Undisclosed 14th Century Manor House – Kent

Investigation Seven

Aim:
Our continuing study of this site investigating the reports of paranormal phenomena that have been spoken about over the years.

Background:
As before we cannot identify the location, but this is large house and it's many outbuildings are of historic significance and previous visits have proved very interesting. This has to be one of the most forthcoming venues we have visited and the results have been astounding, please refer to our previous investigation reports by clicking here.

The Investigation

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

Digital Camera:
Canon 400D
Fuji Fine Pix S5000
Fuji Fine Pix S5500
Fuji Fine Pix S5500
Pentax K-100D Digital SLR
Olympus C-370
Practica Digicam 3

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

Other:
Tripods
Torches
Video tapes (MiniDV)

Investigators:
Ian, Kim, Paddy and Dave.

Method:
Our previous investigations have proved eventful but most of what we had experienced was in the outbuildings, therefore, we had returned there each time. This time we thought we should spend our time in the main house, which so far we had hardly touched. As has become our preferred practice we were to split into two pairs and swap locations and compare notes, before regrouping for some joint vigils based on what our findings told us.

Investigation:
After depositing our kit in one room the four of us proceeded to “lock down” the house. We walked throughout the house shutting every door we could and noting the position of those we couldn't, we also checked that no one else was in the building. The heating was on in the east end of the building and it was noted that this was very warm. We left a data logger on the kitchen table recording temperature and humidity levels. Dave's camcorder was left on a tripod on the landing of the rear service stairs, pointing up to what we have come to know as “The Pink Room”, this was to left running for the whole of the investigation. This walk about took us a good half an hour before we had a coffee and got on with the investigation, secure in the knowledge that we were absolutely the only ones in the building, and all exterior doors were locked to prevent further entry.

First vigil, Kim and Ian in “The Butlers Room”, Dave and Paddy in the old kitchen.

Kim and Ian climbed up the stairs to the the butlers room and locked the door from within. The loft hatch was open and it was noted that there may be a draft from this or noise heard from outside. There was an air conditioning unit and an electric heater on the wall, neither were functioning. Ian used his camcorder whilst Kim had her voice recorder running during the session. Initially there were some bangs heard but a radio check with the other two confirmed there were fireworks outside.

When settled again a few pictures were taken before Ian began an introduction and announcing their intentions. It was explained that responses like taps and knocks were needed to confirm if there was anyone present and after asking a few taps were heard from the other side of the room, although these could have come from the loft hatch area. As Ian continued the noises continued and became more defined. There were two very distinct knocks heard when Kim mentioned the word “butler”, so she asked if there was a butler with us and the noises were repeated!

They began to hear a rustling within the room coming from the opposite side, a sort of scratching sound that appeared to come from one part of the room then switch to another, but always along the opposite wall, this was intermittent and mixed with the odd tap. It was at this point the radio went and Dave said he and Paddy were coming upstairs to investigate some noises they had heard so we were aware of the possible noise they would make. More of this later. It was then that Kim and Ian heard a very pronounced response in the form of two bangs from across the room, so checked to see if Dave and Paddy had come upstairs yet and if the noise was them, the answer was no, they hadn't yet! After a brief visit from Dave and Paddy to tell Ian and Kim of what they had encountered they returned downstairs and the vigil continued for a short while longer. The odd scratching noise continued and Ian and Kim surmised that it could be coming from within the void behind the wall, Ian also checked up through the loft hatch but could see nothing that would make this kind of noise. Both Ian and Kim complained of ringing in their ears whilst up in this room, but with nothing else occurring the vigil was closed.

