small corridor extension under the stairs where the hatch goes through to the kitchen and Ian sat within the reception room beyond Dave at the end of the corridor. It was noted that a bucket had been placed within the corridor prior to the teams arrival due to a small leak and was catching drips so these noises were noted and discarded from any further investigation at this location.

Session two
Whilst en route to the planned second location the team were distracted and ended up located in a room known as The Pink Room on the first floor within the eaves of the roof. A previously reported room of interest we remained here for the session. Each of the team sat separately.

Session three
This session was a continuation of the last in the same format and same location.

Session four
The original intention of the team for session two had been to investigate the first floor corridor due to previous events. Whilst deploying equipment in this location it was noted that there was an empty room at the far end of this corridor from which we could hear anything along it and change location should it be required. Seated within this end room we commenced a séance.

Session five
This session was a continuation of the last in the same format and same location.

Paddy and Dave both heard the sound of footfalls on the floor. Dave put it towards Paddy and Paddy put it into the kitchen by Kim although Kim stated she didn't hear it.

There was a noise on the staircase and this was heard by all the team. At the same time Ian described a similar noise occurring in the room where he was.

Ian then heard a louder thump within the house.

The wind then started to pick up in gusts and was born in mind for future noises.

Ian heard a tap within his room followed by another near Dave and another near Ian.

All the team then heard a sound they described as being of clothes rustling together. This was followed during the discussion by a vocal exclamation.

Fireworks then started and these noises were taken into account too.

Dave thought he heard a sigh.

There was then a thud which was heard by the team and likened by Ian to the one he heard earlier.

Session two

As Paddy and Ian went ahead of Kim towards our second corridor they were alerted to a room known as The Pink Room due to the sound of a door opening. When they rounded the corner the door to the room was closed but we decided to base ourselves there. Entering the room it was seemed so much colder than the corridor outside.

In order to examine the possibility that the door opened it was left secure with a cam corder zoomed on the mortice lock.

The team noted that the atmosphere in the room had a 'heavy' feel to it.

Kim stated she could hear talking.

Various taps were then heard from the area of the end wall of the room which adjoins the rest of the house.

Kim thought she saw something move across the room in front of Ian.

The team then decided to undo the door and leave it ajar.

An attempt was made to gain a response to noises we made by knocking. Some noises were heard but any request for repetition by means of two noises was not forthcoming.

Session three

For this session the team returned to the 'pink room'.

With a heavy atmosphere perceived to be present Dave worked on the premise that perhaps someone did not actually want the team within the room. Asking for a definate gesture one tap was heard albeit faint. A repeat was asked for and not forthcoming.

The temperature dropping and the team becoming uncomfortable chose to re-locate.

Session four

The team relocated to a room termed as 'The Flat', an area consisting of two rooms with no door between. This was at the end of the previously noted first floor corridor where Ian's camcorder caught some unexplained noises on a previous investigation. The team decided to attempt a séance in this area.

A footfall was heard on the bare floorboards behind the team.

A loud bang was heard in the area of a window. A repetition was asked for but was not forthcoming.

After some waiting a sound similar to the above was heard. Again it was not repeated on request.

A sound like a groaning voice was heard.

The team broke the session when Kim's voice recorder began beeping. It transpired that it was set to Super High Quality which is not our normal setting due to the duration that can be recorded on this setting which is only 4hrs 45min.

During the break, and the team being completely outside the premise, there is a sound like a loud tap recorded on the video footage that was left to run to the end of the tape.

Session five

The team returned to the same room and repeated the séance exercise.

Nothing of interest was noted and the investigation concluded.

The noise on the staircase was recorded and can be heard on our footage. It was wooden in sound and did not occur a second time so could not be immediately identified. It is not the first time we have encountered sounds on the staircase of an unexplained nature. We cannot say that this one is definitely unidentified but was its location more than coincidence?

The noise occurring that the same time by Ian was not picked up on the footage and was not heard by the rest of the team although this may have been because we reacted so instantly to the first one and were talking. The two may, or may not, be connected.
The thump Ian heard was not audible on any recordings and was not located. No reasonable argument can be made either way so this was disregarded.

Only the second of three noises was picked up on a recording. They all appeared to occur in slightly different places only a few metres apart. They were difficult to place and not able to be traced to anything specific. They were not repeated.

The team initially accused each other of making the sound of clothing moving but all heard it and all denied moving at all. It was recorded on video footage and can be viewed with the clip from this investigation.

