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Undisclosed Church – Kent

19th October 2013
 

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

 

 

  The Investigation
 
Aim:
To continue our study into potential paranormal phenomena at this location.

Background:
The site has been a centre of religious worship for hundreds of years and was mentioned in the Doomsday Book (1086).

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. There had also been reports of sightings.

We have continued to experience and record interesting events at this location and it continues to produce results of interest. This investigation was to be no different.

Apparatus:

Camcorders:

Sony DCR HC-24E with night vision and Sony HVL-IRM IR light

Voice recorder:
Olympus DM20

Other:
Tripods
Torches
Video tapes (MiniDV)


Investigators:
Kim, Graham, Paddy, Ian, 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. We had no preconceived plan on this occasion as we simply wanted to pick a spot and conduct either vigils or séances based upon our understanding of the situation at the time. The usual equipment was to be deployed as above.

Investigation:

Pre Investigation

Upon initial arrival Dave unlocked the porch doors and entered the church to then allow entry to the team through the priests door as normal.

Session one

The team stood around in the area of the south aisle now devoid of pews.

Session two

For this session we remained in the similar area to before.

Session three

After a small relocation to the pews in the main nave the team began session three.

Session four

A séance was conducted during the fourth session in the sanctuary.

Results
Pre- investigation

As Dave entered the main body of the church into the south aisle and walked towards the chancel he heard foot falls follow him from the area of the font in the south aisle until the chancel arch.

While assembling themselves in the south aisle Dave heard the sound of shuffling clothes behind and to his left as if moving towards him and within seconds Graham, standing slightly behind and to Dave's right complained of someone coming close to him and whispering or blowing in his ear from the direction of Dave's noise.

A similar sound was also heard further away towards the font.

Session one

The team introduced themselves and immediately two distinct knocks were heard from the area of the pews by the font. These were immediately in time to a request.

Other odd sounds were heard by the team although, being faint and not repeated, their precise location could not be identified or investigated.

Graham provided the name 'Arthur' being strongly connected to the church.

Several of the team, initially Ian, would comment that they saw pin pricks of light flashing in the area of the steps up into the vestry mainly described as being green in colour.

Session two

Again small lights were reported in the area of the vestry door.

Paddy would comment on the darkness pervading in the area of the vestry steps and beyond towards the tower and Dave walked down to test how far the visibility in the dark would extend. As he made his way down the main aisle Dave heard a voice say a sentence including the word 'keys' and asked Graham what he meant as he believed it was Graham's voice. This was disputed by Graham, and indeed Kim who was standing next to Graham and confirmed that he had said nothing.

Dave then returned back to the front of the pews where the rest of the team now were to hear Kim begin humming a tune that she said had come into her head but that she did not recognise. Graham and Dave recognised it as fitting the tune of the harvest hymn “We Plough the Fields and Scatter”.
Dave initially left the team and went looking for a hymn book in the vestry. Failing to locate such he returned.

Whilst Dave was in the vestry a loud bang was heard within the body of the church but was not repeated when asked for.

On his return, Dave saw a black outline of a figure leaning over a railing close to the team and, believing it to be Paddy continued to talking to everyone else in sight except that Paddy would then appear walking back from the opposite direction!

In keeping with the use of technology the tune was located on the internet and Dave and Graham sang along. Nothing else was forthcoming from the impromptu performance.

Dave did however notice a bright area of light near the west window in the south aisle which appeared every so often to fade and then brighten.

Session three

There were several feelings of coldness around the pews that had not been evident previously.

As the session concluded Dave stood within the aisle and stated he could see a number of people in the pews all of whom turned to look at him as he walked past although nothing was said. He described the scene as appearing in a shade similar to a sepia photograph and that the persons were dressed in reasonably fine clothes of the Edwardian era. His attention was drawn to the back of the church in this scene and noted the the present organ was not present in the scene and felt a smaller version was in use nearer the chancel.

Upon Paddy's suggestion Dave entered the pulpit to see if this made any difference. The same scene existed but then started to diminish.

Session four.

Various sensations of being pushed and pulled physically were felt and members of the team were observed to be leaning severely forwards or backwards without obvious support for some of the time.

