Undisclosed 14th Century Manor House – Kent

Investigation 8

Aim:
To continue our study of this site and investigate reports of paranormal phenomena as well as follow up on occurrences we have so far encountered.

Background:
As always we are honor the site owners request to not disclose the venue, but to set the scene we can say that it is a large house with many outbuildings and a site of historic significance. Our previous visits have proved very interesting even more so the last two. Foot steps were heard in a room above and a variety of strange noises were recorded by a solitary locked of camcorder, the area where these were recorded was to be investigated thoroughly on this investigation. To see our previous investigation report and those before please use the following link.

Apparatus:

Camcorders:

Samsung VP-D351 with night vision
Sony DCR HC-24E 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 400D
Fuji Fine Pix S5000
Fuji Fine Pix S5500
Fuji Fine Pix S5500
Pentax K-100D Digital SLR
Sony Erickson C905 camera phone

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

Data Loggers x 4

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

Investigators:
Ian, Kim, Paddy and Dave.

Method:
This time we thought we should spend our time in the main house and further investigate some recordings taken last time which showed a lot of varied and strange noises on one stair area. We also agreed to spend some time in some of the other bedrooms that were previously un-investigated as well as the kitchen area where the footsteps were heard and recorded last time. As has become our preferred practice we were to split into two pairs and swap locations and compare notes, before regrouping for a joint vigil on the staircase.

The Investigation

Unfortunately before we could start the investigation Paddy was called away leaving just Kim Ian and Dave to continue the investigation. We decided to abandon the splits and continue the night as a group of three in each of the planned areas. After Paddy had left Ian started the locked off camcorder and the team moved off to the other end of the house for the first vigil.

First vigil – Victorian wing bedroom.
Dave and Ian were filming on camcorder and Kim and Dave had their voice recorders running.
First impressions are important, we all felt fairly happy until half way through the hour, Both Dave and Ian spent some time calling out for someone to make their presence known with varied results. Ian called out and this was followed by knocks that were heard by the whole team. Other taps were heard by Dave in response to his request for activity. On other occasions noises were heard immediately after the request was made for such. The room began to have an unpleasant feel to it as Dave pointed out. Whilst Ian was calling there was a repeated sound that could be compared to faint almost dainty footsteps these were heard by the whole team who agreed that it sounded like a woman’s footsteps. Kim and Dave also thought they heard a faint voice but Kim was unable to make out what it said, Dave was of the opinion that it was a woman’s voice that whispered “yeah”, this was in response to Ian asking if anyone was with them in the room and happened as he was about to start the next sentence. Ian was of the opinion that he could see occasional pinpricks of flashing light. On one occasion as Ian said he thought a flash a dull thud was heard whilst it was being discussed. By the end of the session Kim began to complain of feeling nauseous and was coughing a lot and was feeling affected in someway by the unpleasantness of the room so it was decided to end the vigil and have a break before the next location.

Second vigil – Center bedroom
During the break Ian changed DVD's in the locked off camcorder and the team then moved off to the center bedroom. Dave and Ian were again filming on camcorder and Kim and Dave had their voice recorders running. Despite another hour’s session and all of the team having a go at calling aloud for some activity nothing was forthcoming. The only interesting occurrence was noted by Kim. At one point she said she saw the wall beside her briefly illuminated as though by an exterior light source, as though a light had shone in through the windows casting a shadow of the leaded light window pains against the wall. This was very brief and was also not witnessed by Ian and Dave. This was thought to have been the headlights from passing cars and was investigated.

Third vigil – Top of service stairs
After another break and changing the locked off DVD we settled on the top of the rear stairs. This area was covered by a locked off camcorder on the last investigation and although nothing was recorded visually there was a lot of audible phenomena in the form of odd noises, cracks and what sounded like the rattles of door handles. We had hoped to witness some of this first hand. Dave and Ian were again filming on camcorder and Kim and Dave had their voice recorders running. We settled on the top flight of stairs Dave at the bottom, Kim halfway and Ian at the top.

