|
 |
||||||
|
||||||
|
Woodchester Mansion is located near the village of Nympsfield and 15 miles south of Gloucester. The entrance to Woodchester is from the gated entrance on the B4066 5 miles south of Stroud: OS SO79515. This was NOT a full investigation but a preliminary visit in the hope that we MAY hopefully be able to secure a booking for the club in 2007.
Investigation Place: Woodchester Mansion Date:15th April 2006 Time: 1000 pm - 0630hrs Moon State
Weather: Mild Fine Outside temperature: 16.5 °C (61.7°F), Apparent temp 14.6 °C The group met with other parties at the Rose and Crown public house at Nympsfield before being led to the private road leading the mansion. On arrival we were briefed by our onsite representatives Dave and Paul. We managed to cover a basic baseline survey of the majority of the key investigation areas - EMF readings were well within range and temperature recording was set on the upper floor corridor readings were as follows:
Readings were taken every 15 seconds the above represents a snapshot of those readings. Equipment in use
Vigils The building is arranged over 4 floors (less clock tower) including basement, ground floor,1st floor and 2nd (upper floor). The majority of the building today was dated 1870. The majority of the 79 rooms remain much as they were when the house was abandoned in the 1870's whilst still incomplete. Main areas of investigation included:
Cellar Area Some very good results in this area with the spirit of a young boy having some physical interaction with a member of another group who alleged that here hair had been pulled. The boy is alleged to "play" in the cellar area and has been sensed by other paranormal groups. This spirit also came though as a weak rocking sensation on a later "glass" vigil. You can view this footage by clicking above. Several members could sense a raw energy ball within the cellar and many of the group claimed to feel a feeling of dread. This was one of the "finished" areas and much has been placed on the possible association with occult type activity in the past. Given that the house was derelict for some time and its isolated position it is possible that such use could have taken place here. Whilst in the cellar noises such as bangs and chair scraping were heard from upstairs although the area was no occupied at that time.
Kitchen Area All members of our group smelt "hung" or "raw" meat whilst in the kitchen area. This was smelt VERY clearly and eventually became more putrid smelling before finally disappearing all together. No further activity was picked up on here by the team - however Paul the medium sensed several domestic type spirits in this area. It was later confirmed by Paul the area has been totally devoid of foodstuffs and that no meat has ever been stored in the vicinity. Give that ALL members of the Devon team smelt this at in the vicinity of the doorway was quite exciting. The Chapel/Chapel Corridor Paul the medium for the evening had sensed the energy of a malevolent spirit male in the corner of the chapel. This has apparently been sensed several times on previous visits. Two females from another group were very uncomfortable in the Chapel and sensed something above the doorway that was "not nice". BJ being that type of guy had to make a beeline for the doorway but whilst there felt as if he was being pulled out of the chapel. Several faint taps and bangs were heard.
The chapel window and the vaulted ceiling that was once the tallest in Britain in a private hands. The Bathroom Supposedly one of the most active of the areas in Woodchester the bathroom was relatively quiet. Paul the medium picked up on quite a dramatic replay involving 2 males (Giles and another) and a female (Isabelle?). Paul visualised the repeated rape of the female by both men in the shower room of the bathroom the female was then apparently beaten to death. The act was apparently retribution as the female had scorned Giles due to a speech impediment. We are still looking into the history of the building and area but have failed to find any historical fact to substantiate this replay. Several shuffling footsteps were heard by ALL persons within the bathroom coming from the corridor outside. The bathroom has been the subject of much research as to its intended use you can read more about the subject here. The Upper Corridor The upper floor corridor proved to be quite interesting with several loud bangs being heard by both Dave and I on leaving that area to return to the main group. Dave had informed us that several uniformed figures had been seen on the upper floor and they were believed to have been associated with a tragic accident whereby a WW2 Tank whilst on training manoeuvres in the area of the lakes had fallen off a bridge killing all members of crew. The bodies and injured were taken to the mansion then a girls school. A mini disk of 40's wartime music was left running in the hope that we may record something - our group also left a locked off camera on the floor in the hope that we may have captured something unusual. The result of the camera footage has yet to be checked! The Inner Courtyard The entire group held a séance in the courtyard area. Paul sensed that something "bad" had taken place in the courtyard whilst being over seen by others above. One of the other group females was requested to stand in a set area and immediately she felt as if she was being forced to here knees. BJ was also asked to stand with here but felt entirely comfortable but later felt a little sick - we put this down to a bad sausage! Paul later went into trance - whereby on questioning he claimed initially that his name was "Art" but was later also referred to as "James" - our line of questioning was stopped abruptly as Paul collapsed. Although prior to doing so it appears that another male named "Edward" was attempting to move forward.
Conclusion This was the first visit to Woodchester by members of Haunted Devon. It is without a doubt a very atmospheric place that has numerous stories relating its strange history. Much has been placed upon William Leigh's possible association with Rosicrucian's a protestant religious group whose fought against oppression and religious, social or intellectual intolerance. He is also supposed to have been a member of the Oxford movement again a protestant sect whose aims were to reintroduce ritual back into the C of E church. William Leigh despite his protestant background eventually converted to Catholicism was the building of Woodchester in its current style an attempt at bringing ritual to his own lifestyle? The grounds of Woodchester are far older than the mansion itself and surely they hold the final key to the Woodchester paranormal story. We as a group feel that Woodchester has a lot to offer and although on this occasion the mansion failed to deliver - we will return and attempt to provide further evidence to its paranormal past.
History Woodchester Park was constructed by George Huntley in 1564 an the 1st building on site was undoubtedly a hunting lodge. The lands were passed to the Ducie family in 1631 and the they completed there own mansion "Spring Park" in the 1740's. Spring Park remained in the hands of the Ducie family until in 1845 it was sold to William Leigh. William had Spring Park demolished and ordered the construction or the current mansion. William died in 1873 without the mansion ever being completed work having stopped in the 1870's. The project passed to William Leigh the younger and the only room to be completed was the Drawing room. Williams son - Vincent lived in part of the building until eventually the mansion was sold in 1938. From the 1950's to the 1980's the building was essentially derelict and was open to abuse by all manner of activities - including possibly satanic ritual although there really is no evidence to support this. |
