Plantagenet House, New Romney, Kent

Aim:
To investigate the possibility of paranormal phenomena at this location and respond to reported sightings and previous reports on line by invitation of the householders.

Background:
Plantagenet House is a modest stone built house, terraced in a row of later dwellings. Its age was a matter of local conjecture until it was securely dated to have originated within the first decades of the 14th century, It may have been the home of a prosperous merchant or the Masters House of the medieval Hospital of St John the Baptist, which first appears in records by the 1260s.

The house has been subject to visits by various psychics over the years, one previous group of paranormal investigators and even, reportedly, an exorcism. With the exception of the latter all have been witnessed by the present owners and compared with sightings recorded by the occupants. Would Ghost Connections investigation reveal supporting evidence for any of the information previously given or record any unexplained phenomena?

The house consists of a kitchen and living room on the ground floor, a rear hallway containing a bathroom and staircase to the first floor, two bedrooms and a corridor on the first floor leading to a converted attic space on the second floor.

Apparatus:
Camcorders:
Sony DCR HC-62 with night vision and Sony HVL-IRM IR light

Digital Camera:
Panasonic Lumix DMC FZ-38

Voice recorder:
Olympus VN-2100PC
HNSAT DVR958

Other:
Tripods, Torches, Video tapes (MiniDV), Data Loggers

Investigators:
Kim
Graham
Paddy
Dave

Guests / Owners:
Janet
Malcolm

Method:
Using visual and scientific methods combined with spiritual theory we were to investigate the alleged paranormal phenomena at this venue. Given that this was the second investigation at this venue we sought to explore some of the areas of interest from the previous investigation. Consequently the plan was to begin as before, in the lounge and then move on to further explore the upper floors of the house. Given that the previous investigation took place with normal lighting on it was decided to experiment with minimal lighting this time.

Session three – Lounge / Kitchen

Similar to session one although seating positions changed. Instigation of séance.

It was noted that there were few noises within the house of a general nature other than those within the kitchen due to appliances and pipework. These had been assessed on the last investigation so were largely able to be ignored on this one.

Graham and Dave commented on feeling short of breath.

Mention was made of the temperature rising in the room by Janet. Others in the team agreed it was seemingly warmer.

Malcolm then stated he felt as though the area was warmer again as in the same moment Dave said he felt a cool draught across him coming from Malcolm's direction.

Dave commented on feeling breathless again.

Graham and Paddy heard a 'Mmmm' type vocal sound. Dave and Malcolm agreed that they heard it and placed its origin in the area of Kim. (Given the nearest person was Kim but she thought it was Paddy breathing).

Kim started to cough quite severely although this was eased with an inhaler.

Session two – Lounge/Kitchen.

The team, by agreement of Malcolm and Janet, commenced the next session with a séance.

A load bang was heard from the kitchen area. Identified as the plumbing.

Dave complains of a stiff neck.

Kim stated she felt a tightness around her forehead as if someone was tying a ribbon around her head tightly.

Paddy feels drained.

Dave feels as though his ribs are being crushed like in a bear hug.

Session three – Lounge / Kitchen

Further séance was conducted in this session

Kim states, “This is my swan song”.

Kim states, “Laudanum” and a discussion of its usage ensues.

Graham describes seeing a black 'mass' on the area of Malcolm's upper arm. This is described physically by Graham as pulsating in nature. The view of Malcolm's right arm at this point is obscured from the view of the camera.

Graham states his ribs hurt as if he is being gripped tightly.

There was little to comment on in the light of an amount of clairvoyant material being gathered on this occasion so it will be commented on generally in one section.

There seemed to be very few noises within the house compared with the last investigation and very few were noted or commented on.

Sensations of the temperature rising in a confined space have been commented on before during an investigation. It may not necessarily be that the actual ambient temperature rises noticeably but more that the number of people within the small space causes a sense of rising temperature because those people become sensitive to the body temperature of the others.

Sensations of coldness were also sensed in certain areas although this is more likely to be small fluctuations due to draughts in such an old building. Having said this no noticeable draughts were located or identified. Movements of air were also sensed when no one was moving. Again these could be air movement around the house but to be so confined as people felt it to their legs, hands or faces is less easy to explain as everyone was sat in close proximity and likely to be obscuring air movement from one person to another.

A breathless feeling was also mentioned by some of the team at various times.

There was some disagreement over the source of vocal noises that the team heard which seems to place the direction they came from quite clearly if it is believed that one of the team made the noise. Where they are adamant they did not make the noise makes it more interesting. Given the closeness of the camcorder on these occasions it is interesting to note that the initial noise in session 1 that was reported was not recorded on the footage.

After descriptions of a female in a uniform similar to a maid were given it is of interest that Malcolm states that he is aware that around the end of the 19th century the building was a hotel or guesthouse.

The tightness around the forehead of Kim is described quite accurately and there is little other explanation available. There was nothing nearby that could have brushes Kim's head and caused such a sensation.

General feelings of tiredness and being drained frequented the second and third sessions although it was not particularly late and any natural explanation is difficult to come by.

On review of the footage during session three two distinct loud but dull thuds can be heard. These are not commented on by anyone present and sound as if they are within the room. It cannot be ignored that there is a car park opposite the house and slammed car doors can be heard within the house so this may be why no one commented on them at the time. Equally they may not have been heard by the team and only appear on the footage. Further footage also revealed what appears to be a human like 'Umm' noise in response to a question by Dave. This has been reviewed by the team and, although there is disagreement regarding the source no one can say that they heard it at the time. Kim does not believe it was her and the apparent closeness of it to the microphone of the camcorder suggest that it was not. This does not preclude that it was someone else although again no-one was sufficiently close to the microphone to be heard this clear and apparently so close.

The black 'mass' on the area of Malcolm's upper arm described by Graham cannot be explained. This is described physically by Graham as pulsating in nature. The view of Malcolm's right arm at this point is obscured from the view of the camera. It is possible Graham saw something distinctly physical although it is equally possible that in the reduced lighting a fluctuation in the vision of Grahams eyes may have caused his brain to 'see' such an anomaly when actually there was none.

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

This term derived from the legend that, while they are mute during the rest of their lives, swans sing beautifully and mournfully just before they die. This isn't actually the case - swans, even the inaccurately named Mute Swans, have a variety of vocal sounds and they don't sing before they die. The legend was known to be false as early as the days of ancient Rome, when Pliny the Elder refuted it in Natural History, AD 77

The actual term 'swan song', with its current figurative meaning, doesn't crop up in print until the 18th century. The Scottish cleric Jon Willison used the expression in one of his Scripture Songs, 1767, where he refers to "King David's swan-song".

Laudanum

A drink of laudanum was made of 10% opium and 90% alcohol, and flavoured with cinnamon or saffron. It was first used by the ancient Greeks, and in the 19th century mostly used as painkiller, sleeping pill, or tranquilizer. It was cheaper then poppy oil and could be drank like you’d drink scotch. It took a while for the Victorian to figure out the negative side effect, only in 1919 the production and export of opium was prohibited, and in 1928 a law was passed that prohibited use.