Great British Ghosts ...
Michaela Strachan travels across the UK to explore and bring to life the history and stories behind some of the most haunted locations in the country. The series starts on Friday 28th October.
Three personal programmes choices from a series of ghostly, fascinating tales of the paranormal from the Yesterday Channel broadcast for, and around, the Halloween period.
Emma
Great British Ghosts ...
Yesterday Channel
Friday 28th October 2011 ... 9.00-9.30pm
Ghost hunting as Michaela visits the beautiful Mermaid Inn in Rye, East Sussex supposedly one of most haunted inns in Britain with five resident ghouls.
The Mermaid Inn is reputed to be one of the most haunted pubs in England. Parts of the inn date back to 1156 although some parts have been re-built, the Inn retains its original charm. It's an atmospheric, sprawling, thatch-roofed building, filled with secret passages, priest-holes and sliding wall panels. Pirates or smugglers would probably have used these areas as a hiding place or as an escape route.
A previous landlord was approached by a local medium, convinced that the pub would be the perfect location to arrange a ghost-watch. The landlord asked the medium to take a look around the Inn, and on rejoining him at the bar it is said that two ghostly figures appeared, and drew their rapiers and started to duel. The landlord witnessed this fight to its end and, when it concluded, the victor ran his sword through his opponent's chest, then removed a floorboard and disposed of the dead man's body. The apparition then escaped by fleeing into the early morning sunshine.
Other strange tales include the many sightings of a lady in grey, and a chambermaid who was supposedly murdered by a smuggler for talking too much about his criminal exploits. A few years ago a barman was tending to the fire when bottles at the end of the room flew off their shelf, he handed in his notice the next day. Then there's the woman who moves clothes around and the man in old-fashioned garments that takes to sitting on occupied beds. Rooms turn cold for no reason, rocking chairs move of their own accord.
Guests have seen a lady by the fireplace and found clothes left by the fire have becomes soaking wet. In Room Five a maid is said to haunt the room where she was murdered by smugglers, while a vision of men fighting has been seen in the Elizabethan Room. Along the corridor in Room 17 a chair is said to rock by itself.
The programme also visits the scene of apparent paranormal sightings at Michelham Priory are reported every year. Many people have witnessed mysterious, ghostly hooded figures stalking the grounds …
Great British Ghosts ...
Friday 28th October 2011 ... 9.30-10.00pm
Michaela prepares for frights in Gloucestershire, finding out about the paranormal activity and sightings at The New Inn Hotel ...
A catalogue of unexplained activity at a Gloucester pub has prompted the Gloucester Active Paranormal Society to investigate. It's claimed that a series of unexplained happenings have occurred at The New Inn in the space of a week, including the sound of ghostly footsteps, rattling doors and even a pint of beer mysteriously lifting itself off a table and on to the floor. The building in Northgate Street is a bar and hotel, and dates back to the 14th Century.
It was originally built to house pilgrims visiting the shrine of King Edward II at nearby Gloucester Cathedral, and is described as having the finest example of a medieval gallery in Britain.
The programme also explores the strange events at Chavenage House ... Nathanial Stephens, a Knight owned this home and plotted to Kill King Charles I. His daughter, so upset that her father brought shame to their family name placed a curse upon him. It seems the curse worked because shortly after he became ill and died. After he died he was driven away in a hearse, the fact that the Nathanial rose up from his coffin and got into the hearst makes the occasion special, the fact that it was driven by a headless man, that then assumed the shape of King Charles I makes it downright creepy. It is said from that time on, any time the head of the family died, Charles would pull up in his hearse to escort them to the great beyond. The family line eventually died out.
Other ghosts visit the Chavenage House from time to time including one who went into the room where Princess Louise was sleeping. She only studied her for a few moments before vanishing apparently only wanting to check her out without doing her any harm.
Great British Ghosts ...
Friday 11th November 2011 ... 9.30-10.00pm
The Hellfire Club and the underground Hellfire Caves in West Wycombe Park, on the southern edge of the Chiltern Hills near High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, is infamous for being the site of rumours of sex-orgies, debauchery, black magic rituals and satanic worship. The mysterious chalk caves system was developed, planned and mapped by Sir Francis Dashwood ... founder of the notorious Hellfire Club in 1752. There are numerous risqu� tales told of the Knights of Sir Francis and the prominent men of his time.
