Undisclosed Location - Kent

Ghost Connections were privileged to be granted access to the same venue as featured on an August 2007 report. This venue is in rural Kent and is significant historical interest spanning several centuries. To our knowledge it has never been subject to a paranormal investigation and after our first visit we are pleased to be able to conduct further investigations at this venue.

The first report can be read here.
The second report can be read here.
The site consists of three buildings of which two have been referred to as buildings A and B in the previous report. The same terms will be used here. Further to these there is a utility block which will be referred to in this report.

Video camera-
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

Digital Camera-
Fuji Fine Pix S5000
Fuji Fine Pix S5500
Fuji Fine Pix S5500
Nikon Coolpix 3100

Voice recorder -
Olympus VN-2100PC
Olympus DM20

Other-
Video tapes (mini DV)
CCTV systems X2 + video recorders X2

Team:

Kim
Paddy
Ian
Dave

Method:

Using visual and scientific methods combined with spiritual information investigate the background to alleged paranormal phenomena at this venue.

Investigation:

Our previous investigation had highlighted one circumstance that we should be able to take care of at this venue, namely the possibility of outside sources of noises. We had envisaged that by use of CCTV we could negate any inference of persons or other causes for noises being created on the building or doors of building A from the outside. Being in possession of two remote camera's we set these to cover a view of the entire frontage of the venue. The view was checked to make sure the length was covered. The monitors were set and the image and audio would be recorded direct from the monitors to video recorders onto tape for later review.

Bear in mind previous reports regarding the absolute stillness inside the buildings.

Kim and Dave arrived on site first and unlocked the door. As they walked in a loud bang was heard in building A.

They then left the building to collect the equipment from the car and another loud bang was heard inside the building.

Ian and Paddy then arrived and everyone went into the building. As everyone was setting up the video recorders by the door there was a sound of footsteps on a gravely surface. This was identified as coming from further up the building where part of the floor is of dry earth and bricked construction. None of the team were anywhere near this area.

This sound was followed by a singular metallic tap noise. The location of this could not be identified.

The temperature inside was 15.0 deg C and outside was 13.1 deg C.

Having then spent some time setting up all the monitors the team conducted an experiment in an area of the building considered to be of value for any possible auditory phenomena. A séance was conducted near a collection of cow bells. Video cameras were set to record the area around the team and also the bells themselves. Anything present was invited to use the bells to communicate with the team.

Various knocks and bangs were heard throughout the building.

Odd noises were heard on the monitor.

Ian described how he felt a sharp blowing in his ear.

A light was observed through the boarding of one of the doors. There was no traffic, no pedestrians and no changes to the situation outside.

It was at this point that Ian's monitor began to relay the sound of voices as though played through a radio. Having had a car stop outside earlier we believed this may be a short wave radio and could possibly have been the local police called to light in the building. Paddy and Dave went outside to check this and no one was present. The area was checked and no persons were present. Ian and Kim remained in the building. Ian was attempting to regain control of the hold on the picture. Ian would recount how the voices were still being produced from the monitors speaker. Only when Paddy and Dave returned to inside the building did the noises cease. Further checking of the video tape for any evidence of this would take place post investigation.

Prior to leaving the building it was found that the entry door was further open than it had been left.

Upon returning to further inspect the equipment a loud tap was heard in what will be termed Bay III which was next to us.

A break was called for further investigation into what had been noted.

During this the tower of the local church appeared to have light illuminating the inside room. This had not been noted on previous investigations.

Having explored the phenomena observed we started again.

When we broke we had left our equipment exactly as it was. Kim's video camera was left on its tripod and had been facing towards the team for the duration of the previous session. When we returned we found that the camera and its attached upper swivel mounting on the tripod had been turned by 90 deg and now faced into the main body of the building instead of where we had been sitting.

A 4hr voice recorder (which had sufficient time left to run) was found to now be off whereas it had been left running. The batteries were fine and it was restarted.

