The Haunting of Heol Fanog
The Haunting of Heol Fanog: A Welsh Nightmare
Heol Fanog, a remote farmhouse nestled in the dramatic Bannau Brycheiniog National Park in Wales, became synonymous with terror in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Often dubbed the "Welsh Amityville," the story of the Rich family's experiences within its stone walls is a chilling tapestry woven with alleged paranormal events, psychological strain, and a rotating cast of "experts" offering often contradictory solutions. Was Heol Fanog truly haunted, or was the family caught in a web of fear and suggestion?
In 1989, Bill and Liz Rich, along with Bill's 14-year-old son Lawrence, moved into Heol Fanog, hoping for a fresh start. Liz was pregnant, having overcome previous struggles with anorexia, and the couple hoped to create a stable home for Lawrence, who was navigating the complexities of his parents' separation. Bill, an artist, envisioned using the tranquil setting to create and earn a living. However, their dreams of rural bliss quickly turned into a nightmare.
Their troubles seemed to begin even before they arrived in Wales. During a family trip to Egypt, intended to ease Lawrence into the new family dynamic, they visited the pyramid of Cheops. Deep within the pyramid, Liz saw laser-like lights on the walls, a phenomenon that Bill and Lawrence couldn't perceive. A profound sense of unease settled upon them all, a feeling of being watched, and they fled the tomb, shaken and disturbed. Did they unknowingly bring something back with them from that ancient place?
Heol Fanog itself, a converted stone barn, exuded an unsettling atmosphere. The thick stone walls, low ceilings, and perhaps lingering dampness contributed to a sense of both peace and unease, amplified by the property's isolated location surrounded by rolling hills and open moorland. The farmhouse was built using stones from an older medieval manor house, the ruins of which stood among the trees in the garden—a detail that would later take on chilling significance.
Almost immediately, strange occurrences began to plague the family. Bill discovered receipts with the number 666, a chilling echo of a near-accident involving a car with the registration plate BST 666. Then came the noises: crashes, bangs, and heavy footsteps, often heard only by Bill, making him question his sanity. One cold November night, after making love with Liz, Bill went downstairs to use the toilet. A series of crashes, as if someone in hobnail boots was stomping around above him, echoed through the house. Assuming it was Lawrence, Bill went to check on him, only to find him fast asleep. Liz, too, had heard nothing. Was it Bill's imagination, tinnitus, or something far more sinister?
Overnight, the atmosphere of Heol Fanog changed. The sunlight seemed to dim, replaced by a suffocating gloom. The silence itself became oppressive, punctuated by unsettling creaks and groans. A £750 electricity bill arrived, adding financial strain to their growing anxieties.
One afternoon, loud bangs echoed through the house, followed by the slamming of a bedroom door. Thinking it was Lawrence, Bill stormed upstairs, only to discover his son wasn't even home. That evening, a single, deliberate footstep echoed from the top of the stairs, descending slowly, deliberately, into the silence.
Strange smells began to permeate the house: sulfur, then something indescribable, adding to the growing sense of unease. The house's temperature fluctuated wildly, from freezing cold to sweltering heat, despite the thermostat being off. While walking the dog, Bill encountered a neighbor who told him that Heol Fanog had a history of misfortune. He revealed that the house was built using stones from the nearby manor ruins, a place where gravestones had been unearthed. Had they disturbed something ancient and malevolent?
The family's misfortunes multiplied. Bill's art commissions were canceled, their animals died mysteriously, and Lawrence's behavior became increasingly erratic. He painted his room a disturbing crimson and retreated into himself, consumed by horror films. The piano played eerie melodies on its own, and the relentless footsteps continued. Lawrence's behavior towards Bill's mother became aggressive and disturbing, spitting in her face and uttering obscenities. His features seemed drawn and gaunt, his eyes hollow and lifeless. One night, bloodcurdling howls erupted from Lawrence's locked bedroom, followed by thumps and whimpers. The next morning, they discovered he had punched holes in the plasterboard.
Desperate for answers, Liz contacted the landlord and the previous tenant, but they reported no paranormal experiences. She then turned to a Catholic priest, who performed an exorcism. For a few days, the house was calm. But the peace was short-lived.
Liz saw a ghostly old woman at the nursery window, a chilling apparition that vanished as quickly as it appeared. The encounter left her shaken, convinced that the house was truly haunted. They began researching the history of Heol Fanog, seeking answers to the strange occurrences. The toilet floor began to buckle and rise, as if something was trying to push its way through. A plumber who had worked on the house years before recounted his own unsettling experiences, including radiators repeatedly falling from the walls until he used cross-headed screws, which he saw as little crucifixes, to reattach them.
A local builder then contacted Bill, confirming the story of the reused stones and the disturbed gravestones. The pieces of the puzzle seemed to be falling into place, but the picture was terrifying. Liz saw the old woman again, this time sitting next to baby Ben.