Hellfire Club members included various politically and socially important 18th century figures such as William Hogarth, John Wilkes and John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich. Though not believed to be a member, Benjamin Franklin was a close friend to Dashwood who visited the caves on more than one occasion. The Hell Fire Club had previously used Medmenham Abbey, eight miles away from West Wycombe and situated on the River Thames as a meeting place, but the caves at West Wycombe were later used for meetings in the 1750s and early 1760s.
There were rumours of comely female 'guests' referred to as 'Nuns' or 'Wenches' Dashwood's Club meetings often included black magic/highly erotic rituals, depraved items, excessive drinking, wenching and banqueting.
The caves extend a quarter of a mile underground, with each individual cave or 'chamber' connected by a series of long, narrow tunnels and passageways.
The Hellfire Club and underground Hellfire Caves came to even more prominence in 1965/66 when an episode of The Avengers: A Touch of Brimstone was set at the Hellfire Club and below in 'Hell' in the torch-lit Hellfire Caves and featured Dame Diana Rigg as Mrs Emma Peel in her famous risqu� Queen of Sin costume. The Hellfire Caves have also featured in television episodes of Great British Ghosts, Ghost Hunters and Most Haunted.
The underground chambers are named, from the Entrance Hall, to the Steward's Chamber and Whitehead's Cave, through Lord Sandwich's Circle (named after John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich) Franklin's Cave (named after Benjamin Franklin, a friend of Dashwood who visited West Wycombe), the Banqueting Hall (allegedly the largest man-made chalk cavern in the world), the Triangle, to the Miner's Cave; and finally, across a subterranean river named the Styx, lies the final cave, the Inner Temple (where the meetings of the Hellfire Club were held), which is said to lie directly 300 feet beneath the church on top of West Wycombe hill. According to Greek mythology, the River Styx separated the mortal world from the immortal world, and the subterranean position of the Inner Temple directly beneath Saint Lawrence's Church was supposed to signify Heaven and Hell.
Historic and modern paranormal ghostly appearances have included Suki the ghost bride, Paul Whitehead, the man who left his heart to Sir Francis and the floating monk.
The most seen ghost at Hellfire Caves is Sukie, a local girl who was murdered here. A chambermaid at the local George and Dragon, she longed to marry into the gentry and spurned the advances of the local boys, eventually accepting a proposal from a wealthy local man. One night, she received a note asking her to meet him in the caves so that they could elope. Arriving in her wedding dress, she discovered that the local boys had sent the note and were waiting for her. A fight erupted, stones were thrown and she died in the passages fro a blow to the head.
Sukie's ghost is most often seen in the banqueting hall numerous sightings of a young lady dressed in a white Victorian wedding dress. Visitors have also reported hearing screams and crying coming from the banqueting hall.
Often there's a variation in temperature between the different caves indicating that there might be some sort of paranormal activity. 'Lights and orbs have also been sighted an awful lot' according to Julienne Barlow, the Assistant Manager of Hellfire Caves ... The best place to photograph these orbs is the entrance tunnel.
The ghost of an elderly man has also been seen in the cave system, a witness saw the apparition walk through a wall and vanish. Many visitors report strange shapes floating towards them and capturing orbs on their cameras.
Recently TV's Ghost Hunters and Most Haunted paranormal teams visited the caves and found plenty of compelling evidence that the caves are indeed haunted.
Great British Ghosts
Yesterday Channel ... Top 10 Ghostly Facts
Ghostly Fact #1
A scary half-naked, half-frozen chicken haunts the area of Pond Square in London's Highgate.
In 1626, Sir Francis Bacon decided to conduct a spontaneous experiment to test the preservative qualities of snow whilst driving through the square. However, after stuffing a chicken with snow with his bare hands he quickly became ill and died. Since then, many have claimed to hear the screeching of a chicken or even seen a half-naked bird plucked of its feathers, running around in circles in the square.
Ghostly Fact #2
The Flying Dutchman is one of the most famous ghost ships, seen by generations of sailors. The 17th century sailing ship can never make port, hopelessly sailing the oceans forever, and is an omen of doom to anyone who sees her. Inspired by the legend, Richard Wagner composed his opera Der Fliegende Hollander.
Ghostly Fact #3
English poet John Keats was born in London on Halloween in 1795.
Ghostly Fact #4
The famous magician Harry Houdini died on Halloween in 1926.
Ghostly Fact #5
Winston Churchill, Lord Byron, Queen Elizabeth II and Mick Jagger are all reported to have seen ghosts.
Ghostly Fact #6
Britain is one of the world's most haunted countries and the first official group to come together to investigate paranormal activities was The Society for Psychical Research formed in London in 1882.