Batteries in most other items of equipment whether turned off during the break or not now needed replacing. Many other spare batteries were found to be flat.

Taps were heard from behind Kim where we now sat.

A drop in temperature here was noted. It was now 13 deg C.

Kim mentions phrases coming to mind, “I am the catalyst”, and ' You have to help me'.

After a further time spent asking for responses and getting none a further break was called.

Settling back in in the same place we conducted a séance experiment in this area. Asking for indications of presences we were then hearing sporadic noises. The taps was as though something were being banged on a wooden object, of which there is a proliferation. They appeared initially to be some distance away. Due to the amount of wood in the building it was difficult to judge exactly where it was coming from or what was causing it.

Further means of investigation was called for and to these ends the instruction to make the noise louder was given – it was made singly and more deliberately.

In order to establish if the noise is natural or likely to be made by an intelligent source the request was made for the noise to be made twice – it was but faintly.

Further it was requested that the noise be made twice again but louder and it was produced one immediately after the other and louder and more deliberate than had occurred before.

Having experienced these we took another break.

We then attempted something we rarely do – glass divination. Nothing notable happened although there was believed to be some slight movement in the glass.

We then maintained a quiet vigil intending to gain further audio we intended to locate the source by walking around the building as the sounds were produced.

Various sounds were produced on request but the source appeared to be in a different location on each occasion we attempted to locate it.

Having identified sounds all over the building with no apparent source the evening was concluded.

The two loud bangs heard by Dave and Kim upon arrival were never identified and were not located. By virtue of the stillness of the building there is no identifiable source and their occurrence remains a mystery.

The sounds of footsteps on gravely ground were identifiable as coming from further up the building. This is identifiable by virtue of the change in ground surface at one location. There was no one present in this area at the time. Kim, Ian and Dave were together by the equipment some 20 feet away and Paddy was outside researching another building. The sounds were distinctly those of someone walking upon this type of surface and remain totally unexplained by the team.

The singular metallic tap is possible to have come from an object hitting one of the metal sheet constructed objects in the building. Whilst the team could not locate a source for this it does not preclude a natural source of something falling onto something else. A likely object was not located however this explanation cannot be discounted in this instance.

The teams location near a set of cowbells is based on several published theories on the use of bells to communicate with persons in spirit. It is thought that given certain conditions i.e. A séance, that they can use bells to indicate their presence. It is appreciated that the use of cowbells for this is not usual although we believed the principle may be the same. It produced no results in itself although several noises and bangs were heard around the building in various locations.

Odd noises were heard on the monitor for the CCTV. These could not be identified or located.

The sharp blowing in Ian's ear was not able to have been one of the team. It is possible to have been a draught from outside although there was no wind and no other detectable draught was locatable. As his experience was described distinctly as though a person were blowing in his ear then this remains unexplained.

There then three descriptions of males given by three members of the team at the same time. These do not preclude the fact that these may be of the same person and make interesting comparisons although the details cannot be verified as there is no name or age attached.

The light seen through the boards of a secondary door could not be identified at the time although subsequent investigation revealed it to be a distant street light in a neighbouring village which was visible across the fields and through the hedge opposite the main building. From there it was visible in the building to the team.

The sound of voices on the monitor remains unexplainable. Various theories of how voices or sounds become recorded on audio or visual media are available although Ghost Connections can find none which can be proved to be applicable to any certain circumstances. In the same vein we cannot support the notion that these voices, otherwise known as EVP, are directly attributable to contact with spirit persons. In this instance the sounds were relayed via a monitor from a camera and microphone placed outside the building. The camera transmits the picture and sound to a receiver within the monitor and the picture is displayed as seen. The sound is audible on the monitor if the volume is turned up. The monitor is connected using audio and video connectors (red, white, yellow jacks on a three core lead) to a VHS video recorder. This enables the video to record the product of the camera as relayed to the monitor. Therefore the recording would contain all of the verbals heard by the team. Dave and Paddy went outside and heard and saw nothing. No persons were seen and no source of such noises were identified. Ian and Kim would state that the voices continued whilst Dave and Paddy were outside. Dave and Paddy held no discussion whilst outside and in any case would not have been picked up by the microphone at the distance that they were from it. On their return there were no further voices heard. The video tape was allowed to record the rest of the session and preserved for later scrutiny. Upon viewing it was found that the audio and visual transmissions as tested were transmitted accurately. At the relevant time of the voices in question, however, the transmission in its entirety failed. All that was recorded on the tape was a 'blue screen'. After a certain ammount of time the transmission returned to normal. Various unsubstantiated theories of interference could be interpreted as an explanation although none of these are verifiable and the incident remains unexplained. Unfortunately with no recording available for this period it cannot be investigated further.

