Ghost, Poltergeist Or A Logical Explanation ?

[lazybass@yahoo.co.uk]

Hi

Not to sure where to start but my parents purchaced a semi detatched 2 bed thatched cottage in a very rural Devon village dating back to the 1600's, the location is right next to a church and the graves are within three feet of the kitchen window behind a tall wall. Anyway they bought the house in August and it needed quite a bit of work ie heating new kitchen bathroom ect no work has been yet done due to the one and only weekend when my parents stayed their, the first night they were awoke around 4am by a very loud bang from down stairs they went down and could see nothing other than the toolbox which looked to have been picked up and dropped, next night my Mother was awoke again but this time from a voice which she thinks shouted " hey you get away from there " again it was around 4am and there was no one around, the next day when they were in the bathroom they heard a bang from the dining room when they entered the tape measure was across the room having been moved from the shelf above the aga, it was placed back onto the shelf again and within 5 minutes when they had left the room it had managed to get across the room, again a bang was heard. Mobile phone signals were also affected when they were in the house and funny smells are apparent within the house. They have yet to start any work with my mother never wanting to go back again. Anyone else ever had similar things occour and could there be an explanation ? The house has apparently been rented out for the last 20 years to many tennants and the locals only say that the village does have ghosts " a man apparently comes into the pub with his dog through the walls and sits at the end of the bar ".

Kind Regards

 

[Nemesis]

Well - try this thread for starters...

http://periodpropertyshop.co.uk/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=7150&start=0

 

[Lime]

You don't say where the house is positioned but when I first moved to the country I was surprised how some people could be so noisy very early in the morning. Farmers and workers in remote villages get up early.
That house was next to the church and graveyard and many of my guests were uneasy because of it.
However, apart from the odd house-movement noise, I never felt threatened by ghosts, spirits or whatever you wish to call them.
I even sat on the cemetry wall at the bewitching hour on halloween toasting my neighbours but none of them were stirring.

 

[Jocelyn]

It is possible that this is a restless soul. The local Vicar would be a good starting point, a very simple blessing -- not to be confused with an exorcism- a last resort-- will often be just enough to sort the problem. Most Parish Priests are familiar with this sort of thing and I have known it work.

Also, try to find out something about the house from the local History Society.

Carry on with a normal routine, keeping some fresh seasonal flowers and a candle or two in the 'disturbed' areas.

Good Luck

Jocelyn

 

[DaveBrigg]

We too live next to a church and have funny smells, interupted mobile phone signals and rooms which feel colder than the rest of the house. These all have a logical explanation, and the occasional noises can be attributed to timber movements.
Whether there is a logical explanation for your parents' experience I don't know, but I would guess that whatever the cause, your mother is now never going to be able to sleep easily (and having read your post, I'm not sure that I would either). It sounds like Jocelyn's idea would be a good start, although I'm sure that there are TV programmes who would be interested to visit.

 

[Flyfisher]

My in-laws had an old shooting friend who would never stay in one particular room at their house after they were woken one evening by their dog barking and howling up the chimney. They were absolutely convinced it was a ghost and were very obviously uncomfortable about the whole thing.

But whenever I've slept in the same room the only thing I've heard is mice (or rats?) running around in the attic, which would certainly start a dog barking I would think.

Personally, I don't believe in ghosts, but I do believe some people genuinely believe they've seen/heard them. Strange things can happen in the mind when you're half asleep/awake and we all know that dreams can be very real.

 

[Penners]

a man apparently comes into the pub with his dog through the walls and sits at the end of the bar ".

I bet the tight so-and-so never buys a round, though.

 

[Manny]

It's all load of old tosh if you ask me, everything can be explained.

Try this link, it's a decent theory:

For many years paranormal investigators have spoken about the 'Stone tape' theory as a possible explanation for certain classes of ghostly activity.
The hypothesis being that rather like a TV programme can be recorded onto iron particles coated onto a plastic tape, then events can be recorded into the very fabric of buildings or indeed the surrounding Earth. The events can be played back at a later time thus causing the viewer to interpret the playback as a ghost.

 

[Lime]

It's all load of old tosh if you ask me, everything can be explained.

I agree with you but try explaining that to someone who claims they have had experience of such phenomena.

My logic has always been based on my experience of death.
My father was killed 50 years ago and I have never had a fear of ghosts or spirits...they could be my father.
All ghosts and spirits must be of someone loved so why fear them?
I think it is the modern pre-occupation with youth and lack of experience of death throughout most of other peoples' lives that creates the fear.
Fear of the unknown.
Almost a disbelief that death will come to them.

 

[Moo]

"I think it is the modern pre-occupation with youth and lack of experience of death throughout most of other peoples' lives that creates the fear."

So belief in, and fear of, ghosts is a modern phenomenon, then?

 

[Gareth Hughes]

It's all load of old tosh if you ask me, everything can be explained.

Try this link, it's a decent theory:

For many years paranormal investigators have spoken about the 'Stone tape' theory as a possible explanation for certain classes of ghostly activity.
The hypothesis being that rather like a TV programme can be recorded onto iron particles coated onto a plastic tape, then events can be recorded into the very fabric of buildings or indeed the surrounding Earth. The events can be played back at a later time thus causing the viewer to interpret the playback as a ghost.

That's no more decent a theory (if anything rather less believable) than explaining that ghosts are the returning spirits of the dead. Which came first, the theory or Nigel Kneale's early 1970s TV play entitled "The Stone Tape"?

 

[Lime]

"I think it is the modern pre-occupation with youth and lack of experience of death throughout most of other peoples' lives that creates the fear."

So belief in, and fear of, ghosts is a modern phenomenon, then?

Superstition has always been with us in one form or another.
It is lent credence by making it fearful too.

however my reference was particular to death and the lack of direct contact many people have to any intimate death until they are old.
A great many people go through their lives never experiencing it whereas in the past death was always with us.
Then most families had children who died.
For the general population death was much more real and so was the loss.
Fear of death rather than of the dead was the prevalent fear.


However as spirits/ghosts are whatever you wish them to be it is open to anyone to deny what I say for what proof is there?

 

[Penners]

as spirits/ghosts are whatever you wish them to be it is open to anyone to deny what I say for what proof is there?

Proof? The only worthwhile proof of spirits is about 70.