Ghostly Fact #7
In 856 AD the first poltergeist was reported at a farmhouse in Germany. The poltergeist tormented the family living there by throwing stones and starting fires, among other things.
Ghostly Fact #8
The ancient Romans believed a ghost could be used to exact revenge on an enemy by scratching a curse on a piece of lead or pottery and placing it into a grave.
Ghostly Fact #9
The classic ghost story arose during the Victorian period, and included authors such as M.R. James, Sheridan Le Fanu, Violet Hunt, and Henry James. Famous literary apparitions from this period are the ghosts of Jacob Marley, and the ghosts of Christmas Past, Christmas Present and Christmas Yet to Come from Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol and in his classic short story The Signalman.
Ghostly Fact #10
There has been many a sighting of famous Britons who shuffled off this mortal coil long ago. The ghosts of Mary Queen of Scots, Sir Walter Raleigh, Anne Boleyn, Guy Fawkes, Oliver Cromwell and John Lennon have all been witnessed. Just don’t hold out for an autograph anytime soon.
Sources: DigGuide/Yesterday Channel - Great British Ghosts/The Mermaid Inn - Rye/Hellfire Club/Hellfire Caves – Ghost Story/Wikipedia/BBC Gloucestershire/Quest For Ghosts
Two of the most haunted houses in my general area are Seaton Delaval Hall …
As with many big old houses, Seaton Delaval Hall is alleged to have a ghost. According to family biographer, Francis Askham:
There is a first-floor window on the North front of Seaton Delaval where, so it would seem from one particular part of the forecourt, a white-clad figure is standing. awaiting her lover to return from a sea voyage. This, according to legend, is the beautiful 'White Lady', a girl who fell in love with the Delaval heir and died of a broken heart because the marriage was forbidden ... and because her lover never returns ... yet she appears at the window ... waiting in vain for her lover to return from the sea ...
… The Lord Crewe Arms Hotel in Blanchland, Northumberland …
The Lord Crewe Arms Hotel is a medieval hotel in Blanchland, County Durham. It is dated to 1165 and was used as a hiding hole by monks of nearby for centuries and has hidden stairways and stone flagged floors. The hotel is built upon the former abbey guest house and the windows reflect this monastic past while the battlemented tower has a martial theme.
It is named after Lord Crewe the Bishop of Durham ... The Lord Crewe Arms Hotel has a vast fireplace where General' Tom Forster hid during the 1715 Jacobite rising. The hotel is reputedly haunted by the ghost of his sister, Dorothy Foster.
Emma
Last edited by mrs_emma_peel; 23-10-11 at 11:10 AM.
If she starts screaming you'll know that she's just acting and putting it on. When she used to do the animal shows for kids I saw a tiger cub jump up onto her back as she was sitting talking to the keeper. She didn't scream or even squeal, she just rolled with the hit and took it in her stride
Steve
I`m not keen on Michaela Strachan, but as long as it`s not Evette Fielding and crew I suspect it will be ok.
Last edited by Nick Dando; 23-10-11 at 04:47 PM.
A tiger cub is not as scary as an actual ghost. . .or Pete Waterman!Originally Posted by Steve Crook
If she starts screaming you'll know that she's just acting and putting it on. When she used to do the animal shows for kids I saw a tiger cub jump up onto her back as she was sitting talking to the keeper. She didn't scream or even squeal, she just rolled with the hit and took it in her stride
Steve
I would agree about the scariness of Pete Waterman but not about ghosts because we all know that there's no such thing as ghosts
As for the tiger cub, Michaela is one of the few presenters of wildlife programmes who never seems to object when wild animals do what they're meant to do. A remarkable number of them, male and female, couldn't have laughed and carried on if something like that happened
Steve
Here we go!I would agree about the scariness of Pete Waterman but not about ghosts because we all know that there's no such thing as ghosts
You obviously read various threads with your eyes closed if that`s what you think!
You never know, something might jump out at you (no pun intended) with this programme and you might change your mind
Last edited by faginsgirl; 23-10-11 at 07:24 PM.
I'm willing to change my mind if provided with scientifically validated evidence. But if The Happy Mondays couldn't convince me of the existence of ghosts, then I doubt Michaela Strachan can!Here we go!
You obviously read various threads with your eyes closed if that`s what you think!
You never know, something might jump out at you (no pun intended) with this programme and you might change your mind
Ghostly Fact #5
Winston Churchill, Lord Byron, Queen Elizabeth II and Mick Jagger are all reported to have seen ghosts.
I wonder what ghost Mick Jagger saw?