The vocal exclamation came just before Dave began a sentence. Again everyone was adamant it wasn't them and it was recorded.

We cannot offer a reasonable explanation for either of these two. The clothing sound is more difficult if no-one moved and there was no one else and no objects capable of such a noise, randomly, being present. The vocal noise may have sub-consciously been one of the team although we are adamant that it wasn't.

However in relation to the sound of clothing movement, a careful study of Dave's footage revealed that the two sounds which made up this incident was Paddy removing his right hand from his trouser pocket and placing it on his camera. This just shows how small movements are not noticed and even disputed readily. Only the presence of a camcorder showed what the actual cause of this noise was. At least our association of the sound to the movement of clothing was correct.

The sigh that Dave thought he heard was not heard by anyone else and does not appear on the footage. It may have been some other noise unheard by the team or purely imagined.

The thud was, by process of elimination, placed outside and believed to be a car door or similar shutting. It was discounted from further investigation.

Session two

As no door was seen to open or close by Ian or Paddy, and no other similar object exists in that area to create that sound we really cannot comment other than to say it was sufficient to draw our attention.

When measured, the significant difference in temperature was only 1 deg C. This does not present a great difference to comment upon although was noted. The corridor to this room and the room itself are both located in a narrow projection from the main house so are more susceptible to being influenced by the outdoor temperature than some other rooms in the house.

The 'heavy' or 'oppressive' atmosphere commented on had no substance. This may well have been due to the events that proceeded it influencing the teams thoughts.

No other members of the team heard voices and they were not heard again.

Tapping noises where no identified although could feasibly have been rodents or other wildlife or natural noises within the walls.

Kim did not describe any further what she saw in the room. It cannot be explained. There was no moonlight or outside lighting likely to cause any shadows and all of our light sources were accounted for. At the moment of this report none of our light sources moved so they can be discounted from causing a moving shadow.

It was not possible to identify the cause of any noises that we heard. They may have been within the room although efforts to identify the location found that on each occasion they appeared to come from a different place. In this way it was impossible to theorise as to their cause. No intelligent repetition was forthcoming and therefore they may have been entirely natural.

Session three

The fact that a 'tap' was heard by the team at an exact moment that a specific request was made is of interest although the source of this cannot be established beyond doubt. No repetition was made when requested and therefore no comparison could be made and neither could any progression to conversation. This was recorded.

The temperature dropping was probably psychosomatic due to the initial temperature and also due to the drop in temperature outside and increased rainfall we were experiencing and able to hear also.

Session four

A footfall was clearly heard in the empty room. The room is completely devoid of furniture with bare floorboards. There I nothing else within the room that can make a noise. There is nothing in the area the noise came from that could be confused with the noise we heard. This was not recorded.

The loud bang heard in the area of the window can safely be assumed to have been the window as there is nothing else in the room. It was believed to be something against the window until it was realised that there is nothing outside to touch the window even thought the wind was increasing. Its cause is not known but was not repeated on request.

After some waiting a sound similar to the above was heard. Again it was not repeated on request.

The groaning voice was heard by all of the team so at least a sound similar to this can be verified although its source was not identified due to there being nothing, and no-one, else within the room. It was not recorded, unfortunately, so cannot be compared or retained for analysis.

The team broke the session when Kim's voice recorder began beeping. The fact that it ran out of memory space caused the warning noise. Normally this is set to a longer setting to allow enough space for the whole investigation and can only be changed through repeated button pressing through a menu on screen. When switched off it cannot be altered and is transported in its own padded case. It would not have been altered for any reason during the investigation. We cannot explain this occurrence. It is not something that has happened before.

The sound during the break appears to be within the room but is unlike the previous noise on the window and no other noises were heard during this session so no conclusion can be drawn.

Session five

No events were noted and therefore no conclusions can be drawn from this session.

During our stay a certain amount of other information was forthcoming to the team of a clairvoyant nature. As Ghost Connections conducts scientifically based investigations we do not publish such observations, however, this information is held on a separate database and may prove interesting when compared to other peoples experiences. Should you wish to discuss this information please email us

Very few of the audible noises were found to be recorded but those that were confirm that they were not imagined by the team. Camcorder footage, still photographs and voice recorders were later examined and nothing further of note was found other than what can be seen on the associated investigation videos.

We continue to find this premise of great interest and worthy of investigation.