FULFORD MANOR REPORT

Place: Fulford Manor Dunsford Devon – OS Grid reference: SX7970891712

Date: Saturday 12th November 2011.

Time: 2000 hrs. – 0300 hrs.

GENERAL AREA

Dunsford is located in a position on the eastern side of the Teign valley and about 7 miles outside of the city of Exeter. The name Dunsford is said to derive from the name Duns Ford a crossing point at the river.

VENUE OUTLINE

Great Fulford has been the home of the Fulford family since the reign of Richard 1 granted to William de Fulford. The manor originally belonged to the Priory of Canonsleigh until the Reformation when it was purchased by Sir John Fulford.  Sir John Fulford was High Sherrif of Devon for the 26th and 32nd years of the reign of King Henry VIII. Sir John was the son and heir of Sir William Fulford and his wife Jane Bonville. Sir John was a descendant of King Edward I through his grandmother Philippa, who was wife of Sir Thomas Fulford and daughter of Sir Philip Courtenay of Powderham Castle in Devon.  

During the Civil wars of the mid 17th century the family were Royalist. Initially the house was held for the king by Colonel Sir Francis Fulford’s second son, Major Francis Fulford, but it was stormed by Parliamentarians in 1642, retaken by the royalists later when they besieged Exeter taken again by the roundheads in 1646 and garrisoned by them till the end of the war.

The manor is constructed on 4 ranges around a central quadrangle. The main hall contains panels dating to 1534 and the stairwell dates to around C17.

GEOLOGY

Complex comprising of metamorphic and igneous stone

ENVIRONMENT Outside temperature: 14 ⁰C Weather: Partly Cloudy Pressure: 102.40 KpA Visibility: 16 Km Wind: E at 24 K/H – Gusts 24 K/H Humidity 93% Cloud Cover: 35%

DAYLIGHT SETTINGS Sunrise: 6:39 Sunset: 16:41 Daylight Hours: 10h 2m

MOON STATE 99% Visible

CONTROL / SAFE ROOM Safe Room – Entrance Room / Gate house Control Room – Lower Stair Well.

EQUIPMENT IN USE

8 Camera multiplex systems – recording all channels, Thermal Imaging Camera, USB Data Loggers, Ambient thermometers, Laser thermometers, Trifield EMF (Baseline), K2 Meters, Sony Night shot x 3, Zoom H4N Digital recorder x1, Rods, Glass, NID (Negative Ion Detection)

TIMINGS Advance Party arrived for 1900 hrs. Main Body arrived for2000 hrs. Venue Coordination – Barrie Smith Advance Party – Barrie Smith, Byron Jackson, Graham Chapman and Andy Stewart

Team 1

Byron Jackson , Nial Cooper , Claire Easton , Yve Gerry , Di Trotter , Ian Batchelor , Jan Batchelor

Team 2

Barrie Smith, Susan Davis, Tonia Ovey, Andrea Hodgkinson, Neil Jewell, Andrew Stewart, Jason Higgs

Team 3

Graham Chapman , Mark Woodhall , Paul Bickley , Nigel Grandision , Samantha Gover , Rachel Woods , Sue Eagle ,Claire Minchinton, Kelly Walsh.

PRELIMINARIES

On arrival control room was set up in the lower stair well and baselines initiated throughout  the investigation area (approximately 50% of the manor less private living quarters). Safety markers placed in on stairs, doorways and trip hazards.  The baseline report appears below

BASELINES

Lower ground Floor EMF: 0.1 mill Gauss (mG) sectored readings Humidity: 77% Temperature: 16.7⁰ C ambient.

Stairwell EMF: 0.2 mill Gauss (mG) sectored readings Humidity: 72% Temperature: 15.2⁰ C ambient.

Main Hall EMF: 0.1 mill Gauss (mG) sectored readings Humidity: 80% Temperature: 15.8⁰ C ambient.