Maybe he mistook Keef for a ghost?
Just because some people mistakenly think that ghosts are real it doesn't alter what we all know to be the truthHere we go!
You obviously read various threads with your eyes closed if that`s what you think!
You never know, something might jump out at you (no pun intended) with this programme and you might change your mind
Steve
Well, come the glorious day, when we hit the Britmovie gathering in the sky, we will all know! Then I shall be pleased to say I told you so, and no doubt you will be pleased that I am pleased to say I told you so tooJust because some people mistakenly think that ghosts are real it doesn't alter what we all know to be the truth
Steve
You think we'll all be going to the same place?!?Well, come the glorious day, when we hit the Britmovie gathering in the sky, we will all know! Then I shall be pleased to say I told you so, and no doubt you will be pleased that I am pleased to say I told you so too
No. But I can shout (either down or up) very loudYou think we'll all be going to the same place?!?
Yawn! You really are a broken record.Just because some people mistakenly think that ghosts are real it doesn't alter what we all know to be the truth
Steve
An afterlife is nothing to do with ghostsWell, come the glorious day, when we hit the Britmovie gathering in the sky, we will all know! Then I shall be pleased to say I told you so, and no doubt you will be pleased that I am pleased to say I told you so too
Either one is equally possible without the other, although equally unlikely. Many people believe strongly in one but not the other
Steve
We cannot scientifically prove the existence of ghosts...yet. I do wish people would say "I don't believe" instead of "They don't exist" as if speaking for all of us when in fact they are only expressing they're own belief. So speak for yourself and not others.
I couldn't agree more,Richard!
An afterlife is nothing to do with ghosts
As Wittgenstein said: 'whereof one cannot speak, thereof one must remain silent'.
That's a well made point which often gets overlooked.An afterlife is nothing to do with ghostsEither one is equally possible without the other, although equally unlikely. Many people believe strongly in one but not the other Steve
Even if "ghosts" exist, they may well be nothing to do with an afterlife, they could be recordings in the fabric of their location, replayed under certain conditions but even then not detectable by all (stone tape theory).
Science may one day be able to prove what is happening here - not everyone reacts to pollen with symptoms of hayfever - a caveman experiencing such symptoms would have been unable to explain it, his unaffected companion might have thought it magic or something - but we now know what makes this happen, so Richard's point that science cannot yet prove the existence of ghosts is also a valid one. However, in my opinion the burden of proof should rest with those who maintain ghosts exist.
Of course if ghosts do exist it might be impossible for science ever to prove this. "Para"normal would set this outside the scope of what we accept as normal, testable, explicable phenomena. The repeatable/predictable nature of the data allowing the testing upon which science relies simply may not apply here. And of course we'd be kidding ourselves if we thought that we (or science) has all the answers to everything.
There are people who cling to the belief that they will one day all meet up again with the dearly departed and an old man with a beard will look after everybody forever and nobody will get old or sick - and I'm not patronising such believers, if that helps get them through life, good for them so long as they don't ram this opinion onto others (which in my experience they rarely do - extreme sceptics tend to be the most opinionated on these matters from my own experience). Complete emptiness and oblivion may well be what awaits us, and that may be a nice neat conclusion to it all....I've always thought the possibility that the "spirit", "soul", "essence" or whatever you might wish to call it goes on - and on - and on - forever is in some ways infinitely more terrifying than the readily available presumption that permanent nothingness overwhelms us when physical death arrives.
And all this rather assumes the same thing happens to everyone when they die. Maybe it doesn't. Maybe you get what you believe? "Birth" doesn't work out exactly the same for everybody, after all. Some people will never be convinced one way or the other until their day arrives, and then it will be irrelevant.
A close friend of mine, who is a dyed-in-the-wool sceptic, was once sat in his kitchen with a coffee, chatting to his wife, when he remarked "Who is the old fellow sat at the end of the table?"
His wife could see no one, and asked what he was on about.
"The old fisherman with his sleeves rolled up."
Still she saw nothing. Gradually the old sea salt "faded" away.
A couple of days later, a woman knocked at my friend's door. She introduced herself as the granddaughter of an old fisherman who once lived in this cottage, and she was researching her family history. She produced an old sepia picture of her forebear with the chuckled comment "He always rolled his sleeves up like that".
To my friend's annoyance his wife immediately blurted out the anecdote from a couple of days earlier. When questioned, all my friend would say was "I was tired. It's a coincidence".
He still sticks by that, and gets quite irritable whenever the subject crops up.
He may well be right of course.
But not necessarily
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