While sorting out my hard drive I found this which is dated 2013. Not sure if that’s an accurate date, but it could be. While my opinions may have changed since then, I thought some might find it an amusing, if skeptical read about a ghost hunting experience in Woodchester mansion. In the piece I say Im an atheist, I would probably be more akin to agnostic these days, but anywho - enjoy:
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I attended this ghost hunt as an atheist who has had more intense paranormal type experiences than most believers. As a teenager I awoke, one morning, to find that something was sitting on my chest pinning me to my bed. I couldn't move at all. I tried to call out for help to my Mum who I could hear was busy about the house, but found that I had no voice. This lasted for probably a few seconds, though felt much longer in my terrified state. At the time it seemed like some kind of paranormal experience, which I was told was an evil spirit or some such nonsense. Of course I have since found out that this can be explained by science and is known as sleep paralysis - still terrifying when it happens.
I had hoped to experience something similarly paranormal at this event, even if it had another explanation. I love the science and psychology behind paranormal experiences. I do not intend to change anyone's mind, just give my experience. I hope that I do not offend the haunted happenings team or any of the other guests, I would love to join you again at another event. This is just my honest account, anything else would not be true to myself.
The evening began with a brief introduction to haunted happenings and the team (Dave, Vicky and Carolyn ( a medium). We were also joined by Chris from Woodchester mansion.
Chris began the night by giving us a tour of the building. There were to be certain areas we would concentrate our experiments later in the evening:
Chris and the haunted happenings team very professionally refused to give us any tales of sightings, ghosts or previous experiences that might sway our experience. However we were given a very full history/folk tales? of the building and its grounds, which included most notably talk of Kitchen staff and the deaths of several airmen who drowned in the lake and the possibility of their bodies having been temporarily stored in the game room.
We returned to the base room and were split into several smaller groups for the rest of the night. We were to be in group C - a lovely bunch, who were up for a laugh. We were shown how to use several pieces of equipment and stopped for a brief tea break. My first experience of the building alone, as I wondered through the building to the loo!
Our first vigal was held with Vicky in the basement, where we attempted table tipping. After some time of small table movements and several questions being asked of the spirits, Vicky suggested we ask if there was a Michael or Edward present, we got a reaction to Michael in the form of a small tap. Vicky then thought she heard foot steps in the basement corridor and asked if someone wanted to check. I volunteered and was joined by the very enthusiastic Diane.
We stood in the dark of the corridor and received small taps in response to questions, mainly revolving around the now named spirit of Michael. My wife, Emma, later informed me that the taps were actually made by people's torches hanging from wrist straps (including her own) and knocking against the table. Diane believes she saw a light at the end of the corridor, but I couldn't see it. I think it was probably light reflecting off of the safety signs on the wall, as it wasn't pitch black.
It was then time to join Dave in the Kitchen for a Ouji board.
Several yes/no questions on the Ouji established we had a 35 year old woman present who was a cook in the Kitchen of the house, had no children and lived there alone. There were several garbled attempts at getting a name from the Ouji before someone suggested asking if, in fact, the spirit could spell. Luckily she said yes, as no one had thought how she would tell us, if she couldn't read the board!
A further attempt at getting a name spelled something along the lines of Scillia, which was confirmed by the spirit with a 'yes'.
Dave, who'd been in the larder, returned and suggested we ask if there were any children present. Scillia told us there were, despite previously saying she lived alone.
We established it was a 4 year old girl, but again no real name was spelled out.
The next location was a corridor on the middle floor with Carolyn. We tried 2 locations and called out to the spirits. Some time later, with nothing having happened (apart from a bat flying past my face) we returned to the base room.
Having an hour free me and Emma had an explore of all areas ourselves. We went everywhere and experienced nothing paranormal. We even had a go at Ouji, but it never even moved.
Our next vigal, with Carolyn was in the Bathroom with the K2 and again nothing happened. We moved to the cupboard next door, which was pitch black. Placed the K2 on the floor and formed a circle. Again nothing happened, I almost fell asleep, but then Carolyn made a connection with a male spirit, who apparently favoured feminine looking male company.
After this a few reported feeling cold and there was a squeaky kind of noise, that sounded like leather boots moving, which I believe came from a girl opposite us, though this was denied.
At the next location we joined Yvette, aka Dave, on the top floor corridor. This time as well as a Ouji board we had a K2 on the floor and a noise detector at the far end of the corridor. This flashes a red led if a loud noise is detected.
We were told by Dave about a photo of a ww2 airman ghost that had been taken in this area and he played a bit of music to encourage contact. Sure enough an airmen came through on the Ouji - spooky!
His name was established as John, a name thrown out at the beginning of, and throughout the night by a member of our team, but only just making contact.
Next Dave thought he saw something and completely $#*\ himself. I think he'd have ran off, but our group was in the way of his exit. The noise detector flashed a couple of times due to the groups laughter at Dave, causing much of the group to scream loudly – causing, you guessed it, more flashing!
Our final vigal was with Vicky in the game room next to the chapel. We opted to use the planchette and a series of yes/no questions was asked, despite no one establishing what meant yes or no. Once I pointed this out we discovered our airmen John from upstairs had joined us with 3 friends who apparently drowned in the lake (just like Chris told us earlier?)
We moved on to table tipping, which resulted in more screaming as the table tipped over to the floor. This happened twice. Emma later informed me that she could feel the table being pushed by another member of the group and that once it got to a certain point she had assisted! I did note that it tipped in the same direction both times.
And that concluded our ghost hunting.
In conclusion Woodchester mansion is a very nice example of French gothic architecture, but in my opinion is in no way haunted. As Douglas Adams said "isn't it enough to see that a garden is beautiful without having to believe that there are fairies living at the bottom of it?"