The position of the door was unusual although natural movement cannot be discounted at this time. Further instances involving this door would be forthcoming in the next investigation.

The bang heard next to the team on our return to the equipment could not be identified other than to say that nothing within that area is moveable under its own means or by air movement.

The light within the local church tower remains unexplained. It has now been noted on subsequent visits but we are not able to suggest why a light would be left on overnight within the tower if indeed a light is present in this area. Research continues.

The movement of Kim's video camera would not have been able to be completed by draught or animal if any were present. Our only natural companion on any of these investigations is a bat and the chances of a bat hitting a free standing object in a large building, equipped as they are with sensory perception of their surroundings in the dark, is considered extremely remote. The circumstances that the camera and the top of the tripod mount were turned through 90 deg would indicate some sort of force being used although preclude the fact that it was hit by anything or forcibly turned as this would result in the toppling of the whole tripod. It remains unexplained. No other video equipment was noted to have been interfered with.

The voice recorder was noted to have switched off. In normal circumstances this is operated by a mechanical switch, by automatic means on the conclusion of a 4hr recording or by battery depletion. It was turned on again and found to have sufficient remaining battery power. The manner in which it became turned off remains a mystery. It may be purely coincidental that many items of equipment had depleted batteries upon our return from that break and needed replacement. Many of Dave's batteries were found to have been discharged even though not used although this is believed to have been down to the quality of the battery. These have since been tested and have failed on subsequent occasions to retain a charge. He has now replaced these batteries with those of better quality and these retain a charge. The new ones, however, are yet to be tested at this location.

Various subsequent taps were not identified or repeated.

Kim's thoughts of comments including 'I am a catalyst' are not readily explainable but are of interest.

The 'double taps' would be our most favoured talking point of the evening. It is generally accepted that sporadic noises, even in a normally quiet building, cannot be verified as paranormal. It is therefore desirable to have these repeated and in an identifiable form at the time of a request being made for them to be produced. At this location we got this. This is a significantly rare event and should not be overlooked. This location is subject to an ongoing study and to date there have been no noises which are naturally occurring and sound anything like this. Whilst we cannot say for certain that the cause is paranormal we can state that the criteria for accepting it as something that furthers our investigations were fulfilled. An identifiable noise was heard, upon request it was repeated and for verification (on request) it was repeated as two of the same immediately. This discounts the fact that it is a random noise and further discounts the notion that it is a regular noise occurring in repetitive cycles.

Glass divination is another suggested method used by spirit persons to communicate. It is not a method used very often by Ghost Connections. In fact we have used it twice in 2007. There is a suggestion that any movement seen is due to involuntary muscle movement from the persons in contact with the glass. In our case there was no observed movement in the manner normally seen although we believe we felt the glass move slightly. This could not be seen in footage and is possibly the result of muscle movement, accidental hand slippage, or imagined entirely. No positive results were forthcoming.

The later noises were not identifiable and are not considered noteworthy in the their presence.

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

Camcorder footage, still photographs and voice recorders were later examined and nothing further of note was found. Some of the audible noises were found to be recorded and as such we can be certain that they were not imagined by the team. The video tape of the CCTV has been described further in the previous text.

Conclusions

Further investigation continues.