Conclusions
Pre Investigation

The sounds Dave on entering the church definitely sounded like footfalls, upon checking there was no one there to have made them. The only explainable possibility is that there was an echo off of the south aisle wall of the sound of Dave's own footsteps and that this was mistaken to be an extra set behind him. It should be noted that in the years that we have conducted investigations in this church that we have never noted an echo effect from any noises occurring.

The sounds of movement heard are familiar and are always possible to have been caused by rodents although rodents have never been seen in the church except bats. The coincidence of the feelings of Graham of being approached and whispered at are interesting as existing in the same time frame as the movement was heard. They remain unexplained at the current time.

Session one

The first noise noted could not be identified although it clearly came from the area of pews immediately by the font. The more this noise was discussed by the team it was decided to check this area to make sure there actually was no-one else present that could have made that noise. There was, of course, no-one there. It was recorded clearly on the footage and will be available in due course.

Lights were seen at various times by most of the team in the area of the vestry. These are of a type not present in a physical form in the church and not caused by any of the normally explainable car movements or torch lights that sometimes occur outside. They remain unexplained.

The names of Arthur and along with Kim's fire sensation are difficult to explain by normal means. Graham could add no further detail although later thought that he may be going by another identity although in these circumstances cannot be verified without other details (although see Research para(1)). Kim's name of cannot be verified without further detail. Kim's description of a fire, and indeed she asked if there had been a fire in the church but the team were not aware. She invited the others to feel the temperature of her hands and they certainly appeared hotter than anyone else's. She had had them placed upon the wooden pews in the open air and some of the team had had theirs in the their pockets so there was no justifiable reason for this extreme difference (although again see Research para(2)).

Session two

The lights have been commented about above and therefore will not be repeated.

The darkness commented upon by Paddy is likely to just be a difference in lighting in the this area which has less windows and is further from the south windows that on this date were generously illuminated by the the full moon outside to the south.

The recounting by Kim of a tune identified as the Harvest Hymn is interesting as this was harvest time when the team attended. The fact that she did not know it makes this more interesting as to how she could have come up with it at that time (see research para(3))

The bang heard when Dave was in the vestry was not identified but like the earlier ones was considered too loud to be caused by any normal means existent in the church.

The black outline Dave saw leaning on the railing and presumed to be Paddy is of interest. It resembled a human form and was solid like a dark shape of person highlighted against the light as this was. It cannot be readily explained.

The bright area of light that diminished and brightened was identified as being caused by the moon as it had moved across the sky and was shining through one of the south windows occasionally being obscured by light cloud.

Session three

The feelings of coldness around the pews that had not been evident previously seemed localised and unexplained. It is always remembered that small louvre windows remain open in the church and odd slight draughts can be caused which can adversely affect the temperature in areas of the building although this seemed unlikely on this occasion.

The scene that Dave vividly described is of interest by its very nature and the detail of it. He described it as seeming perfectly real at the time as if he were actually in the scene. The detail provided was of interest and particularly in relation to the lack of organ and the period of dress being Edwardian (ie post 1901 and see Research para (4)).

Session four.

The sensations felt by the team during the séance are rare for us and could only be likened to being pushed and pulled by an unseen force. We were not tired at this time and cannot explain the sensation at all.

Research

Following the investigation several sources were consulted in regard to names and the church history and the following were ascertained, where no full names were given during the investigation and the existence of full names, locations, dates and features these have been shortened for anonymity:

(1) The name Arthur -

An Arthur, owner of the local manor, wrote a history of his house and gave all proceeds to the church. He was also the last person buried in the churchyard under the active period of the church and last entry in the church register in 197*.

(2) The fire in the south aisle -

The south aisle was subject to a fire in recent history. It destroyed a number of pews that now explains the open area on the south side.

(3) The Harvest Hymn -

The last regular service in this church was a Harvest Festival in an October. It is likely this hymn was sung.

(4) The Edwardian service with no organ at the rear of the church and only a small one nearer the chancel -

The present organ was installed in 191* and previous to this a smaller instrument was in use.


Final Observation.

Again we found our investigation at this church of great interest and cannot wait to return.

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.

Thanks
 
   
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