Kitchen EMF: 0.2 mill Gauss (mG) sectored readings Humidity: 80% Temperature: 15.8⁰ C ambient.

Saloon room EMF: 0.2 mill Gauss (mG) sectored readings Humidity: 78% Temperature: 16.5⁰ C ambient.

Wood room EMF: 0.2 mill Gauss (mG) sectored readings Humidity: 77.1% Temperature: 16.7⁰ C ambient.

Red room EMF: 0.1 mill Gauss (mG) sectored readings Humidity: 76.9% Temperature: 16.5⁰ C ambient.

Landing EMF: 0.1 mill Gauss (mG) sectored readings Humidity: 76.4% Temperature: 17⁰ C ambient.

Bedroom EMF: 0.4 mill Gauss (mG) sectored readings Humidity: 76.6% Temperature: 16.8⁰ C ambient.

Bathroom EMF: 0.1 mill Gauss (mG) sectored readings Humidity: 76.6% Temperature: 16.8⁰ C ambient.

Upper Landing EMF: 0.1 mill Gauss (mG) sectored readings Humidity: 83.8% Temperature: 18⁰ C ambient.

TEAM REPORTS

The key points from the teams collective reports appear below. The written report is supported by audio recorded throughout EVP sessions and through the use of night vision footage.  Audio and video is available to our members only unless notified.

Team 1 – Report

Great Hall

The team as detailed commenced investigations in the Great Hall.  The following summarises the key incidents from that area:

2110: Team enters Great Hall and begins preparatory work. Group energy build followed by silence.

2120: Ticking noise believed initially to be an infrared floodlight was heard.  Investigation failed to reveal the source.

2122 – 2130: EVP session 1: Persons present as listed under team 1.  EVP analysis has yet to be fully completed. Recording equipment in use Zoom H4N at 96/24.

2135: Light anomaly sighted by Ian in the fireplace – blue light moving vertically against the chimney housing.  On inspection no source found.

2140: Audible in the area of Yve / Claire. “Sounded like a low mumble or growl”

2140: Flashes believed to be cameras from upper ballroom photography.

Ballroom

The team moved to the Ballroom situated above the gatehouse – safe room.  On arrival at 2155 hrs. The team gathered on the floor in reverse back to back.

2155: Byron feels nauseous after talking about Charles 1st and Cromwell’s Army.  On research established that the Parliamentarians in 1642. Feelings dissipated and were not felt by other members of the team.

2200: Jan team sensitive picks up on an elderly servant man aged around 80 years. Male described as earing buckskin trousers, white shirt and waistcoat with the name Robert / Roderick. Follow up research has failed to locate a link.

2205: Audible: Many of the team report hearing what sounded like a growl in the area of the fireplace.  Investigation revealed no evident source. 2205: Cold spot – attributed to an open winded. Wind had picked up and changed direction

Safe room / Gatehouse

2230: The team took an extended break and discussed the previous incidents and compared investigation noted.  Nothing of note was reported from this area.

Claire and Di carried out a vigil in the lower reception room. Several intermittent flashes were seen in the far right corner. There were no other teams in the vicinity and the source could not be established.

0001 – 0020: Collective Break

Upper Landing and Bedrooms

0030: Jan begins to feel unwell whilst seated on the upper stairs.  She becomes visibly upset and is having difficulty with her breathing.  She appears to begin shivering and sobbing and states that she has someone with her by the name of Robert.  A lady dressed in grey was also said to be present.

Session recorded and supported by audio and video material. 

0040: Other team members beginning with Claire were placed in the area but the sensations felt by Jan could not be replicated although the majority felt uneasy in the area.

Bedroom

0040: Team seated on the floor of the bedroom back to back reverse.  Jan immediately picks up on the name Robert. EVP session initiated. Byron’s speech becomes slow and disjointed – on questioning Byron states that he appeared to lose concentration and his mind had blanked. He could not recall his speech slowing but felt a little unwell.  Di and Yve stated that Byron appeared to be being pushed back although he had no recollection of this. Di recalls feeling what she felt was a footstep around her.