Dave started calling out as he was nearer the area of previous activity. As he sat back against a piece of timber it made a creaking noise very similar to that recorded on the last investigation, this was played with for a while until we were certain and finally agreed that it was the source of the noises recorded previously. However, we were unable to explain why that noise would be happening as it needed someone to physically move it to do so. A number of taps were heard including one very loud crack from downstairs. Dave moved position to see better down the stairs to the area this was heard from, he continued asking for activity and this was followed by more noises, some seeming to be responsive and some not, and was also interrupted by the occasional rustling sound suggesting movement, all of this was coming from downstairs near the kitchen.

Fourth vigil – Kitchen
We changed the DVD in the locked off camcorder on the first floor for the last time then assembled for the last session of the night in the kitchen itself, the source of the noises we had previously heard from the top of the rear stairs. Dave's camcorder was set on a tripod outside in the hallway, Ian filmed in the kitchen, Dave and Kim's voice recorders were again running.

After a few minutes we started asking if there was anyone about causing the noises that were heard by us earlier. After a while all the team heard a loud click from the hallway similar to the loud crack heard by us at the top of the stairs. We all went to investigate a selection of electricity meters and switches that are out in the hallway thinking it to be a sound similar to that of an electrical relay switching over, but no such items could be seen, there were only fuse boxes and electricity meters running.

Whilst we were investigating this we heard another set of clicks from the kitchen we had just left. We were aware of a fridge running in the kitchen and had heard this already, the noises we were now hearing were different and had not been heard before. Kim and Ian returned to the kitchen while Dave remained in the hallway, for a while the noises stopped but started again after sometime and remained intermittent along with an occasional rustling sound. Ian and Dave stood in the hallway and could hear rustling and movement from beyond the rear hallway and into the main body of the house. This was observed for sometime before we decided to end the session and investigate what could be causing this. There are a few plastic bags of rubbish and building materials lying around the place but there was nothing tat could of disturbed them.

By now it was 4.00am and we decided to call and end to the night’s investigation.

When the team investigated what could have caused the light Kim saw against the wall in the center bedroom, it was found to be that there was no nearby road from which car headlights could have shone. Neither was there any other possible external light source. It was also found that the windows were glazed with plain glass and not leaded! We were unable to explain the source of the illumination or why Kim saw the shadow of leaded lights windows against the wall.

Some of the noises heard by the team whilst on the stairs were caught on camcorder but unexplained. The loud crack heard and the rustling that followed was to be investigated later.

The noises heard from the hallway whilst in the kitchen were very similar to those heard whilst we were on the stairs. These were investigated but no cause could be found, some were caught on camcorder. Likewise the noises heard from the kitchen whilst we investigated the earlier noises could also not be identified. We are aware of a fridge in the kitchen that produces some noise but not the type of noises we had experienced, neither were they coming from the location of the fridge so these noises are also unexplained.

The sound of movement and rustling heard in the rear hallway and further into the house may have an explanation, as when the team returned to camp Dave saw a rat run across the room, we can only assume the rustling was the rat rummaging in the bags about the place.

The Camcorder that was locked off in the first floor corridor produced no evidence but for the first few minutes of filming it was subject to some strange interference. As you watch the footage you are aware of the image moving as though the camcorder is being touched or played with? We have no explanation as to why this happened.

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. Should you wish to discuss this information please email us.

Most of our camcorder footage, still photographs and voice recordings have been examined and items of interest have become apparent. Some of those moments were caught on camcorder or audio including the repeated knocks (possible footfalls) heard in the Victorian bedroom, these and can be seen in the videos that accompany this report. This report will be updated should anything further become evident.

Data Logger Results from Stairs to Pink Room - Rest to follow.

Thanks again to the owners, the value of returning to venues and being able to conduct longer term studies is proving to be more and more productive. We are grateful as always for the continued support of the venue owners.