Finally, they contacted Ray Williams, head of the Cardiff Spiritualist Church. He concluded that Lawrence was responsible for the poltergeist activity and advised them to remove him from the house. This decision, based on vague theories and a lack of evidence, seems particularly cruel, especially considering the family's existing turmoil and Lawrence’s own struggles.
The family's ordeal continued with a parade of mediums, psychics, and exorcists, each offering their own interpretations and "solutions." From French exorcists claiming to have dreamed of the house, to Dutch mediums who saw a "witch" in the barn and spoke of a curse linked to Aleister Crowley, to Anglican priests and "reformed Satanists," the Rich family was bombarded with conflicting advice and rituals. Each visit brought a temporary respite, only for the paranormal activity to return with renewed force.
One particularly disturbing encounter involved Dr. John Aston, a paranormal investigator, and a chilling episode where Liz appeared to be possessed, speaking in a deep, inhuman voice. This was followed by the arrival of Eddie Burks, an exorcist who claimed to see Christ in the house and erected a "barrier of light." He also identified the haunting as "pre-Christian," a claim that raises logical questions about the nature of God's power.
Despite these efforts, the paranormal activity persisted. The electricity bills remained erratic, strange apparitions continued to manifest, and the family's sense of unease deepened. They saw figures passing through the house, oblivious to their presence, as if Heol Fanog was a gateway to another realm. Liz began seeing a horrifying apparition: a figure dripping with blood, half of its face missing, as if it had been in a car crash.
The story culminates in a final, terrifying confrontation with a Horus-like figure, a half-man, half-bird creature that appeared to both Bill and Liz. After a desperate prayer, the figure vanished, leaving behind a lingering sense of dread and unanswered questions. The figure was seen once more, standing on a hillside overlooking Heol Fanog.
Bill returned to his studio and painted "Testimony," a stark white cross against a backdrop of swirling dark colors, reflecting the emotional turmoil they had endured. But even this act of creation didn't bring lasting peace.
The Rich family eventually left Heol Fanog, their relationship fractured by the strain of their experiences. They divorced, the weight of the haunting proving too much to bear. Bill later succumbed to alcoholism and died, leaving Liz to deal with the lasting impact of their time at the haunted farmhouse.
The haunting of Heol Fanog is a complex and disturbing story, one that resists easy categorization. While the alleged paranormal events are undeniably chilling, several key factors suggest a more nuanced interpretation. The Rich family was under immense and sustained stress. They faced financial difficulties, relationship problems, the challenges of blending a family, and the constant, gnawing fear of the unknown. The isolation of Heol Fanog, a converted stone barn built with materials from a site of disturbed graves, coupled with its unsettling history and the recurring apparition of the old woman, could have significantly amplified their anxieties and fears. Liz's past struggles with anorexia, the anxieties surrounding her pregnancy and baby Ben's health, and Lawrence's difficulties adjusting to his father's new life all contributed to a pressure cooker of stress within the family.
The sheer number of "experts" who cycled through Heol Fanog raises serious questions. Were they genuinely trying to help a family in distress, or were they, perhaps unconsciously, exploiting the Rich's vulnerability for personal gain, notoriety, or simply to validate their own beliefs? The conflicting advice, the dramatic rituals, and the pronouncements of curses and demonic forces create a sense of chaos and desperation. It's notable that the "experts" seemed to focus on paranormal explanations, with little to no consideration given to the very real psychological pressures the family was under. The fact that Lawrence's behavior seemed to improve when he was away from the house at boarding school is a significant detail that points away from demonic possession and towards the impact of the family's dynamics and the oppressive atmosphere of Heol Fanog.
The possibility of undiagnosed or untreated mental health issues within the family cannot be dismissed. Bill's initial experiences with the strange noises, often heard only by him, coupled with his later alcoholism and eventual death, suggest the possibility of underlying psychological struggles. Lawrence's erratic and sometimes violent behavior, his isolation, and the dramatic change in his personality around the time of the first major paranormal events also raise concerns. The fact that no one, not even the well-meaning Reverend Bryn Jones or the numerous paranormal investigators, suggested any form of mental health assessment for the family, especially Bill and Lawrence, seems like a significant oversight. Were the Rich family truly experiencing a supernatural haunting, or were they caught in a web of fear, suggestion, and the very real fragility of the human mind under extreme duress?
The narrative of Heol Fanog, as presented in Mark Chadbourn's book Testimony, blends elements of the supernatural, the psychological, and perhaps even folkloric traditions. While the book presents the events as non-fiction, it's important to remember that it is based on the Rich family's subjective experiences and interpretations. The "stone tape" theory, the idea that locations can absorb and replay emotional energy, could offer another lens through which to view the haunting. The presence of reused stones from a burial ground, combined with the intense emotions experienced by the family, could suggest that the haunting was a replay of past traumas rather than a direct interaction with malevolent entities. Ultimately, the truth about Heol Fanog remains elusive. It's a chilling reminder of the power of the human mind, the enduring mystery of the unexplained, and the importance of seeking professional help for mental and emotional struggles when faced with overwhelming challenges.
You can listen to our full telling of the haunting of Heol Fanog here