0055: Claire returned from the stairs and joined the group and reported feeling very sick. Niall then went out to the stairs he later reported that he felt he was being watched by 3 people.   0120:  We briefly visited the attic room but nothing to report.  

Redroom - lower ground floor

0130: The team entered the red room located in the lower ground floor.  They seated themselves  in chairs around the room.  Initial quiet session.

0145: Claire states that she had felt what she perceived to be a punch to the side of the sofa as though something had either pushed or attempted to move the chair.  Nothing was found that could have caused the sensation and nothing was hear.

2.00: Team return to the bedroom and Byron began another EVP session.  Yve and Di recall that Byron had been pushed into them.  Nothing of significance and nothing further to report.  

Team 2 – Report

Inner reception room

Quiet session followed by glass divination exercise with two K2 meters.  Initial session was unproductive  however on Tonia joining the table the name Elizabeth was prominent (There is an Elizabeth in the Fulford family – she was the daughter of  Thomas Fulford who died in 1610). Barrie complained of tightness in his chest and throat – the name of Fred was offered by Tonia.  Barrie noticed a light above Neil and few of the team including myself had extreme coldness to our left hand side. Andy took a temperature reading from Andrea, and a noticeable 4/5 degree difference 23 C on the right hand side and 18/19 C on the left.

The name Elizabeth Montagu was picked up by  Tonia (Alice Montagu was the Countess of Salisbury Elizabeth Montagu (Lady) was the wife of William Montagu alias Montacute, who was the 1st Earl of Salisbury. I am unable to find a connection with the Fulford Estate.

On glass divination the two K2 meters went off together.  (Not know if the team had switched off their mobile phones – K2 meters will respond to handshake signals from mobiles)

Susan reports that her camcorder battery had discharged – later inspection revealed that the camcorder was now working.

Bedroom

Susan reported a light anomaly above Barries head that moved away from the head in a straight line.  Nothing further to report from either the bedroom or upper landing.

Red room

Nothing to report

Upper attic

The team split with 3 females in one room and the remaining team in the laundry.  On calling out Tonia sensed something was with her and as she called out something (sounded like a small stone) was heard to fall in the area.  (On baseline – Graham had hear something very similar at 1920 hrs whilst on the upper landing. Additionally on a previous investigation a toy soldier was found to have been thrown in this area – witnessed by Jan and Ian).  Owner reports that this area of stairs is disliked by herself.

On calling out sounds similar to a small bird were heard.

Cellar

Susan recalls that the team requested for bottles to move / break. On leaving the cellar Barrie and Andy stated they had heard what sounded like bottles moving in the back corridor.

Ballroom

Barrie initiated a relaxation experiment. Barrie had thoughts that the light fitting was about the fall on Susan. Nothing further to report.

Stairwell / Stairs

Susan missed her footing and fell (Believed by Susan to be error on her part).

Great Hall

0035: Loud band heard on audio not heard by the team.

Further glass divination experiments initiated. Barrie picked up on the name Thomas Fulford.  Barrie pinpointed a date of 1664 as being significant.Research established that Thomas was knighted and died in 1610.  His eldest son Francis inherited and died in 1664.

Team 3 – Report

Results VOID Training team

CONCLUSION

Our thanks to the team for some excellent results throughout the evening.  The area of the back stairs towards to bedrooms proved to quite active with some strange results including what was believed to be a small stone thrown.  The possibility of lose plaster or debris falling from the room above has not be ruled out. 

Haunted Devon will revisit Fulford Manor in 2012 where it is hoped to expand on the results above.

Report compiled:

Byron Jackson PR and Media – Haunted Devon

Photos: Nigel Granidsion

Sources: English Heritage - Burke's Landed Gentry, www.greatfulford.co.uk - Great Fulford House - Historic Houses Association

• Next >