During this time Dave and Paddy were downstairs in the old kitchen. Paddy using his camcorder and both using their voice recorders. They first noted the ticking of the wall clock above the back door and the same fireworks that were heard by Ian and Kim, then the movement of the kitchen door they had just used and shut hard behind them. This was firmly shut and could not be opened easily and could have been simply settling after they had shut it so firmly. There were also noises that could not be identified heard coming from the hallway beyond. Dave began calling out for signs of someone else with them when when his words were interrupted by loud repetitious noises from above them not unlike heavy footfalls. It was at this point that they radioed Kim and Ian to say they had to go upstairs and investigate the cause as they were so defined. It was agreed that the room above was what we know as “The Tudor Room” so they went up to see and could find no one and nothing out of place, so after visiting Ian and Kim to impart this occurrence they returned to the kitchen. They reported some odd noises coming may be from the pipes above a range of cupboards and a couple of taps heard through the serving hatch to the adjacent room. A request by Paddy for a sign that someone else was there was met by the sounds of what was compared to an electrical relay near the large vertical beam. No source could be located at first but this was next to a couple of fridges that were switched on and these were later identified as being responsible for these noises. Dave commented on seeing a bright royal blue light source in the corner of the room by the back door that lasted for only a second or two, by the distance he estimated it would have been about ¼ “ in diameter.

After these two sessions Dave changed his camcorder tape and left this running at the foot of the stairs to the pink room and the pairs swapped locations, without giving away what had been experienced thus far, although Kim and Ian were aware of the footsteps that had been heard by Dave and Paddy in the kitchen. Ian and Kim had a less eventful time in the kitchen. Despite Both Ian and Kim being quite insistent in their requests nothing was heard other than the same noises coming from the two fridges that were on, and for the duration of their time here nothing was worthy of note.

Dave and Paddy were having their turn in the butlers room. It was not long before they too were hearing the scratching noises heard previously by Kim and Ian, Paddy humorously compared it to a rabbit as there were pictures of rabbits on the walls, this obviously used to be child's bedroom. Dave had his pad and pen with him, as we all do, so while questioning this noise he left it on the floor near where the noise was coming from and invited anyone with them to use them to write or draw something. Nothing happened except the noise seemed to shift location to another part of the room, so the pad and pen were moved to follow it, still nothing happened. Nothing else occurred during their time here other than hearing some noise that was later identified as wind noise heard through the open loft hatch and getting very frustrated over the large amount of inexplicable scratching to be heard.

The team had a break and discussed their times in both locations and also spent some time trying to recreate the foot falls heard by Dave and Paddy. Ian and Kim went to the room above while Dave and Paddy went to the kitchen. Ian walked across the room a number of times before Dave confirmed that he was walking at the right pace and strength to accurately copy what they had heard. This would mean those foot falls were of a large framed man, heavier than Ian walking at a quick pace, it was also likened to walking on bare floor boards rather than the carpet that is there now.

Before long we were moving on as a team for a group vigil in the great hall. We had two camcorders and two voice recorders running. Despite some time spent asking for evidence there were no noises heard, nothing, not even any natural noises you may associated with an old house such as this. After a very disappointing session it was time for another break and a rethink.

It was decided to spend time as a group in the Tudor room, where the foot falls had been heard. This is also a room where occurrences had been reported over the years so this may prove to be interesting. Sadly the results were obviously beginning to tail off as despite spending some considerable time in this room trying as much as we could provoke a response nothing was forthcoming.

As by now it was well into the early morning we decided to call it a night, we were just going to have to wait till another time for this place to divulge more of it's secrets.

Results

The other occurrence was the foot falls heard by Dave and Paddy. These were completely inexplicable as we know for a fact that no one else was in the building. They were faithfully recreated and the source of them was confirmed. It was later found that these foot falls were recorded by Dave's voice recorder that was with them in the kitchen, as well as by his camcorder that was stationed on the landing of the rear service stairs, not far from room where we believe these noises originated. We have no explanation for these.

Dave's camcorder also recorded a series of other noises during our time here, namely what sounds like a door handle or latch being played with as well as some knocks and bangs that weren't heard by any of the team at the time. A selection of these as well as the foot falls can be heard on the short video accompanying this report.

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 now been examined and nothing further of note has been found. This report will be updated should anything else become evident.